George Green (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
George Michael Green was an American songwriter. His compositions included the Top 10 Billboard hits
"Crumblin' Down
" and "Hurts So Good
" (the latter of which was an RPM
Number 1 hit in Canada
), as well as another Canadian Number 1 hit in "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)".
's long-time writing partner; he was a classmate and childhood friend of Mellencamp's from Seymour, Indiana
. In 1985, Green's wife appeared in the video for Mellencamp's Top 10 hit "Lonely Ol' Night
". In addition to writing with Mellencamp, Green also wrote songs recorded by Barbra Streisand
, Hall & Oates
, Jude Cole
, Vanessa Williams
and The Oak Ridge Boys
among others.
Green died on August 28, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
at the age of 59 after suffering from a rapidly-progressing form of lung cancer.
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
"Crumblin' Down
Crumblin' Down
"Crumblin' Down" is a rock song co-written and performed by John Cougar Mellencamp, released as the lead single from his 1983 album Uh-Huh. It was a top-ten hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock charts.- Details :...
" and "Hurts So Good
Hurts So Good
"Hurts So Good" is a song from 1982 by the American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, then performing as John Cougar. The song was a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the singer. It was the first of three major hit singles from his 1982 album American Fool...
" (the latter of which was an RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Number 1 hit in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), as well as another Canadian Number 1 hit in "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)".
Biography
Green was John MellencampJohn Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
's long-time writing partner; he was a classmate and childhood friend of Mellencamp's from Seymour, Indiana
Seymour, Indiana
Seymour was the site of the World's First Train Robbery, committed by the local Reno Gang, on October 6, 1866 just east of town. The gang was put into prison for the robbery, and later hanged at Hangman's Crossing outside of town....
. In 1985, Green's wife appeared in the video for Mellencamp's Top 10 hit "Lonely Ol' Night
Lonely Ol' Night
"Lonely Ol' Night" is a rock song written and performed by singer-songwriter John Mellencamp as John Cougar Mellencamp. It appeared on his 1985 album Scarecrow, and was released as a single, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100...
". In addition to writing with Mellencamp, Green also wrote songs recorded by Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
, Jude Cole
Jude Cole
Jude Cole is a manager, record producer and singer/songwriter/guitarist.-Career:Cole's solo records, "Jude Cole", "A View from 3rd Street" and "Start the Car" were released on Warner Bros./Reprise Records, and contained the singles "Baby, It's Tonight", "Time for Letting Go" and "Start the Car"...
, Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams is the name of:* Vanessa L. Williams , American R&B/pop singer and actress, Miss America, actress on Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives...
and The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
among others.
Green died on August 28, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
at the age of 59 after suffering from a rapidly-progressing form of lung cancer.
Credits
Green's songwriting credits with Mellencamp include:- "Dream Killing Town" and "Sad Lady" from Chestnut Street IncidentChestnut Street IncidentChestnut Street Incident is the debut album by Johnny Cougar, later known as John Mellencamp, released in 1976.-Track listing:All tracks composed by John Mellencamp; except where indicated# "American Dream" – 2:21...
(1976) - "Hurts So Good" (#2 Billboard hit) and "Thundering Hearts" from American FoolAmerican FoolAmerican Fool is the sixth album by John Mellencamp, released under the stage name John Cougar in 1982. This was Mellencamp's last album to be released under the name John Cougar. His next album, Uh-Huh, would be released under the name John Cougar Mellencamp. The album was Mellencamp's commercial...
(1982) - "Crumblin' Down" (#9 Billboard hit) and "Warmer Place to Sleep" from Uh-HuhUh-HuhUh-Huh is an 1983 album by John Cougar Mellencamp, a stage name for John Mellencamp. It was Mellencamp's seventh album and the first in which he used his real last name. It charted at #9 on the Billboard 200....
(1983) - "Rain on the Scarecrow" (#21 Billboard hit) and "Minutes to Memories" from ScarecrowScarecrow (John Mellencamp album)Scarecrow is the eighth album by John Mellencamp. Released in August 1985 by Mercury Records, it peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts. It was remastered and reissued on Mercury Records on May 24, 2005, with one bonus track....
(1985) - "Empty Hands" from The Lonesome JubileeThe Lonesome JubileeThe Lonesome Jubilee is the ninth album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, credited as John Cougar Mellencamp. The album was released by Mercury Records on August 24, 1987 . Four singles were released from the album, the first two in 1987 and the last two in 1988.The album was one of...
(1987) - "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" (#14 Billboard hit) from Mr. Happy Go LuckyMr. Happy Go LuckyMr. Happy Go Lucky is a rock album released by American singer-songwriter and musician John Mellencamp on September 10, 1996. It was his first album released after his heart attack in 1994. Mellencamp's music on the album is said to reflect his brush with death. This album was recorded in Belmont,...
(1996)