John Mellencamp: Lonely Ol Night (1985)

The song was inspired by Hud starring Paul Newman. The strained relationship between father and son informed many of the lyrics. The song emotes loneliness especially for a mid-80s teen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMkRzWT8mo

Top 25 song of 1989 (#11-20)

My favorites again...

11. Living in Sin- Bon Jovi
12. A Girl Like You- The Smithereens
13. This Monkey's Gone To Heaven- The Pixies
14. All I Want Is You- U2
15. Figure of Eight- Paul McCartney
16. Personal Jesus- Depeche Mode
17. Higher Ground- RHCP
18. Pop Singer- John Mellencamp
19. Get Up- REM
20. Pop Song '89-REM

Top 40 songs of 1991: #21-30

My favorites.

21. Into the Great Wide Open- Tom Petty
22. Once- Pearl Jam
23. Mysterious Ways- U2
24. The Show Must Go On- Queen
25. Losing My Religion- REM
26. Get a Leg Up- John Mellencamp
27. Why Go- Pearl Jam
28. Live and Let Die- Guns n Roses
29. Soul Cages- Sting
30. Don't Cry- Guns n Roses

Top 35 songs of 1994 (#21-30)

My favorites continued...

21. Spin the Black Circle- Pearl Jam
22. Found Out About You- Gin Blossoms
23. Fell on Black Days- Soundgarden
24. Big Empty- STP
25. Mary Jane's Last Dance- Tom Petty
26. Wild Night- John Mellencamp
27. Keep Talking- Pink Floyd
28. What Do You Want From Me?- Pink Floyd
29. Streets of Philadelphia- Bruce Springsteen
30. Because the Night- 10,000 Maniacs

John Mellencamp: Hurts So Good (1982)

John Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar, scored three monster hits off his American Fool album. "Hurts So Good" reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of '82 and #1 on the rock charts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dOsbsuhYGQ

John Mellencamp: Rain on the Scarecrow (1987)

John Mellencamp wanted to shed light on the plight of American farmers. "Rain on the Scarecrow" recounts the trials and troubles of farmers in the modern era. Decreased profits, foreclosures, and empty farmhouses riddle the country. Mellencamp took his efforts a step further when he helped found the Farm Aid charity. The song reached #21 on the charts. Something like this probably would not sniff the Hot 100 today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joNzRzZhR2Y

John Mellencamp: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2008 part 3

2000-present

Peaceful World (2001): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL28-RVO0_E

Walk Tall (2004): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjNn9_bfp6k

Mellencamp was involved in the Rock for Change Tour in 2004.

Our Country (2006): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlxQGZDmtyw

The Americans (2007): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9RJYxMdMrY

Troubled Land (2008): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j-BEyIuQ3g

No Better than This (2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBrQv66oLxc

Mellencamp carries on with his music, painting, and is one of his generation's great story tellers.

John Mellecamp: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2008 part 2

1990-1999

John Cougar Mellencamp dropped the Cougar in 1990 and was simply John Mellencamp again.

Get a Leg Up (1991): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7eve-kJHSA

Again Tonight (1992): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-lvws5ikyY

Now More than Ever (1992): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGTEXe95ZQ

Human Wheels (1993): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWWMmxyKOR0

A video with Cindy Crawford:

Wild Night w/Meshell Ndegeocello (1994): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nPPRQeTxTY

Dance Naked (1994): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKrcvol1NsM

Key West Intermezzo (1996): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlMPYwGWLcI

Just Another Day (1996): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g92vl5lsWVM

He released a book with some of his paintings in 1998.
I'm Not Running Anymore (1999): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbRXhsnY3yo

John Mellencamp: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2008 part 1

1976-1989

John Mellencamp was born with spina bifida and should have died. However, a doctor performed experimental surgery saving the infant's life. He married at 18, graduated college in 1974, and played music. A record agent convinced him to change his name to John Cougar for marketing purposes and he released his first album in 1976. It flopped. He released a second album overseas and scored a hit in Australia.

I Need a Lover (1978): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adMXjSithMs

The song was released in the US the next year.

In 1982, he hit it big time with American Fool after building his audience.

Hurts So Good (1982): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dOsbsuhYGQ

Jack & Diane (1982): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h04CH9YZcpI

Success continued with Uh-Huh

He changed his name to John Cougar Mellencamp

Crumblin' Down (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PErUiAyVoGc

Pink Houses (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOfkpu6749w

Authority Song (1984): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsEwK69LXjQ


He cofounded Farm Aid in 1985 to help struggling farmers.
Scarecrow

Lonely Ol' Night (1985): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMkRzWT8mo

Small Town (1985): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CVLVaBECuc

R.O.C.K. in the USA (1986): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgtmStUrXMQ

Rain on the Scarecrow (1986): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joNzRzZhR2Y

The Lonesome Jubilee

Paper in Fire (1987): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myo9wXrNUP4

Cherry Bomb (1987): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF0gsbQKhD8

Check it Out (1988): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GimNm_PKtYM

Big Daddy

Pop Singer (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLShxXgIK5w

Top 10 Songs of 2010

My favorite songs from the year 2010.

1. Tighten Up- The Black Keys

2. Resistance- Muse

3. I Should Have Known It- Tom Petty

4. Amongst the Waves- Pearl Jam

5. Because the Night- Bruce Springsteen (Yes, a re-release; it would be higher if it had not originally come out in 1978).

6. Last of the American Girls- Green Day

7. Memories- Weezer

8. No Better Than This- John Mellencamp

9. Between the Lines- Stone Temple Pilots

10. I Gotta Feeling- The Black Eyed Peas

John Mellencamp: Paper in Fire (1987)

“Paper in Fire” was Mellencamp’s lead single off The Lonesome Jubilee album. The album spawned a number of hit songs and was influenced by Mellencamp’s uncle’s death.  The album seemed more personal and influenced by folk music as opposed to his earlier efforts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myo9wXrNUP4

 

Buddy Holly: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1986

Buddy Holly's career in links:

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/buddy-holly/

Official Site: http://www.buddyholly.com/

Another Site: http://www.buddyhollyonline.com/main.html

Influenced by The Searchers staring John Wayne:
That’ll Be The Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_wJEGmfQE

The skiffle sound was very influential.:

Peggy Sue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQiIMuOKIzY

Oh Boy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLq-vYjdQVs

Holly was not only a great songwriter and performer, but also a pioneer in the studio.


Maybe Baby:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEHNFxXkILM

It’s So Easy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2rU3W45wks

Radio News Flash: February 3, 1959: Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens die in a plane crash:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UWoDl0PBP8

Influence:

Buddy Holly's sound dramatically impacted the British Invasion especially the Liverpool acts.
Rolling Stones “Not Fade Away”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt_zum97kjE

The Beatles “Words of Love”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx9ExvtLZ7M

John Mellencamp: “Rave On”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYvoS7LNgaM

The Buddy Holly Story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBCTJPNC2kk

Weezer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kemivUKb4f4

859. Human Wheels by John Mellencamp (1993)

In 1993, John Mellencamp released some of his strongest work. Influenced in part by the death of a band member, "Human Wheels" was a decidedly human record. Interestingly, Mellencamp's inspiration came from young R&B artists at the time. Here is the title track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWWMmxyKOR0&ob=av2el

913. Authority Song by John Mellencamp (1984)

Inspired by Bobby Fuller's "I Fought the Law," Mellencamp espouses his own version of rebellion. It's classic Mellencamp in its uncompromising nature. The video expands this character trait with Mellencamp in a boxing ring. The song hit #15 in 1984.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsEwK69LXjQ&ob=av3e