John Cougar Mellencamp - Appreciation Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by wwright, Jun 21, 2018.

  1. JAuz

    JAuz Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Speaking of the S/T album, I just learned something new: 1979's John Cougar album was actually titled Miami for the Australian release. And it didn't have "I Need A Lover" on it, but it did have "Take Home Pay"! Whoa, my mind is blown!

    I thought "Take Home Pay" was an outtake that was unreleased until the 2005 re-issue.
     
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  2. classicmusicfan32

    classicmusicfan32 Forum Resident

    Location:
    texas
    I hated/loathed Jack & Diane. To this day I can't listen to it on the radio.
     
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  3. Duke Fame

    Duke Fame Sold out the Enormodome

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Same here!
     
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  4. classicmusicfan32

    classicmusicfan32 Forum Resident

    Location:
    texas
    My favorite of his is........

    [​IMG]
     
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  5. Duke Fame

    Duke Fame Sold out the Enormodome

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    John probably wouldn't have a career if he started today. He took a few albums to find himself and back then the record companies would let acts do that. I've got everything from Nothin' Matters up through his S/T. Kinda lost me after that although I hear his last couple have been really good.
     
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  6. LoveYourLife

    LoveYourLife Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Glad someone started this; although his impact on the UK market was negligible (one minor forgotten Top 40 hit), his run of great albums in the US is enviable. American Fool through to The Lonesome Jubilee all did and continue to do it for me.
     
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  7. drgn95

    drgn95 Under the Wire

    I enjoy much of John's work however have none in my CD collection. Would some of you recommend a top 5 list?
     
  8. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I’d love to see Human Wheels and Dance Naked get reissued on vinyl. I liked the Key West single but after that I lost touch with what he was doing
     
  9. four sticks

    four sticks Senior Member

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    [​IMG]

    I just happen to be playing his underrated s/t from 1998.
     
  10. four sticks

    four sticks Senior Member

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Whenever We Wanted
    Life, Death, Love and Freedom
    No Better Than This
    Human Wheels
    The Lonesome Jubilee
     
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  11. Duke Fame

    Duke Fame Sold out the Enormodome

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    1. Scarecrow (It's in my top 10 albums of the 80's)
    2. Lonesome Jubilee
    3. Mr. Happy Go Lucky
    4. Whenever We Wanted
    5. John Mellencamp
     
  12. GregK

    GregK I'm speechless

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    if this is an appreciation thread, why is Cougar being included in his name? he hated it and officially dropped it almost 30 years ago!
     
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  13. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    I really enjoy the 'John' albums.
    Still need to revise the lp's :winkgrin:
    [​IMG]
     
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  14. drowningdeep

    drowningdeep Dude

    Location:
    North Carolina
    still my favorite Mellencamp song

     
  15. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    You probably know they built I-65 right through downtown Indianapolis and cut through the heart of some well established neighborhoods. I read somewhere Mellencamp wrote this song while driving through Indy and pretty much witnessed that lyric with a pink house and all. It's a shame what they did to those neighborhoods; looks terrible now.
     
  16. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
  17. wwright

    wwright Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA.
    A very good point, and I thought about that - but did it to help with related searches. Quite a few people use one or both last names to this day.

    Out of curiosity I just checked - we’re only on the second page of this thread, and all three variants of his last name have been used in the posts therein.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2018
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  18. tensummoner

    tensummoner wish i had a nickle.. thats it just wish i had 1

    Location:
    Ocala, FL
    that's true... there are many lines or lyrics in "lil pink houses" that can be applied to recent social problems.... "its the simple man behbeh pays the thrills the bill s and the pills that kill" to me that just screams about the opioid problem . "Has an intersate through his front yard and he thinks he's got it so good" don't think there is a town anywhere that cant identify with that one... im pretty sure lil pink houses, in itself is a reference to Hooverville.
     
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  19. Purplerocks

    Purplerocks Forum Resident

    Location:
    IN
    Human Wheels
    The Lonesome Jubilee
    Big Daddy
    Whenever We Wanted
    Scarecrow
     
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  20. stanley00

    stanley00 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nowhere USA
    Plain Spoken - From The Chicago Theatre is a good latter day live album.
     
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  21. Xpression Carbon

    Xpression Carbon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    American Fool
    Uh-Huh
    Scarecrow
    Lonesome Jubilee
    Words and Music compilation would cover the rest if it’s down to five.

    If you stretch it to seven I’d include the self titled “debut” John Cougar (although The Chestnut Street Incident and the Kid Inside albums, are technically the debut, from what I remember), and Nothin’ Matters and What if it Did. Worthy albums as well.
     
  22. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    For anyone interested, the "Plain Spoken" film is currently playing on Netflix.
     
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  23. Purple

    Purple Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Some of this likely stems from Mellencamp not really finding his sound - Americana or heartland rock- until around the time Born in the U.S.A. made it big. I think both artists do a wonderful job giving voice to American culture and the blue collar worker (even though they're not), and to me that's why they'll always be compared.
     
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  24. AKA

    AKA Senior Member

    My parents are fans (and around his age), so I grew up on John. I’ve been a lifelong fan. His songwriting just gets better and better, and his voice gets worse and worse.
     
  25. Life,Death,Love And Freedom
    The Lonesome Jubilee
    Scarecrow
    Mr Happy Go Lucky
    Human Wheels
     
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