Impact Of Rain On The Scarecrow

Rain on the Scarecrow, Light on the Farmers Plight

In 1900, 41% of the workforce were employed in agriculture, 100 years later this diminished to 1.9%; astonishingly, during this timeframe, the U.S. population exploded from 71 million to 273 million. In the 1980s, the American family farmer once the backbone of the U.S. economy now faced dire straits, plagued by corporate consolidation and economic hardships. The family farmer was dying. In times of hardship, many families gather around a table of food, couple food with the force of music that unites and a powerful partnership can amplify a voice and a cause. Panderer, actor, artist, rock star, cultural icon were some terms used to describe John “Cougar” Mellencamp, not necessarily attributes that conjure the image of a savior for the farming future. However, Mellancamp was also deemed a “Heartland Rocker” which he claimed to never understand yet liked anyways . Regardless of how people may have viewed him, it is undeniable that Mellencamp’s music had a great impact both culturally and socially. His politically relevant and heartfelt anthem “Rain on the
The American family farmer felt the pressure from large corporations seizing their lands for pennies on the dollar while banks breathed down their necks waiting to foreclose on their properties; a David versus Goliath epic battle where