Mellencamp - A Top 50

Remove this Banner Ad

Jan 30, 2004
2,387
2,438
bentleigh
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
hawthorn
My top 10.

1. Minutes to memories
2. Martha say
3. Ain't even done with the night
4. Down and out in Paradise
5. Mansions in Heaven
6. I saw you first
7. Pop singer
8. Dance naked
9. Lonely old night
10. Stand for something.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

20. The Real Life (The Lonesome Jubilee - 1987)

It's a lonely proposition, when you realise
That there's less days in front of the horse
Than riding in the back of this cart


Lonesome Jubilee was a brilliant follow up to the incredible success of the rock pop of Scarecrow.

Completely changing tack he added accordion and fiddle etc and somehow it just worked, with a very unique rock folk sound describing the day to day challenges of every day Americans. This album cemented his place as one of the biggest selling acts of the 1980's.

 
19. When Jesus Left Birmingham (Human Wheels - 1993)

So let it rock, let it roll
Let the Bible Belt come and save my soul


The opening track to Human Wheels is one of his longest. I like the funky beat that drives the song throughout, the change in the middle and the unexpected lyrics at the end.



Disclaimer: I'm posting these clips to listen to, not so much to watch - most of his music videos are crap!
 

Dan Moody

That, was liquid football
Apr 3, 2007
7,855
4,669
AFL Club
Collingwood
DIG you're going to have to lift your game. I literally sit here with my Microsoft Surface every morning while eating breakfast, logging in to BF to see if you've updated your list. I need at least more than 1 song a day mate ;)
 
DIG you're going to have to lift your game. I literally sit here with my Microsoft Surface every morning while eating breakfast, logging in to BF to see if you've updated your list. I need at least more than 1 song a day mate ;)

Haha I'll try to get some more momentum up, been busy but weekends are easier:thumbsu:
 
Countdown goes up a gear from here, all really good songs now.

17. Whenever We Wanted (Whenever We Wanted - 1991)

The title track from this album is a corker, the carefree lyrics match the surfing guitar riff and the change in the middle is fantastic. The girl he's singing about sounds awesome too, love the lyrics.

 
16. Key West Intermezzo (I saw you first) - (Mr Happy Go Lucky - 1996)

I know a couple of you would have this higher, I love this song so much too, so 16th is in no way a criticism, they're just so hard to split now.

I was in Key West this year and it's a really vibrant, eclectic island town. There were no "Cuban bands crucifying John Lennon" but there's a great street atmosphere down near Mallory Square with lots of hippie musos around. It's closer to Cuba than Miami!

Quite touristy now, would've been a lot better 20+ years ago when this song came out, but still a cool town.

This song's so uplifting and the guitar riff is instantly catchy, the lyrics are dreamy in parts, direct in others, really takes you somewhere.

Look out for a young Matthew McConaughey in the film clip:

 
15. Lonely Ol' Night (Scarecrow - 1985)

Back to back hits from Scarecrow now.



One of the comments below this live clip reminded me that drummer Kenny Aronoff moved on from Mellencamp in about '97 and has drummed for all sorts of acts at various times from the Smashing Pumpkins to Avril Lavigne.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

14. Small Town (Scarecrow - 1985)

Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's probably where they'll bury me


The song that gained him millions of rural fans is also, fun fact, played after all Green Bay Packers games.

 
13. Authority Song (Uh-huh - 1983)

Sounding kinda like something from the 60s, this was always a very feelgood rock n roll song that he'd play towards the end of his sets.

This live clip from 1983 looks even older than that, but still sounds great. He had some moves back in the day! Could sing too.

 
12. Jack N Diane (American Fool - 1982)

Written originally as just a good song to play live, it became a huge hit. Holds up better than some of his other early works, lines like "life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone" and "hold onto sixteen as long as you can" people still relate to today.

Film clip is awful but here it is anyway for a listen at least:

 
11. Love and Happiness (Whenever We Wanted - 1991)

If you're a young couple today forget buying a house

Mellencamp said he was trying to redo American Fool with this album and I personally think it turned out better. It's a big call to put this ahead of Jack N Diane but I just think there's so much anger and depth to this song that it has to go this high.

Probably his heaviest song (which always helps in my countdowns!) the lyrics are sadly even more relevant today.

At a time when the rock world was becoming obsessed with grunge, albums like this were overlooked at the time but this is one of his very best albums when you listen through his catalogue in isolation.

Just on a side note it really was a strange time in music history. Bizarre to think that albums like Bon Jovi's Keep the Faith and Def Leppard's Adrenalize were released AFTER Nevermind and Ten!

 
Last edited:
9. Jackie Brown (Big Daddy - 1989)

Dream of vacationing on a mountain stream
And giving the world more than it gave you.
What ugly truths freedom brings
And it hasn't been very kind to you.
Is this your life, Jackie Brown?


I was too young to appreciate this song when it came out but I find it outstanding these days. Very depressing, probably his most depressing song but it's superb, the lyrics are striking and powerful.

Here's an acoustic version with just himself and the gorgeous Lisa Germano on his fiddle.

 
8. Get a Leg Up (Whenever We Wanted - 1991)

I'm pretty good at first impressions
But sometimes I'm not always right
I pulled the car to the shoulder of the road
To see what she had in mind
"Want me to spend the night
Hey lover boy you know I will
And my best girlfriend lives down the road
Together we will thrill ya."
And I'm thinking to myself
I could be lucky Pierre tonight
If I could get a leg up


This song is catchy, rocks and the lyrics about a fella who gets very, very lucky are very appealing! A classic Mellencamp old fashioned Rock Pop hit.

 
7. Cherry Bomb (The Lonesome Jubilee - 1987)

One night me with my big mouth
A couple guys had to put me in my place
When I see those guys these days
We just laugh and say
Remember when


To follow up a massively successful album is always difficult. After the guitars dominated and '60s inspired Rock Pop of Scarecrow, Mellencamp completely changed tack with the folky The Lonesome Jubilee to huge success. Ultimately it's underpinned by terrific songs which is what's most important anyway, as he was in his heyday here.

3 of my top 7 are from this album and every song from here on in the countdown is superb. The next 4 are classics and my top 3 are just a class above in my eyes. Still a couple of curveballs to come too.

Cherry Bomb is a bit Dad rock I know! But what he did by adding a fiddle and accordion is no clearer than here, they just flowed so well together. The guitars took a back seat on this album reflecting everyday life in the States. Cherry Bomb has such a sentimental vibe to it, reflecting the good old days of younger times.

In any case there's no arguing with his hair in this clip!

 
6. Paper 'n Fire (The Lonesome Jubilee - 1987)

The lead single from Lonesome Jubilee is a pretty unusual sounding song between its electric and acoustic guitars and its accordion and fiddle. But it works so bloody well, with an ominous rock sound and depressed lyrics that are frustrated with the greed of the world - greed was all the rage back in 1987 before the big Stockmarket crash.

 
5. Rain on the Scarecrow (Scarecrow- 1985)

Blood on the plough...

I love me some anger and angst in a song and this is one of his angriest. Farms closing down in the 80s, and farmers committing suicide flagged that the '80s wasn't a booming, happy time for everyone in the States. Not sure things have improved heaps for them since either.

Instrumentally it's a cracker too right from the first chords. The third verse especially is just so powerful.

 
4. Pink Houses (Uh-huh - 1983)

A little like Born in the USA, this American anthem is anything but. Sarcastically criticising the idea of the "American Dream". Reagan wanted to use it for his Predisential campaign but Mellencamp told him to stick it.

The song's powerful, it builds and builds and i love its groovy little guitar riff.

 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back