John's first record released was under the stage name "Johnny Cougar" at the behest of Tony DeFries, his first manager. Mellencamp claims it was against his knowledge and will, and he hated the name. A few years later in 1982, he made his break through with the album "American Fool" which includes the hit singles "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane" under the stage name "John Cougar". With 1983's "Uh-Huh" album, he added back his real last name to become known as "John Cougar Mellencamp." By 1987's "The Lonesome Jubilee" he dropped the "Cougar" moniker altogether, and has been known henceforth as "John Mellencamp."
Mellencamp has always been socially and politically active and supported the "Vote for Change" Tour in 2004 opposing the policies of President George W. Bush. Mellencamp is a devout evangelical Christian and strongly believes in non-violence; he has spoken about his beliefs frequently in interviews.
Taxi Dancer
John Mellencamp Lyrics
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She's gonna make her livin' dancin' in the Broadway shows
So she hitchiked cross-country from Pasaroba to the Big Red Apple
Where your dreams are made, and your debts are paid on time
[Chorus]
I'll hold you close, taxi dancer
And I'll listen to how you outgrew your dreams, and how they faded away
And we'll pretend this floor is the Broadway stage
Well, she wasn't used to livin' in the city
So she took a job as a maid, cleanin' up at the Gramercy Park Hotel
And all her auditions: they didn't turn out so pretty
So she took a job dancin' at the bar down the street as well
[Chorus]
Well, I don't know how long or how far her fortune did take her
But I heard she sits alone, drunk in a bar down on 42nd Street
And sometimes an old butch will slip a quarter into the jukebox
And she'll stagger to the bar and dance with that girl for free
[Chorus]
The song "Taxi Dancer" by John Mellencamp narrates the story of a woman who left her home town in search of her dreams of becoming a Broadway dancer. The woman hitchhiked all the way to New York City, where she took a job as a maid but also pursued her passion by auditioning for Broadway shows, unfortunately without any success. As a result, she ended up working as a dancer in a bar down the street from the hotel where she worked as a maid.
The first verse of the song sets up the initial optimism of the woman's ambition, with the lyrics "Well, she started out to be a dancer, she's gonna make her living dancing in the Broadway shows". However, the chorus reveals the reality of how her dreams faded away, with the lyrics "I'll listen to how you outgrew your dreams, and how they faded away". Despite her failed dreams, the singer of the song still holds a certain romanticism about her past, as the chorus continues about how they will "pretend this floor is the Broadway stage".
The last verse of the song is the most poignant, as it reveals how the woman's life turned out after years of chasing her dreams. The lyrics "But I heard she sits alone, drunk in a bar down on 42nd Street, and sometimes an old butch will slip a quarter into the jukebox" illustrate the sad reality that she ended up alone and forgotten. Yet, there is a sense of redemption for her through dancing with another woman, even if it's just for free.
Overall, "Taxi Dancer" is a melancholic song about a woman whose dreams of becoming a Broadway dancer didn't come true. Despite her talent and dedication, she ended up living a life of disappointment and heartbreak. The song is made even sadder by the fact that it is based on the real-life experiences of some women who worked as taxi dancers in bars in New York City.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she started out to be a dancer
She began her career pursuing the dream of becoming a professional dancer
She's gonna make her livin' dancin' in the Broadway shows
Her goal was to earn a living by performing as a dancer in Broadway shows
So she hitchiked cross-country from Pasaroba to the Big Red Apple
In order to pursue her dreams, she traveled all the way from Pasaroba to New York City, where Broadway dreams could come true
Where your dreams are made, and your debts are paid on time
New York City is where people come to make their dreams a reality and earn a living in the entertainment industry
[Chorus] I'll hold you close, taxi dancer And I'll listen to how you outgrew your dreams, and how they faded away I'll hold you close taxi dancer And we'll pretend this floor is the Broadway stage
The artist (presumably a patron at the bar where she now works) sympathizes with the dancer and offers comfort by pretending that she is still dancing on a Broadway stage
Well, she wasn't used to livin' in the city
The dancer was not accustomed to living in a bustling city like New York
So she took a job as a maid, cleanin' up at the Gramercy Park Hotel
To make ends meet, she took a job as a hotel maid, cleaning rooms at the Gramercy Park Hotel
And all her auditions: they didn't turn out so pretty
Despite her efforts to make it in the entertainment industry, her auditions did not go well and she was unable to secure a professional dance role
So she took a job dancin' at the bar down the street as well
She resorted to taking a job as a dancer at a local bar to earn money
[Chorus] I'll hold you close, taxi dancer And I'll listen to how you outgrew your dreams, and how they faded away I'll hold you close taxi dancer And we'll pretend this floor is the Broadway stage
The artist (presumably a patron at the bar where she now works) sympathizes with the dancer and offers comfort by pretending that she is still dancing on a Broadway stage
Well, I don't know how long or how far her fortune did take her
The singer is unsure of how long the dancer's professional career lasted, or how successful she ultimately became
But I heard she sits alone, drunk in a bar down on 42nd Street
Word has traveled that the dancer now spends her days alone and inebriated, drinking away her sorrows in a bar on 42nd Street
And sometimes an old butch will slip a quarter into the jukebox
Occasionally, another lonely patron at the bar (an 'old butch') will offer her comfort by playing a song on the jukebox
And she'll stagger to the bar and dance with that girl for free
In response to the music, the dancer will dance with the woman who played the song, free of charge
[Chorus] I'll hold you close, taxi dancer And I'll listen to how you outgrew your dreams, and how they faded away I'll hold you close taxi dancer And we'll pretend this floor is the Broadway stage
The singer (presumably a patron at the bar where she now works) sympathizes with the dancer and offers comfort by pretending that she is still dancing on a Broadway stage
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN MELLENCAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind