Mellencamp’s musical protest

John Mellencamp, the heartland rocker who has not been shy about lacing his music with politics and social commentary, posted a new music video on the Internet on Tuesday for a song called “Jena.” The lyrics, which include the chorus “Oh oh oh Jena . . . take your nooses down,” are a barbed reference to the ongoing controversy in Jena, La., where six black youths were charged as adults in the alleged assault last year on a fellow student who is white.

The assault on the white student took place after nooses were hung from an oak tree near Jena High School. Although there were a subsequent number of racially motivated fights, the punishment for white students involved was minimal in comparison to the so-called “Jena Six.” The resulting furor has received international media coverage.

Mellencamp’s “Jena” video is a jagged montage of black-and-white images, intercutting scenes from the small Louisiana community with signature images from the Civil Rights movement as well as a photograph from a lynching. Mellencamp plans to include the song on an upcoming album. The video was initially available at relative -way.com/jenastream/ and was expected to be posted today on www.johnmellencamp .com.

-- Geoff Boucher