Little Pink Houses in My Hometown of Allentown

Several big 80’s hits by prominent rockers detailed the decline of industrialized jobs and the death of middle America and indicted America for failing to live up to its promises: John Cougar Mellencamp’s Pink Houses Bruce Springsteen’s My Hometown and Billy Joel’s Allentown. 

First, here’s Johnny Cougar, singing from the heartland, about the heartland (and dancing in a field of wildflowers to boot):

The video is so upbeat and filled with so much beautiful imagery of rural America, you almost miss the drug deal about 3 minutes in. 

Then there’s The Boss:

My Hometown is one of Bruce’s most played songs live. He played it at half of his 236-date run of ‘Springsteen on Broadway, where he preceded it by joking that he built his reputation on songs of escape but currently lives 10 minutes from Freehold, N.J., where he grew up. Freehold is also where 3M closed a plant just months after this song came out, which made My Hometown seem prescient. 

And Billy Joel’s take on factory closures in Levittown, which was near his hometown of Hicksville on New York’s Long Island. He changed it to “Allentown” because it sounded better as a lyric. Listen to the rolling mill sound effects in the chorus and at the end, meant to evoke working in a steel mill.

The Allentown video was directed by Russell Mulcahy and choreographed by living legend Kenny Ortega, who also choreographed Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and created High School Musical and Disney’s The Descendants. Lots of shots in the video feel a little too Broadway for the subject matter, like this showering factory worker who cheats to the camera while flexing washing his hair. It earned Joel a bit of criticism. The 80’s: You can’t make a homoerotic video about unemployed blue collars without *someone* complaining. 

We must point out this young man in his underpants, twirling flaming batons in front of the American flag. There’s some subtext here, what do you think it is? (Mulcahy admits on re-watching the video that it is “very gay”– that’s probably it.)

Ortega notably choreographed Billy Squier’s “Rock Me Tonight” video, which Squier accused of “killing” his career.” There’s an excessive amount of snapping but other than that seems alright. Right? 

Ortega also choreographed High School Musical, and when you watch all 3 of these videos in a row, you start to recognize his style. Lots of spinning and fists in air. Bet on it, Troy. 

Whew, it’s a lot of dancing. Let’s cool down with a Meximelt from Taco Bell. may be delicious, but they’re not always on the menu. Here’s a good copycat recipe!

Bon appetit!