Written by: John Mellencamp



You can laugh and joke and make fun of your friends

Spin in the middle when the troubles begin

Take it nice and easy and always pretend

That you're cool, so cool, so cool



Say I'm alone and I'm wild and I will not be tamed

Talk like a jerk or an educated brain

Be an old girl drivin' the young boys insane

Be a joker, a preacher, it does not matter



Chorus:

Every one needs a hand to hold on to

Every one needs a hand to hold on to

Don't need to be no strong hand

Don't need to be no rich hand

Every one just needs a hand to hold on to



Havin' good luck with your financial situation

Play the ponies, be president of the United Nations

Go to work and be a Hollywood stud

Drive your four-wheel drive right into the mud, yeah



(repeat chorus)



And then those hours when you're alone

And there's no body there except yourself

I know it, you wanna pick up the phone

And say,