John Mellencamp - The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988
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CD Details
Artist: John MellencampEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1997-11-18
Music Label: Island
Soundtracks:
- I Need A Lover
- Ain't Even Done With The Night
- Hurts So Good
- Jack And Diane
- Crumblin' Down
- Pink Houses
- Authority Song
- Lonely Ol' Night
- Small Town
- R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.
- Paper In Fire
- Cherry Bomb
- Check It Out
- Without Expression
Music reviews of The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988
Music Review: Hugely Entertaining If Missing A Lot
Rating: 5 Stars
John Cougar Mellencamp is one of the greatest rock stars to emerge in the last 25 or so years. His songs express everyday American life in a way only he can (okay, and Dyaln and Springsteen). This cd has 14 songs handpicked by him are very good, though to stop at 1988 when this collection caMe out in 1997 is rather stupid.
For he became an icon for middle class America, John Mellencamp was a rising star on the punk rock scene. This is documented by his breakthrough hit "I Need A Lover". Though it's very different from his later work, I really like this song perhaps because it's different, plus it's got that great long intro.
His 1981 hit "Ain't Even Done With The Night" showed further signs of him coming into his own as both a singer and a songwriter, but it would take another year until the transformation was complete.
In 1982, Mellencamp released his album "American Fool". Here was the debut of the Mellencamp we all know and love. The charttopping singles "Hurt So Good" and "Jack And Diane" were somber rokc numbers that looked at the simpler pleasures of life. It was these huge hits (peaking at numbers 2 and 1, respectively) that helped "American Fool" remain at number one for 9 weeks and begin his real career.
1983's "Uh - Huh" was an even stronger effort than his last one. The singles "Crumblin' Down" and my personal favorite "The Authority Song" were fun little rock and roll numbers that remain great ongs. But it was "Pink Houses" that made the greatest impact out all the songs from that album. A gripping look at middle class America in vein of Springsteen, this is the song that turned America on its ears and immediately became one of his best known songs.
1985 was when he released the album that is widely considered to be his best. "Scarecrow" yielded another middle class anthem that was also autobiogrpahical, "Small Town". "Lonely Ol' Night" was relly a fun, little rocker. But to me, the best song on the album is the high voltage, rock rave up "R.O.C.K. In The USA". A tribute the music he grew up on, this song will have you dancing and singing along in no time. Along with "The Authority Song", this is my favorite song he ever did. How this song was kept from getting to number one by Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" is beyond me.
1987 saw the release of another album considered by many to be a masterpiece, "The Lonesome Jubilee". The major hits from that album were "Paper In Fire" and "Cherry Bomb". The former was a bluesy number that had refferences to the Bible sprinkled throughout the lyrics. The latter is hard for me to describe since it's such a great song, but I'll try. It's another auutobiographical number, chronicling his youth in a tough neighbirhood when rules were broken and anything went. This is my Uncle Pete's favorite song. It's not my number one favorite (I just told you what they were), but it's right up there. Also included from that album is "Check It Out". It's not as good as the other two songs from "TLJ" on here but will draw you in with more than enough listens.
For this set, Mellencamp recorded a new song, a 1968 Terry Reid number called "Without Expression". I haven't really listened to it yet, to be honest, but I'm sure I'll like it.
As I said earlier, it was stupid to have this collection stop at 1988. Although he didn't have any big hits past 1988 aside from his smash remake of "Wild Night" with Me'shell N'Deggiocello, this is missing many great singles like "Rooty Toot Toot", "Pop Singer", "Jackie Brown", "Get A Leg Up", "Human Wheels", "Dance Naked", "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)", "Again Tonight" and "Just Another Day". And for that matter, a lot of great songs from the period this album is meant to cover are missing. I'm talking about "Small Paradise", "This Time", "Hand To Hold On To", "Rain On The Scarecrow" amd "Rumbleseat".
But you can't complain about what Mellencamp chose to put on here. This cd also comes with a booklet featuring an indepth biography on Mellencamp, his music and his family written by John's good friend, the late Timothy White. Also included is track information including what album it's from, composer crdits and peak chart positions. I highly recommend this set and Mellencamp's studio albums as well.
Description of The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988
The Best That I Could Do collects the singles that led John Mellencamp into the radio/jukebox pantheon he celebrated in "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." and "Cherry Bomb." While albums such as American Fool, Uh Huh, and Scarecrow held Top 10 spots for months, their spinoff hits made this Hoosier disciple of Jagger, J.B., and Iggy into something like a Reagan-era John Fogerty: not only were "Pink Houses," "Paper in Fire," and "Crumblin' Down" wise (and wiseacre) dispatches from an America where it wasn't always morning, they could fill a dance floor and get you pounding the dashboard on the way home. --Rickey WrightClassic Rock CDs
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