1978-2012

John Mellencamp

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1978-2012 Review

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

First off, this 19-disc box is not a complete recorded works of John Mellencamp. It excises his earliest years as Johnny Cougar -- a Main Man-inspired moniker that resulted in three albums he's disowned, but which really aren't that bad at all -- beginning the story with 1979's John Cougar, the album where he truncated his name and toughened up his sound. It still took him a while until he scored a real breakthrough, and it arrived when he tightened up his attack with the assistance of producer Don Gehman and came up with the often-excellent American Fool, a record that sailed through on the strength of its hit singles ("Hurts So Good," as hard a rocker as he ever did, and the teenage romance "Jack & Diane") and helped make Mellencamp the kind of Midwestern rocker who weathered shifting fashions, not unlike Bob Seger. Mellencamp consolidated things with 1983's Uh-Huh, when Kenny Aronoff eased on over to his position on drums, and when the singer/songwriter's blue-collar Springsteen aspirations become apparent. His rock got leaner and harder here -- "Crumblin' Down" is merciless, as is "Authority Song" -- but he started co-writing with John Prine, which was a greater indication of his artistic intentions. Scarecrow, also produced by Gehman, followed, and it was as good as Mellencamp ever got, a fat-free collection of Midwestern rock & roll that treated thwarted dreams of the rust belt as if they were the grist for noir; it helped that Mellencamp still liked to rock, cranking out "Rumbleseat" and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." in between the odes to dying traditions. On The Lonesome Jubilee and Big Daddy, Mellencamp staked his claim upon the fading roots rock, and he'd later make that his specialty on a series of '90s albums that were always determined to sacrifice user-friendliness for the sake of tradition and ambition. Every one of those albums, from the '80s peak through his sepia-toned blues and folk for the new millennium, is here in its expanded 2005 incarnation. If the latter-day albums benefit from craft and sobriety, what makes the greatest impression are the earliest albums, the records where he's intent on being heard fighting to leave his Indiana home, a home to which he'd later return.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	A Little Night Dancin'	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
2	Small Paradise	John Mellencamp	03:42	Amazon
3	Miami	John Mellencamp	03:55	Amazon
4	Great Mid-West	John Mellencamp	04:33	Amazon
5	Do You Think That's Fair	John Mellencamp	04:51	Amazon
6	I Need a Lover	John Mellencamp	05:38	Amazon
7	Welcome to Chinatown	John Mellencamp	04:01	Amazon
8	Sugar Marie	John Mellencamp	04:19	Amazon
9	Pray for Me	John Mellencamp	03:31	Amazon
10	Taxi Dancer	John Mellencamp	05:03	Amazon
11	Take Home Pay	John Mellencamp	03:08	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Hot Night in a Cold Town	John Mellencamp	03:50	Amazon
2	Ain't Even Done With the Night	John Mellencamp	04:41	Amazon
3	Don't Misunderstand Me	John Mellencamp	03:35	Amazon
4	This Time	John Mellencamp feat: John Cougar	04:20	Amazon
5	Make Me Feel	John Mellencamp	04:08	Amazon
6	To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)	John Mellencamp	04:56	Amazon
7	Tonight	John Mellencamp	03:17	Amazon
8	Cry Baby	John Mellencamp	00:25	Amazon
9	Wild Angel	John Mellencamp	03:15	Amazon
10	Peppermint Twist	John Mellencamp	00:29	Amazon
11	Cheap Shot	John Mellencamp	03:03	Amazon
12	Latest Game	John Mellencamp	03:54	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Hurts So Good	John Mellencamp	03:41	Amazon
2	Jack & Diane	John Mellencamp	04:15	Amazon
3	Hand to Hold On To	John Mellencamp	03:26	Amazon
4	Danger List	John Mellencamp	04:29	Amazon
5	Can You Take It	John Mellencamp	03:33	Amazon
6	Thundering Hearts	John Mellencamp	03:41	Amazon
7	China Girl	John Mellencamp	03:35	Amazon
8	Close Enough	John Mellencamp	03:40	Amazon
9	Weakest Moments	John Mellencamp	04:09	Amazon
10	American Fool	John Mellencamp	03:46	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 4

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Crumblin' Down	John Mellencamp	03:35	Amazon
2	Pink Houses	John Mellencamp	04:44	Amazon
3	Authority Song	John Mellencamp	03:49	Amazon
4	Warmer Place to Sleep	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
5	Jackie O	John Mellencamp	03:03	Amazon
6	Play Guitar	John Mellencamp	03:23	Amazon
7	Serious Business	John Mellencamp	03:25	Amazon
8	Lovin' Mother Fo Ya	John Mellencamp	03:06	Amazon
9	Golden Gates	John Mellencamp	04:07	Amazon
10	Pink Houses [Acoustic Version]	John Mellencamp	03:44	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 5

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Rain on the Scarecrow	John Mellencamp	03:46	Amazon
2	Grandma's Theme	John Mellencamp	00:55	Amazon
3	Small Town	John Mellencamp	03:42	Amazon
4	Minutes to Memories	John Mellencamp	04:13	Amazon
5	Lonely Ol' Night	John Mellencamp	03:46	Amazon
6	The Face of the Nation	John Mellencamp	03:14	Amazon
7	Justice and Independence '85	John Mellencamp	03:33	Amazon
8	Between a Laugh and a Tear	John Mellencamp	04:32	Amazon
9	Rumbleseat	John Mellencamp	03:00	Amazon
10	You've Got to Stand for Somethin'	John Mellencamp	04:33	Amazon
11	R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)	John Mellencamp	02:55	Amazon
12	The Kind of Fella I Am	John Mellencamp	02:58	Amazon
13	Small Town [Acoustic Version]	John Mellencamp	04:11	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 6

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Paper in Fire	John Mellencamp	03:51	Amazon
2	Down and Out in Paradise	John Mellencamp	03:38	Amazon
3	Check It Out	John Mellencamp	04:20	Amazon
4	The Real Life	John Mellencamp	03:58	Amazon
5	Cherry Bomb	John Mellencamp	04:48	Amazon
6	We Are the People	John Mellencamp	04:17	Amazon
7	Empty Hands	John Mellencamp	03:44	Amazon
8	Hard Times for an Honest Man	John Mellencamp	03:28	Amazon
9	Hotdogs and Hamburgers	John Mellencamp	04:05	Amazon
10	Rooty Toot Toot	John Mellencamp	03:33	Amazon
11	Blues From the Front Porch	John Mellencamp	01:58	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 7

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Big Daddy of Them All	John Mellencamp	03:31	Amazon
2	To Live	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
3	Martha Say	John Mellencamp	03:45	Amazon
4	Theo and Weird Henry	John Mellencamp	04:50	Amazon
5	Jackie Brown	John Mellencamp	04:03	Amazon
6	Pop Singer	John Mellencamp	02:48	Amazon
7	Void in My Heart	John Mellencamp	02:32	Amazon
8	Mansions in Heaven	John Mellencamp	03:06	Amazon
9	Sometimes a Great Notion	John Mellencamp	03:34	Amazon
10	Country Gentleman	John Mellencamp	03:19	Amazon
11	J.M.'s Question	John Mellencamp	03:42	Amazon
12	Let It All Hang Out	John Mellencamp	03:13	Amazon
13	Jackie Brown [Acoustic Version]	John Mellencamp	04:21	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 8

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Bud's Theme	John Mellencamp feat: Lisa Germano	02:21	Amazon
2	Cradle of the Interstate	John Mellencamp feat: Nanci Griffith	03:29	Amazon
3	Whiskey Burnin'	John Mellencamp feat: Larry Crane	04:48	Amazon
4	Common Day Man	John Mellencamp feat: Dwight Yoakam	03:51	Amazon
5	It Don't Scare Me None	John Mellencamp	03:30	Amazon
6	Searchin' for the Perfect Girl	John Mellencamp feat: Pure Jam	03:13	Amazon
7	All the Best	John Mellencamp feat: John Prine	04:02	Amazon
8	Hold Me Like You Used to Do	John Mellencamp feat: Qkumbrz	03:06	Amazon
9	Sweet Suzanne	John Mellencamp feat: Buzzin' Cousins	04:00	Amazon
10	Nothing's for Free	John Mellencamp	03:29	Amazon
11	Little Children	John Mellencamp feat: Lisa Germano	04:54	Amazon
12	Days Like These	John Mellencamp feat: Janis Ian	03:47	Amazon
13	Falling From Grace	John Mellencamp feat: Larry Rollins	05:06	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 9

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Love and Happiness	John Mellencamp	03:53	Amazon
2	Now More Than Ever	John Mellencamp	03:42	Amazon
3	I Ain't Ever Satisfied	John Mellencamp	03:36	Amazon
4	Get a Leg Up	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
5	Crazy Ones	John Mellencamp	04:00	Amazon
6	Last Chance	John Mellencamp	03:39	Amazon
7	They're So Tough	John Mellencamp	04:16	Amazon
8	Melting Pot	John Mellencamp	04:48	Amazon
9	Whenever We Wanted	John Mellencamp	03:44	Amazon
10	Again Tonight	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
11	Love and Happiness [Longon Club Mix]	John Mellencamp	06:30	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 10

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	When Jesus Left Birmingham	John Mellencamp	05:16	Amazon
2	Junior	John Mellencamp	04:11	Amazon
3	Human Wheels	John Mellencamp	05:34	Amazon
4	Beige to Beige	John Mellencamp	03:53	Amazon
5	Case 795 (The Family)	John Mellencamp	05:15	Amazon
6	Suzanne and the Jewels	John Mellencamp	03:55	Amazon
7	Sweet Evening Breeze	John Mellencamp	04:51	Amazon
8	What If I Came Knocking	John Mellencamp	05:08	Amazon
9	French Shoes	John Mellencamp	03:43	Amazon
10	To the River	John Mellencamp	03:37	Amazon
11	When Jesus Left Birmingham	John Mellencamp	03:56	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 11

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Dance Naked	John Mellencamp	03:00	Amazon
2	Brothers	John Mellencamp	03:14	Amazon
3	When Margaret Comes to Town	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
4	Wild Nights	John Mellencamp	03:27	Amazon
5	L.U.V.	John Mellencamp	03:01	Amazon
6	Another Sunny Day 12/25	John Mellencamp	03:02	Amazon
7	Too Much to Think About	John Mellencamp	03:02	Amazon
8	The Big Jack	John Mellencamp	03:23	Amazon
9	The Breakout	John Mellencamp	03:38	Amazon
10	Wild Night [Acoustic Version]	John Mellencamp	03:18	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 12

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Venture	John Mellencamp	01:56	Amazon
2	Jerry	John Mellencamp	04:24	Amazon
3	Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)	John Mellencamp	04:54	Amazon
4	Just Another Day	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
5	This May Not Be the End of the World	John Mellencamp	05:29	Amazon
6	Emotional Love	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
7	Mr. Bellows	John Mellencamp	05:34	Amazon
8	The Full Catastrophe	John Mellencamp	03:11	Amazon
9	Circling Around the Moon	John Mellencamp	06:14	Amazon
10	Large World Turning	John Mellencamp	03:54	Amazon
11	Jackamo Road	John Mellencamp	01:37	Amazon
12	Life Is Hard	John Mellencamp	03:17	Amazon
13	What If I Came Knocking	John Mellencamp	05:25	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 13

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Fruit Trader	John Mellencamp	03:58	Amazon
2	Your Life Is Now	John Mellencamp	03:59	Amazon
3	Positively Crazy	John Mellencamp	04:09	Amazon
4	I'm Not Running Anymore	John Mellencamp	03:26	Amazon
5	If All Comes True	John Mellencamp	03:58	Amazon
6	Eden Is Burning	John Mellencamp	03:50	Amazon
7	Where the World Began	John Mellencamp	03:29	Amazon
8	Miss Missy	John Mellencamp	03:40	Amazon
9	Chance Meeting at the Tarantula	John Mellencamp	04:05	Amazon
10	Break Me Off Some	John Mellencamp	04:10	Amazon
11	Summer of Love	John Mellencamp	04:01	Amazon
12	Days of Farewell	John Mellencamp	03:13	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 14

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Love and Happiness	John Mellencamp	03:37	Amazon
2	In My Time of Dying	John Mellencamp	03:03	Amazon
3	Between a Laugh and a Tear	John Mellencamp	02:53	Amazon
4	Human Wheels	John Mellencamp	05:15	Amazon
5	Rain on the Scarecrow	John Mellencamp	03:18	Amazon
6	Farewell Angelina	John Mellencamp	04:36	Amazon
7	Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)	John Mellencamp	04:34	Amazon
8	Jackie Brown	John Mellencamp	03:50	Amazon
9	When Jesus Left Birmingham	John Mellencamp	03:35	Amazon
10	The Full Catastrophe	John Mellencamp	03:17	Amazon
11	Minutes to Memories	John Mellencamp	04:29	Amazon
12	Under the Boardwalk	John Mellencamp	03:56	Amazon
13	Wild Night	John Mellencamp	03:37	Amazon
14	Seventh Son	John Mellencamp	02:40	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 15

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Cuttin' Heads	John Mellencamp	05:03	Amazon
2	Peaceful World	John Mellencamp	04:05	Amazon
3	Deep Blue Heart	John Mellencamp	03:28	Amazon
4	Crazy Island	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
5	Just Like You	John Mellencamp	04:04	Amazon
6	The Same Way I Do	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
7	Women Seem	John Mellencamp	05:14	Amazon
8	Worn Out Nervous Condition	John Mellencamp	03:32	Amazon
9	Shy	John Mellencamp	03:25	Amazon
10	In Our Lives	John Mellencamp	04:03	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 16

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Stones in My Passway	John Mellencamp	03:17	Amazon
2	Death Letter	John Mellencamp	06:13	Amazon
3	Johnny Hart	John Mellencamp	04:30	Amazon
4	Baltimore Oriole	John Mellencamp	03:54	Amazon
5	Teardrops Will Fall	John Mellencamp	04:23	Amazon
6	Diamond Joe	John Mellencamp	04:37	Amazon
7	The End of the World	John Mellencamp	03:24	Amazon
8	Down in the Bottom	John Mellencamp	03:30	Amazon
9	Lafayette	John Mellencamp	03:54	Amazon
10	Joliet Bound	John Mellencamp	03:33	Amazon
11	John the Revelator	John Mellencamp	03:18	Amazon
12	To Washington	John Mellencamp	02:39	Amazon
13	[CD-ROM Track]	John Mellencamp		Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 17

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Someday	John Mellencamp	03:08	Amazon
2	Ghost Towns Along the Highway	John Mellencamp	04:39	Amazon
3	The Americans	John Mellencamp	05:11	Amazon
4	Forgiveness	John Mellencamp	04:30	Amazon
5	Freedom's Road	John Mellencamp	04:18	Amazon
6	Jim Crow	John Mellencamp	03:22	Amazon
7	Our Country	John Mellencamp	03:47	Amazon
8	Rural Route	John Mellencamp	03:08	Amazon
9	My Aeroplane	John Mellencamp	04:41	Amazon
10	Heaven Is a Lonely Place	John Mellencamp	12:02	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 18

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Longest Days John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	05:42	Amazon
2	My Sweet Love John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:07	Amazon
3	If I Die Sudden John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	05:20	Amazon
4	Troubled Land John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:32	Amazon
5	Young Without Lovers John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	02:27	Amazon
6	John Cockers John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:33	Amazon
7	Don't Need This Body John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:13	Amazon
8	A Ride Back Home John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:05	Amazon
9	Without a Shot John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon
10	Jena John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon
11	Mean John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon
12	County Fair John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon
13	For the Children John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon
14	A Brand New Song John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp		Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 19

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Save Some Time to Dream John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:30	Amazon
2	The West End John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:57	Amazon
3	Right Behind Me John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:59	Amazon
4	A Graceful Fall John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:20	Amazon
5	No Better Than This John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:12	Amazon
6	Thinking About You John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:28	Amazon
7	Coming Down the Road John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:44	Amazon
8	No One Cares About Me John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	06:11	Amazon
9	Love at First Sight John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	04:36	Amazon
10	Don't Forget About Me John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:13	Amazon
11	Each Day of Sorrow John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	02:35	Amazon
12	Easter Eve John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	06:29	Amazon
13	Clumsy Ol' World John Mellencamp	John Mellencamp	03:28	Amazon