Woot! It was a rumor, discussed on our other board, of course not Greasy, that the two were seen heading into a restaurant together in Johnny's hometown. Two old codgers who enjoyed huge stardom in the 80s and who have respected each other for decades possibly writing some tunes together?
Maybe, maybe not.
Seriously, how the HELL did I miss that Independence Day reference the first time I listened? This song is really growing on me. On the other hand, other than giving the dog a bath, this has pretty much been a wasted day. I'll listen, but I probably won't learn.
I think the interpretation depends on the age of the listener, I doubt 30-year-olds find it depressing.
I'd say it's realistic.
Totally heard the ID melody! So initially with those oh so rough sounding vocals from Johnny I thought oh dear but the song completely turned around for me and I dig the hell out of it, especially musically speaking.
How fucking catchy is this little ditty with the Wasted Days refrain? And it's just so John late career, great pairing on this collab. And for these two old codgers, the lyrics fit, I don't find it nearly as depressing as others do. It's called life.
I hear some Independence Day melodically in parts. In fact, it's distinctive enough I'm guessing it's a deliberate nod on John's part.
I love the atmosphere in the video. Two old gents on a soft blue evening.
I like it...
What exactly is Bruce singing before he says 'the end is coming, it's almost here'
That's a brilliant Bruce mumble...
And what do we think of it? (I liked it but didn't listen terribly closely to the lyrics.)
I saw the cover art too but now it's down - they're both sitting at a table across from each other strumming their acoustics.
That's a mysterious image. Kinda dig it.
Word on the street is that new single with Brucey and Johnny called "Wasted Days" coming tomorrow.
Republic Records And John Mellencamp Release The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 Live Album
08.27.2021 - Today, John Mellencamp and Republic Records release the live album to accompany the The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 documentary available now on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) YouTube channel.
Stream The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 live album https://johnmellencamp.lnk.to/TGST2000PR and watch The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 documentary https://youtu.be/ySD3qr1vYXc .
The album features live versions of some of John Mellencamp’s most popular songs including “Pink Houses,” “Small Town” as well as a cover of “Oklahoma Hills” written by Woody Guthrie. See full tracklist below. The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 is available on Turner Classic Movie’s (TCM) YouTube channel starting today. Next month, John Mellencamp will also appear as a guest programmer on TCM. Look out for more information soon.
The documentary, which is narrated by Academy® Award winner Matthew McConaughey, chronicles Mellencamp’s historic tour in 2000 when he performed for free in public parks and common spaces across the country. The film was executive produced by Federal Films, produced by John Mellencamp and Randy Hoffman, directed by Shan Dan Horan, mixed by Andy York and has special contributions by Nora Guthrie.
For more information on John Mellencamp visit www.mellencamp.com.
The Good Samaritan Tour 2000 Track list:
1. “Small Town”
2. “Oklahoma Hills”
3. In My Time Of Dying”
4. “Captain Bobby Stout”
5. “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)”
6. “All Along The Watchtower”
7. “The Spider And The Fly”
8. “Early Bird Café”
9. “Hey Gyp”
10. “Street Fighting Man”
11. “Cut Across Shortly”
12. “Pink Houses”
On BTX someone said the new album is mighty fine, that's all I read, did it come out today or did they get a sneak peak? What am I missing?
@Bosstralian I still have a US import CD of the Cocktail soundtrack. I forgot about his Holly cover. I agree, it's superb.
Another of his covers I like is this one:
A few more...
This one's a personal favourite...
Always loved his version of this... he was that big in Oz in the 80's that this was all over the radio for 3 or more months when the movie Cocktail came out
I'm gonna read that article too, thanks for posting Steve.
Meg Ryan was mentioned above, are they still together? The net doesn't seem to know.
https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/news-and-opinion/news/pink-houses-black-lives-and-john-mellencamps-misunderstood-legacy%E2%80%A8
I have to mention Jackie Brown.
And this is one of the purest pop songs with a hilariously bad video. The first Mellencamp song I ever heard and bought. I played the hell out of that 45.
Lastly, I found it funny that Billy Joel was mentioned earlier on in this thread as there is a connection.... Both Crystal Talifiero and Lisa Germano toured with both and as we know, Crystal was part of the 'Other Band'. (Crystal and Lisa also recorded with John)
I got to see Crystal live on stage with Billy Joel in 2006 on his sole visit to SA. Great show. And just because I am part of a Lisa Germano fan club of at least 2 on here, this is my favourite live footage of her on stage... Sigh....
Also, Liberty DeVitto on drums for you folks.
I don't regard this as one of his great songs but man, talk about being blunt... Imagine how his brother felt when he heard this?!
And on to 2009, Life, Death, Love and Freedom. I know others, as posted above, are fans of this album. It's his Western Stars, in Springsteen terms. It's not a good album, its an exceptional album. And to have been released quietly in his late fifties shows how consistent his music has been. I listen to this more than any other Mellencamp record. If I was only ever allowed to have ten albums for the rest of my life, this would be one of them. Perhaps its about where you are in your life when you hear an album, or the songs resonate in the right way, but this record is incredibly important to me.
A highlight for me is this one... John is often looking back over his shoulder. He strikes me as a nostalgic person. His line but again, I think it is a great record.
A highlight for me is this ome... John is often looking back over his shoulder. He strikes me as a nostalgic person. His line "...there's less days in front of the horse than riding in the back of this cart" always stuck with me. And that was when he was still young, a man in his thirties at the time.
In 2003 John released what is arguably his Seeger Sessions record, Trouble No More. It's a personal favourite of mine. No big band or horn section, but modern interpretations of old songs. There is a pretty cool documentary out there about the making of this album. My favourite part is John climbing into his wife's red Audi TT and driving off in the end.
The 2007 album Freedom's Road was a commercial success, I believe, due to a song being used in a car (Chev?) advert. Its a good song, but there are better ones on the record. This one is haunting. I know its important to him too as he effectively used it as the title to his only box set.
Most people are usually familiar with the Eighties albums and songs, the Scarecrow album possibly being his Born In The USA. At a push, I'd say this is my favourite track from that near masterpiece. Not least of all for the incredible drum work from the legendary Kenny Aronoff: above, but to add my 5 cents worth...
I listen to a lot of music. I do that more than I watch television or movies, and I do it as a sole pursuit and while doing other things. I listen to a lot of different artists and types of music. I spend a lot of time listening to South African music pretty much anyone outside of South Africa has never heard of. Some of those artists are as important to me, almost, as the likes of Bruce. In the case of Johnny Clegg, possibly more so.
But, since the Eighties, a group of American men from various parts of the US have been a core part of my daily listening. Springsteen, Mellencamp, Seger and Petty. You can add more names to the list but I have always loosely clumped those 4 together. I listen to some more than others at certain times, but all are essential meat and potatoes part of my musical diet. I have followed all four careers from climbing on board to today, and of course working backward to discover what I missed. Listening to Darkness for the first time in 1990, well there is a story.
I have bought Mellencamp's albums as new releases from American Fool onwards and have all on CD today up to Plain Spoken. I don't consider a single one of those bad records. But I definitely consider some better than others and a few essential. The earliest 'Cougar' recordings can be a little hit and miss but there is great material there. One of my favourites, although this quaint video misses the great instrumental intro:
Most people are usually familar with the Eighties albums and songs, the Scarecrow album possibly being his Born In The USA. At a push, I'd say this is my favourite track from that near masterpiece. Not least of all for the incredible drum work from the legendary Kenny Aronoff:
For me, the albums from '89 on are the ones I enjoyed and listen to most. I loved Big Daddy, with the classic Jackie Brown. this video features some more Lisa Germano... You're welcome @Jerseyfornia
The first part of the Nineties saw a run of what I consider superb albums. Looking back now, perhaps with Bruce seemingly nowhere to be seen, John releasing these great albums every year or two, made me pay extra attention to them. Perhaps not as commercially successful as his Eighties albums, but musically superb. Human Wheels has one of my top 5 Mellencamp songs... And again, Kenny Aronoff. Damn.
The title track is also one of my favourites.
The 1996 album, Mr. Happy Go Lucky was like nothing I'd heard before, and unlike any previous Mellencamp album. But back in the early days of in dash CD players, it never left my player. I listened to it on repeat over and over. It was, for me, the first example of a rocker using loops and samples that worked, creating an album that has to be listened to from start to finish. Sublime.
TBC
@Mario Brega
Crystal Taliefero on the far left. Lisa Germano, one of the many loves of my life, on violin.
John saw all this coming a long time ago.
"Yeah, and it's hard for me to justify my position
Yeah, when everything that I'm saying can be said better by Mr. Springsteen..."
I'm gonna check out a bunch of the songs/albums you guys have mentioned. Cheers everyone!
John Mellencamp was huge here in Australia back in the 80's and early 90's. Infact while Brucemania was big for that one or two years in the mid 80's, JCM was probably commercially popular for a longer period. From Hurts So Good and Jack And Dianne in 1982 through to the Whenever We Wanted album in 1991, every album he released charted here and there were 2-3 (at least) charting singles off each one (plus other album tracks picked up on FM radio). I'd go as far as to say that a casual Aussie music fan who grew up in the 80's could probably name more Mellencamp than Springsteen tunes.
I saw him live in 1992, it was a good show. Basically a greatest hits setlist, which for an Aussie audience meant one well known sing along after another. The setlist isn't on the Web, but it is identical to the Live July 4th 1992 bootleg (which is one of those weird sneaky unofficial releases that somehow appears on Spotify).
To lighten up the mood, I never knew he was with Meg Ryan untill this thread.
Another great album Bill Z, The Longest Days, song is so damn good.
I'm probably a bigger fan of his late career albums, just incredible stuff from an older artist late career. Plain Spoken, magnifique.
I liked JCM around the time of Scarecrow, Lonesome Jubilee, and Big Daddy. He was great at that point. Sad thing is his music never pulled me along down the line.
Bruce considers Joe Grushecky a peer. I'm sure he has a certain amount of professional respect for John Mellencamp.
Well those pics don't prove my point very well. But trust me, I was thinking of John's hair days with the band and outfits to go with it, Johnny Coug was pretty much in a white Tshirt and jeans and no pyro.
Fair do's, TBH I've never paid a huge amount of attention to the look of either......but I'd say there's an "ish" resemblance!
He looked nothing Jon Bon Jovi ish, in fact we are talking about someone who beats to their own drum and usually has a cig hangin' out his yip - that ain't Jon Bon. And though he had longish hair in the 80s, we ain't talkin' hair band long hair, just scruffy. I loved it.
Does, or did, he not look very Jon Bon Jovi ish?
I remember him when he was plain old John Cougar singing about Jack and Diane.
I thought it was Mellencamp, because I don't know what John Cougar Mellencamp looks like.
The gent with Bruce is Michael Cassady, the owner of the restaurant, Michael's Uptown Cafe.
I'm with Scott. Who is that guy?
I'm sure Bruce respects Mellencamp as a person. As a songwriter/perfomer I doubt he looks at him as a peer. For me, at least, Mellencamp belongs one or two leagues below Bruce.