John Mellencamp

1978-2012

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

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Hot Night in a Cold Town	John Mellencamp	3:50
2	Ain't Even Done With the Night	John Mellencamp	4:41
3	Don't Misunderstand Me	John Mellencamp	3:35
4	This Time	John Mellencamp	4:20
5	Make Me Feel	John Mellencamp	4:08
6	To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)	John Mellencamp	4:56
7	Tonight	John Mellencamp	3:17
8	Cry Baby	John Mellencamp	0:25
9	Wild Angel	John Mellencamp	3:15
10	Peppermint Twist	John Mellencamp	0:29
11	Cheap Shot	John Mellencamp	3:03
12	Latest Game	John Mellencamp	3:54

Track Listing - Disc 3

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

Track Listing - Disc 4

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

Track Listing - Disc 5

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Rain on the Scarecrow	John Mellencamp	3:46
2	Grandma's Theme	John Mellencamp	0:55
3	Small Town	John Mellencamp	3:42
4	Minutes to Memories	John Mellencamp	4:13
5	Lonely Ol' Night	John Mellencamp	3:46
6	The Face of the Nation	John Mellencamp	3:14
7	Justice and Independence '85	John Mellencamp	3:33
8	Between a Laugh and a Tear	John Mellencamp	4:32
9	Rumbleseat	John Mellencamp	3:00
10	You've Got to Stand for Somethin'	John Mellencamp	4:33
11	R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)	John Mellencamp	2:55
12	The Kind of Fella I Am	John Mellencamp	2:58
13	Small Town [Acoustic Version]	John Mellencamp	4:11

Track Listing - Disc 6

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

Track Listing - Disc 7

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

Track Listing - Disc 8

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

Track Listing - Disc 9

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

Track Listing - Disc 10

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

Track Listing - Disc 11

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

Track Listing - Disc 12

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

Track Listing - Disc 13

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

Track Listing - Disc 14

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

Track Listing - Disc 15

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

Track Listing - Disc 16

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

Track Listing - Disc 17

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

Track Listing - Disc 18

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

Track Listing - Disc 19

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

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