When I decided to write about the Top Ten songs of John “Cougar” Mellencamp, I discovered this would be no easy task. I have quite a few of his CD’s, mostly the early ones from the 80’s, and it became apparent that John has way more than 10 top songs. John “Cougar” Mellencamp is an American Icon who has sang songs for the working man, the under privileged, those who are struggling to make ends meet. His songs touch our soul as well as our heart. Each song speaks to us personally, it’s like John got in our heads and wrote our thoughts.
In 1985 John was quoted saying, “There is nothing more sad or glorious than generations changing hands.” This saying still rings true today and today’s generation would do good to listen to the songs of those days by John “Cougar” Mellencamp. His early music was born out of people who worked the land and John was one of the founders of Farm Aid, along with Willie Nelson and Neil Young. The first concert was held September 22, 1985 in Champaign, Illinois.
Choosing these songs was a difficult undertaking and some of my favorites were not popular radio songs. I had to decide if I should go with “classic” John “Cougar” Mellencamp that appealed to a more general audience, or go with my favorites that speak volumes beyond what his popular songs did. I chose to go with “classic” John because those are the ones you’ll know.
10. I Need a Lover” was a popular song because it was upbeat and a good dance tune. It’s from the album “John Cougar” which was released in 1979.
9. “Ain’t Even Done with the Night” was a popular song between couples. It was on the album “Nothing Matters and What if it Did?” from 1980.
8. “Hand to Hold on To” from the 1982 album “American Fool“, simply tells the world that we all need a hand to hold on to sometimes, no matter who we are.
7. “Jack and Diane” was the story of a young couple growing up in America’s heartland and where their dreams could take them. It’s also off the “American Fool” album.
6. “Hurts so Good” was another really popular song, also from the “American Fool” album. It hinted to sexual innuendos and made things just a bit more fun.
5. “Cherry Bomb” from 1987’s “The Lonesome Jubilee” album was about being young and having a good time, but then turned to being grown up and wondering how you survived.
4. “Crumblin’ Down” from the 1983 “Uh Huh” album was a radio favorite that had a good beat.
3. “Paper in Fire” from the 1987 “The Lonesome Jubilee” album was about chasing a better life across the green fields but if you aren’t careful, your dreams will go up like paper in fire. Be careful how you chase your dreams.
2. “Pink Houses“, also from the 1983 “Uh Huh” album was about the status quo in America and it still remains true today. The rich get to vacation where they want and the poor end up paying the bills. But it also reminds us that some people are content in their little pink houses.
1. “Rain on the Scarecrow” from the 1985 “Scarecrow” album was simply about the American farmer losing their farms told through the eyes of a son who had seen his dad and grandfather work the land. It is probably considered his “signature” song.
There are so many more songs that John “Cougar” Mellencamp recorded that were just as good as these classics. This list is by no means an all-inclusive top ten list of John’s songs. A few of the one’s I had to cut include, “Empty Hands”, “Country Gentlemen”, “Check it Out”, “The Real Life” and “JM’s Question“. If you get a chance to listen to any of John Cougar Mellencamp’s other songs, these are worth your time as well.
John Cougar Mellencamp had a good sound, a good beat and he just sang life as he saw it.
