1982 John Cougar (no Mellencamp yet) released his fifth album American Fool. It spent nine weeks at #1 and was his big breakthrough.
The first single "Hurts So Good" made it to #2 and spent 16 weeks in the Top Ten, the longest time for any song in the 80s. ("Eye of the Tiger" from Survivor kept it out.) The song won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. The second single "Jack & Diane" did go to #1 for four weeks. (#3 Mainstream Rock.) Mellencamp has also stated that the clapping was used only to help keep time and was supposed to be removed in the final mix. However, he chose to leave the clapping in once he realized that the song would not work without it.
The third single "Hand to Hold On To" made #19.
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