John Cougar Mellencamp - Authority Song - Lyrics Meaning

The Authority Song was released on the 1983 album, "Uh-Huh".

When John Cougar Mellencamp wrote the Authority Song, he was young and rebellious himself. He referred to the song as "our new version of `I Fought the Law'."

The song is about rebellion against authority. The song begins by pointing out that authority figures like to put people in compromising positions and then laugh at them. The authority figures think it's cute and funny while those who are being laughed at feel that it's disgraceful.

The chorus, "I fight authority, authority always wins" implies that no matter how many times or how hard he resists, he can never overpower the authority. In the end he comes out grinning, most likely because he know that even if he didn't get his way in the end, he gave authority a hard time and that was good enough for him.

In the second verse, Mellencamp asks his preacher for strength to go another round, presumably in the fight against authority. The preacher tells him that he just has to grow up and basically accept those things that he can't change. John wants to stay young and have fun - not grow up.