I Was Jack (You Were Diane)

"I Was Jack (You Were Diane)"
Single by Jake Owen
from the album Greetings from... Jake
Released March 12, 2018
Genre Country
Length 3:08
Label Big Loud
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Joey Moi
Jake Owen singles chronology
"Good Company"
(2017)
"I Was Jack (You Were Diane)"
(2018)
"Down to the Honkytonk"
(2018)

"I Was Jack (You Were Diane)" is a song recorded by American country music singer Jake Owen. It was written by David Ray, Tommy Cecil, Jody Stevens, Craig Wiseman, and John Mellencamp, with production handled by Joey Moi. It is Owen's first single from his sixth studio album Greetings from... Jake.

Content

The song is a tribute to John Mellencamp's 1982 single "Jack & Diane", and credits Mellencamp as a co-writer for incorporating that song's guitar riff. Rolling Stone writer Chris Parton described the song: "Owen's updated version highlights the original's impact on present-day America, while a regular Joe reminisces about falling in love to the tune years before." Owen said that he asked Mellencamp personally for permission to incorporate portions of "Jack & Diane" into the song, and recorded it after receiving Mellencamp's permission. Owen said that he wanted to record it because of the feelings of nostalgia that the lyrics evoked in him.

The song is Owen's first release on Big Loud Records, following a decade on RCA Records Nashville.

Commercial performance

The song has sold 110,000 copies in the United States as of August 2018.

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) Platinum 80,000
United States (RIAA) Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.