Weakest Link: John Cougar Mellencamp "Scarecrow" - Round 3

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Oatsdad, Jun 30, 2020.

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  1. Oh boy, that's exactly what I dig about this track!
     
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  2. Agree, I like the song a lot. It's a very good side 1 closer, too.
     
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  3. Dr. Bogenbroom

    Dr. Bogenbroom I'm not a Dr. but I play one on SteveHoffman.TV

    Location:
    Anchor Point
    I dig that you dig what I do not!
     
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  4. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    “Small Town” and “Lonely Ol’ Night” because they are awful.

    DQ: I’ve never seen Bruce Springsteen Lite live before. Around the time of Human Wheels I definitely would have, but missed him. Now? No way.
     
  5. Not unexpected, it appears both of our tracks are on the way out.
     
  6. Dr. Bogenbroom

    Dr. Bogenbroom I'm not a Dr. but I play one on SteveHoffman.TV

    Location:
    Anchor Point
    It's the one that kicks off with "buh-doomp-doomp-doomp-doodoooooo buh-doomp-doomp-doomp-doodooooo" gots lots of nice drum and bass starts and stops, a jammin' acoustic guitar part in the middleish, starts funky, gets a bit rollikin', then funky again....talks about how our nation isn't what it once was, unrecognizable now...the golden rule being gone....you know....oh heck, just listen to it!


    Que sera sera. Siiiigh, they wouldn't make it to the top 3 anyway.
     
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  7. stefane

    stefane Forum Resident

    "Justice and Independence '85" and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)" once again for round 3.

    Never saw him perform live.
    He does not tour Europe very frequently. The last time he was over for some gigs was in the summer of 2011.
     
  8. robcar

    robcar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Holy crap, how did "Between A Laugh and A Tear" get eliminated? That's one of the album's best songs! Just the line "I know there's a balance/I see it when I swing past" should have been enough to guarantee this a top 5 placement. Rickie Lee Jones' vocals are amazing on this too.

    Went with "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A" (mediocre lyrics and, musically, a rip of Neil Diamond's "Cherry, Cherry") and "Justice and Independence '85" (worst lyrics on the album by far) this round.

    As a side note, I note that the songs with the two best lyrics on the album ("Rain on the Scarecrow" and "Minutes to Memories") were both co-written by the late George A. Green. I wonder how much of those lyrics he penned vs. Mellencamp?

    The latter track ("Minutes to Memories") is my choice for Mellencamp's best-ever song and should be the winner of this poll, but I suspect that one of the hits will win over it here.
     
  9. Dr. Bogenbroom

    Dr. Bogenbroom I'm not a Dr. but I play one on SteveHoffman.TV

    Location:
    Anchor Point
    What makes you say that? Not a fan of allegory, metaphor, or simile?
     
  10. robcar

    robcar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I like all of those things quite a bit but only when they are employed deftly and with subtlety. On this song, they seem very overwrought and just kind of silly to me.
     
  11. tcbtcb

    tcbtcb Forum Resident

    Location:
    sugar hill nh usa
    Justice & Rock (again)

    I've never seen him live, but a friend saw him a couple of years ago & she LOVED it
     
  12. skisdlimit

    skisdlimit Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bellevue, WA
    R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. - same reasons as before
    Justice and Independence '85 - its Stones-ish riff starts out well enough, but I agree with others that this is just not a particularly strong Side 2 opener

    Haven't seen Mellencamp live, but then I'm not a big concert goer. From most reports I've read, he generally puts on a good show.
     
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  13. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever Thread Starter

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Please no comments like "Bruce Springsteen Lite". While probably meant in jest, they piss off too many people...
     
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  14. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever Thread Starter

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Discussion: I saw Mellencamp 4 times, with the first being in 1987.

    I can't find the setlist for my show, but another from the same time period had 5 "Scarecrow" songs.

    In 1992, same thing - can't find a specific set, but another show indicates 6 "Scarecrow" tracks.

    4 "Scarecrow" tracks in 1997, 3 in 2001.

    I should have seen Mellencamp December 1985... but my car broke down on the way from VA to Baltimore.

    And also in 1994. I got to the venue and found out the show was cancelled due to Mellencamp's heart attack!
     
  15. J & I is one of the coolest songs on the album. Don't vote that off.
     
  16. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever Thread Starter

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Clunky lyrics, though.

    And I'm generally biased against songs that mention the years in which they were made! :D
     
  17. Bungo

    Bungo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    ROCK and Face of the Nation.

    ROCK is harmless filler which I don't outright dislike but I usually skip, and would not mind if it had been left off the album (actually I would be happy if it ended with Rumbleseat!).

    For the second choice, it was a toss-up between Justice and Face. Both are pretty good but not as strong as the other remaining tracks. Everything else is solid and ranks with his best work.

    Have not seen him live.
     
  18. But totally redeemed by Kenny Aaronoff.
     
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  19. I consider Springsteen to be Mellencamp-lite.
     
  20. Bungo

    Bungo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Considering both artists' full discographies, there's a solid case to be made, and I might agree. Mellencamp has been putting out more consistently solid material than Springsteen over the past couple of decades. But I think Bruce's strongest songs/albums are in another league altogether. And if you look at each artist's first few records, there's no comparison; Bruce wins hands-down.

    But Scarecrow is as strong as Born in the USA, in my opinion. And The Lonesome Jubilee kicks Tunnel of Love's butt!
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2020
  21. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Okay, but for the record, I like John Mellencamp’s music quite a bit.
     
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  22. Mike McMann

    Mike McMann Forum Resident

    Sorry man. I still stand for Independence though if that helps. Cheers
     
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  23. D Day

    D Day Active Member

    Location:
    Indiana
    Saw Mellencamp when he was still John Cougar (and the Zone) at the Elliot Hall of Music at Purdue University in 1980. He opened for The Kinks. I don’t think he liked being at Purdue because of his native proximity to Indiana University.
     
  24. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever Thread Starter

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    No ANYBODY LITE threadcraps!
     
  25. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever Thread Starter

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    We've had enough Bruce vs. Mellencamp pissing contests over the years. Not productive!
     
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