John Cougar Welcome to Chinatown HQ with Lyrics in Description

Track 7 from his third self-titled album released in 1979 copyright Riva Records. It was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami and was produced by Ron Albert & Howard Albert with John Punter producing the single "I Need a Lover" at George Martin's AIR Studios in London. John Mellencamp was born in the small town of Seymour, Indiana in America's Midwest heartland and joined his first band at the age of fourteen. He continued to play in local bands into his college years when he began taking trips to New York City in the hopes of meeting record company execs and obtaining a recording contract. He met Tony DeFries of MainMan Management who had managed David Bowie early in his career. DeFries was interested but convinced John that his last name wasn't marketable enough and he should adopt the stage name Johnny Cougar. Mellencamp reluctantly agreed and released his first album "Chestnut Street Incident" produced by DeFries and consisting mostly of cover songs in 1976 on MCA Records. The album was a failure and sold only 12,000 copies. A second album "The Kid Inside" consisting of all original material was recorded the following year but DeFries decided against releasing it. This caused MCA Records to drop his artist and Mellencamp parted ways with DeFries and his management company. DeFries would later release "The Kid Inside" in 1983 after "American Fool" had been successful to cash in on Mellencamp's newfound popularity. As a free agent John caught the attention of Rod Stewart's manager Billy Gaff, who signed him to the small label Riva Records and convinced him to move to England to tour and promote his next album "A Biography" which was only released in the U.K. and Australia. The single "I Need a Lover" became a Top Five hit in Australia so it was also added to this album, his first U.S. release on the Riva label where it reached No. 28 on the Billboard chart. The album received mediocre reviews and reached No. 77 in Australia and No. 64 in the U.S. Written by John Mellencamp and produced by Ron Albert, Howard Albert & John Punter. Featuring: John Mellencamp - Lead vocals & acoustic guitars Larry Crane - Lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars & background vocals Mike "Chief" Wanchic - Lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars & background vocals Brian Bec Var - Piano & organ Robert "Ferd" Frank - Bass Tom Knowles - Drums In the cool of the evenin' I don't know the reason But I long to touch some young, tender hearts sometimes So I go to this party with a bunch of me hardies They say don't get too cute, don't get too smart 'Cause these people are crazy, they toot coke and drink Huangjiu, talk in some crazy tongue There's a slit-eyed lady sayin' don't you be so stupid, I may be old but I'm still good fun Still good fun, yeah, I'm still good fun Still good fun, yeah, I'm still good fun Well, I ain't that choosy I'll flip-flop with a floozy If I figure there's no strings attached But sometimes I loose my feet underneath the back seat And I have to fly my heart at half-mast Well, now this old biddy, she was smart and she was witty She was really out of control, you know It was stumble or fall, I had my back to the wall I didn't know whether to bet on win, place or show Welcome to Chinatown, she said I'm gonna lay your body down she said I ain't no queen, but I'm wearin' this crown she said Welcome to Chinatown, welcome to Chinatown Well, she shimmered and she shook, what she wanted she took She shook me like some rickshaw ride She stuck her fingers down my throat till I almost choked I thought I'd gone to Heaven and died Well, she took me by the ear, she said what do you wanna hear, boy? Hear those crazy old lies? I said nothin' you can say, girl, can drive me away Just check my complexion, make sure I'm still alive Welcome to Chinatown she said I'm gonna lay your body down she said I ain't no queen, but I'm wearin' this crown she said Welcome to Chinatown, welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown, welcome to Chinatown Welcome to Chinatown, welcome to Chinatown