The ’60s song that inspired “Authority Song” was the legendary “I Fought the Law” by The Bobby Fuller Four. Instead of the law, however, Mellencamp’s narrator faces down a broader enemy: I fight authority, authority always wins. But you’ll notice that even though he might be losing the battles, he’s clearly winning the war: Well, I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid / And I come out grinnin’.
In “Authority Song,” you can hear Mellencamp’s struggles with the record industry in microcosm. Not only do they get you in a compromising position, but they smile in your face while they do it. The narrator admits he’s in Round 5 of a 15-round heavyweight struggle. But he’s not about to take any trite advice about growing up, even it does come from his preacher: I said, ‘Growin’ up leads to growin’ old and then to dyin’ / Ooh, and dyin’ to me don’t sound like all that much fun.’”
Watch Richard Goodall’s live performance below.