John Mellencamp Shares Lyric Video For ‘Orpheus Descending’

John Mellencamp has shared an evocative lyric video for the title track of his latest album, Orpheus Descending. The video is directed by Shan Dan Horan, a frequent collaborator of Mellencamp, who also directed videos for “The Eyes of Portland,” “Hey God,” and more. Check out the visual below.

On the title track Mellencamp sings, “Do you think we’ll see the light/ Before the blood hits the street?/ I don’t care what they say/ If there’s a will/ There’s got to be a way.”

One of Mellencamp’s most personal records to date, Orpheus Descending was recorded at the artist’s own Belmont Mall Studio in Indiana. The tracklist features standout tracks such as “Hey God” and “Eyes Of Portland,” which focus on social issues Mellencamp continues to passionately advocate for.

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mellencamp elaborated more about the album’s title, drawn from the Greek myth, succinctly. “Don’t look back,” he said. “There’s nothing back there worth keeping.”

Back in June, Mellencamp wrapped up his extensive 77-date “Live and In Person 2023” North American tour. The tour garnered rave reviews, with LA Weekly writing, “Mellencamp strode out looking for all the world like a Brando or a Paul Newman or a James Dean—a Misfit who managed to find his place in the world through his music,” while the Dallas Observer describes that the show “made it clear Mellencamp is a true music legend, and from the sound of it, one that will continue to be making music for a long time to come.”

In addition to the release of Orpheus Descending, Mellencamp recently released a deluxe edition reissue of his seminal album, Scarecrow, which features a wealth of bonus tracks, rarities and more never previously shared before. His critically-acclaimed studio LP, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack, was released early last year and drew praise from The New York Times, NPR Music, Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and more.

Buy or stream Orpheus Descending.