John Mellencamp (album)

Last updated

John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp eponymous cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 6, 1998
Recorded1998
Genre Rock
Length45:56
Label Columbia
Producer John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp chronology
The Best That I Could Do 1978–1988
(1997)
John Mellencamp
(1998)
Rough Harvest
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Entertainment Weekly B [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]

John Mellencamp is the 15th album by American singer-songwriter and musician John Mellencamp, released on October 6, 1998. It was the first of three albums Mellencamp would record for Columbia Records. "On this record, we ended up quite a bit away from where we started," Mellencamp told Guitar World Acoustic in 1998. "Initially, I wanted to make a record that barely had drums on it. Donovan made a record (in 1966), Sunshine Superman , and I wanted to start with that same kind of vibe—Eastern, very grand stories, fairy tales. We ended up with a few Eastern instruments. But everybody prepared to make that record. After the last tour, I gave everybody Sunshine Superman, and I said: 'Listen to this record, because you're going to need to know it.'"

Contents

While it is unusual for an artist to release a self-titled album this late in their career, Mellencamp was asked by Columbia Records to self-title his debut album for them to mark a fresh start and a creative rebirth.

Track listing

CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fruit Trader"John Mellencamp3:57
2."Your Life Is Now"Mellencamp, George Green 3:59
3."Positively Crazy"Mellencamp, Green, Andrew York4:09
4."I'm Not Running Anymore"Mellencamp3:26
5."It All Comes True"Mellencamp, Green3:58
6."Eden Is Burning"Mellencamp3:50
7."Where the World Began"Mellencamp; Green3:29
8."Miss Missy"Mellencamp3:40
9."Chance Meeting at the Tarantula"Mellencamp4:05
10."Break Me Off Some"Mellencamp; Moe Z M.D.; Green4:10
11."Summer of Love"Mellencamp; York4:01
12."Days of Farewell"Mellencamp; Toby Myers 3:12
Total length:45:56

Personnel

Band

Guests

Charts

Chart (1998)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [4] 41
The Billboard 20041

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References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. Entertainment Weekly review
  3. "John Mellencamp". Rolling Stone . October 20, 1998. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016.
  4. "Australiancharts.com – John Mellencamp – Mr. Happy Go Lucky". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 27, 2021.