Jack & Diane Jack & Diane "Jack & Diane" is a 1982 hit rock song written and performed by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, then performing as "John Cougar." It appears on Mellencamp's album "American Fool". It was chosen by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as one of the Songs of the Century. The single spent four weeks at number one on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in 1982, and is Mellencamp's most successful hit single. According to Mellencamp, "Jack & Diane" was based on the 1962 Tennessee Williams film "Sweet Bird of Youth". He said of recording the song: "'Jack & Diane'
If I Had No Loot John "Jubu" Smith played a Fender Telecaster on the song. "If I Had No Loot" incorporates a New jack swing beat, pronounced guitar licks, and a tempo of 108 beats per minute. It has 1960s Stax southern soul influences. The song also contains vocal samples from hip hop songs, including the "da-da-da-day" chant from Boogie Down Productions' 1987 song "Remix for P Is Free" and the line "and you can "new jack swing" on my nuts!" from Ice Cube's 1991 song "The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit". According to Raphael Wiggins, the song is about "fair-weather friends" and "people who