The Authority Song
John Mellencamp
1984
Annual listening-list association, not an original-release-date field. Original release year reconciled with reviewed recording-specific Artist Essentials evidence in v3.6.
Release: 1983
Release: 1983Source checked | Recent carryover
V3.6 reconciles the original release year with the reviewed Artist Essentials entry for this exact retained recording ID. Year precision is used; an album-first release is not silently replaced by a later single, reissue or annual-list year. The original studio recording was released in 1983 and belongs to the original Uh-Huh program. Year precision does not assign an album day to a single or a later reissue.
The large badge identifies this listening list, not a newly issued recording. Later reissues and renewed chart popularity do not replace an original release date. How years are assigned.
Owner-supplied release annotations
Reported dates in 1984.html. Not independently established; neighboring dates can reflect album/single or regional differences.
Uh-Huh - official original album year and program
The official artist archive identifies the original 1983 album and selected track program. Recording-session dates and later remaster dates are kept separate from the original release year. Bonus acoustic, club and previously unreleased performances are excluded from original-program selections.
Uh-Huh - original licensed artist credit and version labels
The original program retains the applicable Johnny Cougar, John Cougar or John Cougar Mellencamp credit, and separately labels bonus acoustic or shorter versions. The original album year is checked against the official archive; inherited dates on bonus tracks are not adopted.
Inspiration and background
Supplied note - not independently verified
This note came with the supplied collection and has not been independently verified.
Mellencamp was inspired by his rebellious attitude towards authority figures.
Evidence scope: Source-provided note, not an established account of the songwriter's intent
Sources for this information
Owner-supplied 1984.html, song-list position 116
Supplied annotation reproduced with attribution; underlying historical claims have NOT been independently verified.
Other appearances and versions
catalog version unspecified
Textual identity reconciliation, not audio-fingerprint or exact-pressing verification. Version labels are catalog safeguards.
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Imported annual selection - further review needed
Editorial artist-repertoire classification
Owner-supplied 1984.html
Original list position 116; annual selection retained from supplied material, not independently corroborated.
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.