George Green wrote lyrics for some of John Mellencamp's biggest hits, as well as songs for Barbra Streisand and others. He died Sunday in Albuquerque of lung cancer. He was 59.
Green was a boyhood friend of Mellencamp growing up in Seymour, Ind., and lived in Bloomington for many years before moving to New Mexico in 2001.
Green and Mellencamp co-wrote the hits "Hurts So Good," "Crumblin' Down," "Rain on the Scarecrow," "Minutes to Memories," "Human Wheels" among others. He also co-wrote the title track for Streisand's 1997 album "Higher Ground," a song also recorded by Vanessa Williams, and others for Hall & Oates, Jude Cole and Ricky Skaggs.
