When Mellencamp states, “Little pink houses for you and me,” he shows that being in America will not immediately give people the lives they seek, but an opportunity for their dreams to be conquered through hard work and motivation. Mellencamp uses this example to address how today’s society has so many distractions that easily throw us off course towards the American Dream. He was told growing up, “boy you’re gonna be president,” but instead he sees his current life as his “destination.” The dream to become someone great was something he never pursued, so he never allowed himself the chance to reach his highest potential. Rather than being born into a life of prejudice like the black man of verse one, this boy was gifted with a life of limitless opportunities. Mellencamp continues to challenge diversity and the American ideals with the third verse of his song about a young white boy whose “old crazy dreams just kinda came and went.” In this illustration of an ‘average’ young American, Mellencamp chose to display an identity that was the opposite of the one he discussed in the first verse. The black man’s life contrasts with the chorus of the song, where the American dream is depicted through living in “little pink houses,” while he is living with “an interstate runnin’ through his front yard.” These lyrics show that although this man thinks “he’s got it so good,” people looking in from the outside can say that he has not escaped the struggles and prejudices of the American world. It is clear this is done to portray the extreme stereotype of the African American man living in America. The first line of the song, “there’s a black man with a black cat livin’ in a black neighborhood,” emphasizes the repetition of the word black. Not everyone will be able to get their own “pink house.”
Ain’t that America somethin’ to see baby.Little pink houses for you and me.” It is evident that although America may seem like the ideal place to build a prosperous life, it does not always yield success and happiness. He uses irony to exemplify how imperfect America truly is, singing “ Oh but ain’t that America for you and me. Mellencamp stresses the fact that although America seems like the perfect building block for the ideal life, it is not that simple. The chorus of the song shows that the American Dream isn’t what it is made up to be.
#Lyrics to little pink houses free#
Mellencamp addresses the fact that in the American Dream, people are free to live as they choose and that life seems to be portrayed as somewhat picture perfect. Pink houses represent the deceiving facade of all American Dreams as well as the identical ideals of picket fences, a family to come home to, a steady job, and ultimately success. The lyrics of this song stand to depict the stereotypical American Dream. Songwriter John Mellencamp sheds light on the austere reality of the American Dream in his song “Pink Houses.” At the time that Crevecoeur wrote What is An American, America was only just developing and therefore hadn’t experienced the harsh realities that can drive people off their path of obtaining the American Dream.
There has been a surplus of diverse challenges that obstruct us from obtaining our own personal standards of success as the generations have seemed to only become more complex. Crevecoeur portrays the Dream as something easily attainable for all citizens of the land but as time has progressed, the Dream seems to be slipping further out of reach. In the three centuries since Crevecoeur’s What is An American, it is obvious that the American Dream has undergone a significant transformation evident in today’s modern world.
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