John Mellencamp - Paper in Fire (Live at Farm Aid 1990)

John Mellencamp performs "Paper in Fire" live at the Farm Aid concert in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 7th, 1990. Farm Aid was started by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985 to keep family farmers on the land and has worked since then to make sure everyone has access to good food from family farmers. Dave Matthews joined Farm Aid's board of directors in 2001.
For more information about Farm Aid, visit: farmaid.org/you...
Farm Aid's performances are donated by the artists in order to raise funds and raise awareness for family farmers. They've raised their voices to help - what can you do?

[@philsito9774]

I was there for this awesome day of music. John Mellencamp is my all time favorite. Keep on rocking.

[@lpnelson6584]

John's almost 40 years old in this clip and still rocking. Amazing performer, glad I got to see him in '86 at the Seattle Center Coliseum, fantastic show.

[@lindabergman3127]

Gotta love him❤love ❤love

[@TheBEERSTALKER]

Kenny Aronoff beats those drums like they owe him money! \m/

[@sandygarcia5090]

I met that dude walking out of Rite Stop in Millerton NY.. on his way to the Harford show..

[@lindabergman3127]

Definitely does💥💥💥💥

[@54chewbacca]

He's a beast!

[@markmury6934]

One of his best tracks.

[@reggiejoss7027]

Nice. Way. To. End. Sat erday. Night. Good nigjt O

[@lindabergman3127]

Now this is real talent❤🎉🎉🎉😊

[@infjintegrityvsnarcissism7295]

And from his prime

[@WahlbergBabey]

Those dance moves KILLED ME. You got it John John😍

[@lindabergman3127]

He sure does🌹

[@cristoforomoretti5662]

Incredible performer !!!!

[@sleektiger9628]

This is another reason I love Melloncamp, he looks great doing what he does, always has!

Friggin awesome one of my all time fav records

[@mixhaelamikovich]

lonesome jubilee was amazing

[@agapapowers]

God love you

[@ariellyn7253]

My favorite video of John doing this song. AMAZING!!

[@LSommer]

I was at this one. I was just a highschool kid. Someone gifted me an All Access Lam. It left a lasting impression. Thank You for Sharing.

[@henri2719]

Great song 👌

[@stonesfan77]

we need a dvd of John Mellencamp period.

[@brettwassum5295]

Badass song and Kenny Aronoff banging on the drums really takes it to the next level. Probably one of the tougher John Mellencamp songs to cover from a drumming standpoint.

[@rjsingleton]

Agreed. I'm learning it now and, it's a MONSTER.

[@phillipdavies8029]

So I wanted to know who the drummer was! Thanks.👍👍

[@lindabergman3127]

This is a fantastic performance n song ❤️Keep rockin @John Mellencamp🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@alhuggins3646]

how can you get any better than this guy. if he can turn on the 80's and 90's he's sure to blow the 2000's away after you just heard him now!!!

[@jackchekee9438]

Just one word : MONSTRUEUX !!!

[@donnalynn2]

My fave song of his. I worked in radio most of my life. When I played this one I would turn on the monitors loud and just jam! The studios are soundproof so nobody realized unless they walked in i was jamming. Thry would get hit with a wall of sound if they walked in though! LOL

[@cdkilo77]

Its definitely my favorite Mellencamp song. It's high energy with great lyrics and anytime it comes on the radio the volume gets turned up.

[@eddiebrown8549]

Thank you, Donna…🙏😎

[@TheDarc110]

shake it Johnny boy!

[@mikemonroe4783]

The boy can dance.

[@1Rockdad]

Coming from his home state and being in a band road crew that played his home town of Seymour at a bar he played before he broke out was pretty cool.

[@RichaRd_JeRome]

Loved When Larry Crane Was in The Band

[@chrisbullen219]

@@RichaRd_JeRome yeah he made it great 👍

[@leefussell9856]

He sure can Dance!

[@infjintegrityvsnarcissism7295]

John in his prime

[@Bob-wx1gc]

One cool rocker

[@c6rjake]

He looks like Uncle Jessie from Full House. On the other hand, maybe that's where Uncle Jessie got his look from.

[@borstfamily9702]

He was around before Jesse for sure!! This is one of his best!!!!

[@petuniawigglebottom3392]

He was hotter than a supernova in his day.

[@JaneDoe-gd6wo]

many thanks

[@lindabergman3127]

John mellancamp best video of Wild nites on late nite on letterman show🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@donnielane3818]

No matter how u say his name it's john

[@olivierbourdin5160]

Concert de folie le 13/4/92, John a mis le feu à Paris (au zenith). Inoubliable !

[@julienravier9875]

J'y étais 🕺 🎤 🥁 🎸 🪕 🎻 je confirme : Fabuleux Un de mes meilleurs souvenirs de concert Rock .... !

[@Anthonyaslanian-b7t]

100% the big stuff it’s for the big stuff

[@madtom8570]

Kenny is great!

[@markllanas2676]

Pretty cool video!!!

[@Stefandejager01]

Perfect Rolling Stones song.

[@pullyourown]

Interesting how in 1990 the accordion and fiddle players were banished to the back of the stage away from the cool guitarists up front. Watch the same song performed in 2016 and these instruments are now front of stage.

[@ericsfreshfishmarket5560]

That's a good observation; wonder how much of it has to do with varying arrangements down through the years (26 in this case!). Perhaps the advent of world music has opened up more instruments into the mix (I'm thinking specifically of the cajon drum boxes here although many fit the discussion) and ear as well. Mellencamp is a Boomer, like me, and rock-n-roll pretty much began and ended with a hot guitar riff, but he's always used a variety of instruments to drive his songs, and the original Check it Out contained accordion as well. Thanks for the thought provoking comment, so many of these threads don't. :-)

[@gryjffrs]

I've seen several older performances of this song where the violinist is front center. Not sure what the deal was with this concert. I do like watching her play tho.

[@joantmattly2756]

I loved watching them, big part of the show! I was in row 3 and it felt like he was looking right at me, love him!!!

[@SummerLuvr7]

Awesome!

[@lesleystorey3917]

Maybe you shoul have taken more notice of john lennon whatever gets you through the night

[@Trucker-John-B]

White boy here, went all around and ended up in Dallas Texas one night. 2 sisters settled my hash real quick and forever. 41 now, things are different. I close my eyes and see those ladies that jacked up a kid and sent him on his way. Paper and fire. No sh8t! I am haunted. I love it!

[@Trucker-John-B]

@Barbara Guest A gentleman never speaks of such things. A great song that reminds me that good things can happen.

[@douglascorley5887]

Badass

[@calf1100]

youtube should add an i love it button

[@jeangrey599]

💁July 2019 ❤ JCM!

[@terryhunter2526]

Be a hard act to follow

[@gryjffrs]

Believe it or not this is the first time I've seen this performance of the song and I have to say, I like the performances where the violinist is front center better. I like watching her make that violin smoke, or is that smock?

[@Luckyrider1958]

Yeah, the fiddle was a big part of this songs sound.. camera man never looked her way once!~!

[@gryjffrs]

@@Luckyrider1958 If I remember correctly there was some sort of benefit for John Kerry around 2004 that Mellcamp and company performed at and that was the first time my attention was really drawn to Lisa Germano and her fiddle playing. I had it on my dvr but somehow lost it which sure made me a bit sad. Anyhow, she is very good and I like watching her play.

[@Luckyrider1958]

@@gryjffrs John KERRY?? UGH. But she plays awesome !!

[@Doc_Holiday]

WOW

[@1Rockdad]

I remember being on a band road crew back when he broke that toured through lil ole Seymour Indiana no less. Everything was John Cougar no matter where you went in the USA. As it would seem the chain smoking for most his life has kicked his very own ass now.

[@dar44445]

Cool....

[@simonedevlin7710]

With all due respect, John Mellencamp is a real force of nature who had some health issues, but he has had a phenomenal comeback in Farm Aid 2021. He still has the killer vocals which make the mark for a top notch show.Blessings.

[@JimmyG3237]

AWESOME 👍👍👍 what ever happened to this drummer??

[@ladesigner8764]

He still plays!

[@eddiebrown8549]

Back when performing artists cared about real things that matter…🙏

[@RackaVin]

good

[@Anthonyaslanian-b7t]

100% big stuff time

[@trigonzobob]

cool dobro

[@raullapaz388]

nice idol

[@shadrach6299]

He beats the drums like a red-headed step child

[@eshiveley]

How did I never notice how much he looked like Eddie Van Halen? And what was with leaving the backup singers a violinist out of the video?

[@keylearning5746]

Probably the bg and violin were shared by several bands?

[@alhuggins3646]

for those who don't know it was him, willie nelson, and nei; young who organized all the farm aids. think how your diets would be with no help to farmers. CHECKMATE!!!!

[@laureljune7561]

it goes a lot deeper than that brother !!!

[@alhuggins3646]

laurel zebe carrots grow the deepest and it's a good thing that's not where hearts grow (and no, i'm not talking celery hearts laurel) but of course you city slickers wouldn't know that, because you think just the ahmish grow food... razzledazzle flump!!! hahahahah i know what YOU grow!!! you grow old and tired, right? hahah

[@celinabarabino2791]

SHUT YOUR MOUTH FORRO DEL ORTO- ARGENTINA LOVES ALL OF THEM stupid

[@lesleystorey3917]

Providing your not gaslight ING the next generation

[@lesleystorey3917]

Jus so sad watching them big each other up

[@skepticalobserver7484]

4:53 dropped a beat but got it back together in time for the hit 😂

[@teeyoungblood7627]

Crazy af that Mike smashes everyone out over YEARS to get a game.. "Buster" Douglas beats Tyson, and gets a game immediately 😂😂

[@johannesswillery7855]

The biggest threat to farming today is predatory wealthy individuals and entities gobbling up available farmland.

[@sleektiger9628]

Who said white men can't dance?

[@lesleystorey3917]

Me

[@xennial_miracle]

Dude just took an ass solo at 2:29

[@keylearning5746]

Any rock band on the planet would sound better if Kenny played drums for them.

[@Pidxr]

Speak out now

[@julioa.8490]

Wow, dude totally took an ass solo.

[@stevencrump8136]

lol

[@gryjffrs]

I'm sure there were lots of women chasing John in the day, good lookin' farm boy that he was back then, so they probably appreciated it. Maybe some men too.

[@roo7227]

Paper and fire... And a generous portion of marijuana tobacco!.. Who's to say the way a man should spend his day?.. huh?..

[@lesleystorey3917]

He has a spot next to one of those housewives he didnot burn down but one of me mates did who hooooo my names vicky

[@timlandrum5140]

Dinosaur

[@martynkorol5322]

Cool track.! Work as a rock dj and just rediscovered it..!! Awesome drumming, a classic classic underestimated track.! Still play it in bars! Martyn ( MARTYNS ROCK SHACK).....

[@jamuga60]

If John was 6.2 tall I think he would have been a lot more successful.

[@Philly_bul]

U can tell john worshipped mick jagger. Had to.

[@mindymisic3270]

A true self destructive narcissist could have been so much more