Although it will never be one of my favorite songs, I've been having second thoughts lately about John Mellencamp's--or, in 1982, John Cougar's--"Jack & Diane." From the first time I heard it, it irked me that, in the verses, the number of syllables in the lyrics doesn't match up with the number of beats on the guitar. To me, a basic requirement of writing a song is that the vocals should align with the instrumental accompaniment.
Having said that, I've come to appreciate that Jack and Diane want to hold "onto 16 as long as (they) can." Knowing that, before too long, you'll have college, work, and/or marriage to which you'll have to adjust, can be overwhelming for almost anyone. Also, when you graduate from high school, there are friends you'll see sparingly or never from that point on. Why, then, wouldn't you want to appreciate the best parts of your life at 16 as much as you can?
