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- “Hurt So Good” “Hurt So Good” is a popular song by John Mellencamp, and has become a classic hit among his fans. The song was released in 1982 as the second single from his album American Fool.
- “Jack and Diane” A standout track from John Mellencamp’s career, “Jack and Diane” has become a classic rock staple since its 1982 release. With its story-driven structure, the song highlights the realities of teenage life with wit and charm.
- “Pink Houses” Known for its optimistic lyrics and memorable melody, “Pink Houses” is a classic rock staple from John Mellencamp’s career. Released in 1983, the song is a reflection of the American dream and the struggle to achieve it.
- “Small Town” The spirit of small town America is encapsulated in John Mellencamp’s song “Small Town”, released in 1985. Lyrically, the song paints a picture of a tight-knit community, where everyone knows one another and people take care of each other.
- “The American Dream”
- “Ain’t Even Done with The Night”
- “Jack & Diane”
- “Pink Houses”
- “Small Town”
- “Rain on The Scarecrow”
- “Paper in Fire,”
- “Shama Lama Ding Dong”
- “Big Daddy of Them All”
- “I Ain’T Never Satisfied”
Then known as “Johnny Cougar,” John Mellencamp’s debut album is full of unlikely 60s cover songs and slick, glitter-styled production. At the time, he looked and sounded like he really loved Elvis Presley. The opening track is still a solid rocker, introducing the heartland storytelling that would later make his name. Even the chorus, “Ain’t that t...
Donning the more serious “John Cougar” name, John Mellencamp set his sights on chart success: This tune was part of a string of singles (including “Hurt So Good” and the Pat Benatar-covered “I Need a Lover”) that established him as a radio presence. “Ain’t Even Done…” was the sweetest of the batch, a song that captures the feel of being young and s...
An 80s anthem and a No. 1 hit, “Jack & Diane” puts some ambiguity in John Mellencamp’s storytelling: We don’t know where Jack and Diane will end up, this is just a snapshot that feels gritty and real. Sonically, it was state of the art, with that heavy acoustic guitar, the big chord crashes, and the rousing “Oh let it rock” chorus.
Enter “John Cougar Mellencamp,” and the most emblematic song of his career (if not quite the biggest hit). The chorus of “ain’t that America” has been adopted by politicians on both sides of the spectrum, but like “Born in the USA,” this is an easy song to misinterpret. Mellencamp’s song is patriotic but not a flag-waver: It calls out inequality an...
Another year, another anthem: When you hear the words “heartland rock,” “Small Town” is likely the first song that comes to mind. No double edge on this one, it’s a pure celebration of his roots, and the video includes some of the most rural scenes ever to appear on peak-era MTV.
“Scarecrow” made a forceful case for the economically threatened American farmer. Anticipating Farm Aid and a few stacks of similarly-themed songs, this one went a long way toward putting the plight of farmers on the national radar.
Now hitting the peak of his 80s fame, John Mellencamp was blending rock and roots into his own kind of American music. The pairing of accordion and fiddle with Kenny Aronoff’s power drumming made this an especially potent band. Though it still works as a fist-waver, “Paper in Fire” found him writing on a more metaphorical level about how the grande...
For all the deep thoughts in his songs, John Mellencamp could do pure fun with the best. This rarity is a prime example: Originally played by Otis Day & the Knights in the movie Animal House, “Shama Lama Ding Dong” was a nod to the soulful sound of North Carolina beach music. It was a popular live tune in the Lonesome Jubileeera, and a studio versi...
Big Daddywas a surprise. It was a darker album that largely avoided the usual rockers and anthems and had more of a world-weary tone. The hit single “Pop Singer” is one of John Mellencamp’s crankiest. This sort-of title track opened the album and set its tone, telling of a character who gains power but loses his soul. The sound is likewise stripped...
Just when it seemed John Mellencamp had grown away from straight-ahead rock, he picked it back up with a vengeance on this oft-overlooked 1991 album – the first to be credited to “John Mellencamp.” He was confident enough to release half of its ten tracks as singles – but oddly, this standout track wasn’t one of those. With a killer guitar riff and...
- Brett Milano
- 4 min
- 'Jack and Diane' From: 'American Fool' (1982) Was it really any surprise that this song would end up in the No. 1 position? 'Jack and Diane' is one of the biggest hits of Mellencamp's storied career.
- 'Hurts So Good' From: 'American Fool' (1982) 'Hurts So Good' is a coming of age song in which Mellencamp tries to persuade the listener that growing up isn't as bad as some might crack it up to be.
- 'Pink Houses' From: 'Uh-Huh' (1983) The fact that this song was sandwiched between 'Crumblin' Down' and 'Authority Song' on record could not have been any mere accident.
- 'Crumblin' Down' From: 'Uh-Huh' (1983) Listening to Mellencamp's intimate knowledge that settling for second best is going to be the best you can do until you break the rules, you can't help but assume he knows this from personal experience.
- “I Need a Lover” The curtains-up moment on the raw, slightly jerky Johnny Cougar. The second clause of the chorus (“that won’t drive me crazy”) sets up the kind of acerbic, bullshit-free guy he’d be for the next 45 years.
- “Jack and Diane” The sweet, searing frustration of adolescence here is so evocative and timeless that you kind of forgot how crushing the chorus and that bridge are.
- “Hurts So Good” Mellencamp and baby MTV were awkward bedfellows, but if you’re trying to make it as a heartland rock star in the early ‘80s, you could do a hell of a lot worse than a track with razor-wire guitars, a bar-band chorus of mathematical perfection, and the greatest opening 10 seconds of his catalog—and the killer video didn’t hurt either.
- “Crumblin’ Down” “Some people ain’t no damn good,” he sings, before taking the chains off a chorus that makes you feel like that’s maybe not so bad.
- Weirton Daily Times
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While you keep an eye out for those festival appearances, let's take a look - and a listen! - to John Mellencamp's greatest hits from his six-decade career. "Never wanted to be no pop singer...
Oct 7, 2022 · In celebration of John Mellencamp's 71 birthday, we've compiled 10 of his best songs for you to revisit. let's dive in.
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John Cougar Mellencamp PlayList - Greatest Hits and Best Songs. Top tracks from Indiana native John Mellencamp.... John Mellencamp is perhaps America's most important and prolific...
