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Rating: United States of America, 1985. A mature and conscious John Cougar Mellencamp observes the fertile fields of the Midwest hardened by the absurd socio-economic policy choices of the Reagan administration. On the cover, a stark black and white image seems borrowed from an old frame of the film by John Ford "The Grapes of Wrath," derived from the novel of the same name by John Steinbeck and from which, ten years later, a poetic Bruce Springsteen will draw inspiration to write Tom Joad. That image of a Cougar, no longer the "American Fool", but pierced in his deepest democratic ideals, recalls the serious, stern, and suspicious expression of Bob Dylan on the cover of his third album "The Times They Are A-Changin'."
In "Scarecrow", John Mellencamp becomes the bard of the other America: the rural, agricultural one, that of small workers exploited and strangled by the economic interests of the big lobbies. The most direct example to follow is that of Woody Guthrie but this time, the instrument of protest and condemnation is not an old guitar but the inimitable power unleashed by the band of Little Bastard, capable of exalting the realism of the author's lyrics with an energetic, granite, rough, and vital sound. It is easy to love this album and the spontaneous and direct way it speaks of family, friendship, roots, tradition, rights. Listening to classic tracks like "Small Town", "Minutes To Memories", "Rain On The Scarecrow", "Rumbleseat" one can think of being able to transform rock 'n' roll into a high tool of social involvement with which to express political ideals. John Cougar excellently synthesizes and winks at the style lesson learned from various Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Bob Seger, Steve Earle.
The engaging and direct sound instead, has a purely 1970s Rolling Stones matrix and is fundamental to the work's economy. Just listen to "Lonely Ol' Night" to realize this. Mike Wanchic and Larry Crane, the two guitarists, play as if they had listened to "Exile On Main Street" a million times and they play with mastery. The rhythm section, with the great Kenny Aronoff on drums and Toby Myers on bass, is precise and dry. Even Rickie Lee Jones is on board and offers an exciting duet with her lived-in voice in the intense ballad "Between A Laugh And A Tear." So, when at the end of the journey the guitar riffs fade, the snare stops and the ground is left with only betrayed and shattered dreams, John Mellencamp does not lose heart and puts all the possibility of expression back into the hands of the old and sincere rock 'n' roll pronouncing it letter by letter in the final anthem "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Small Town (03:42)
Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Prob'ly die in a small town
Oh, those small communities
All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity
Educated in a small town
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic that's me
But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this small town
Now she's small town just like me
No I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's prob'ly where they'll bury me
04 Minutes to Memories (04:13)
On a Greyhound thirty miles beyond Jamestown
He saw the sun set on the Tennessee line
He looked at the young man who was riding beside him
He said I'm old kind of worn out inside
I worked my whole life in the steel mills near Gary
And my father before me I helped build this land
Now I'm seventy-seven and with God as my witness
I earned every dollar that passed through my hands
My family and friends are the best thing I've known
Through the eye of the needle I'll carry them home
Days turn to minutes
And minutes to memories
Life sweeps away the dreams
That we have planned
You are young and you are the future
So suck it up and tough it out
And be the best you can
The rain hit the old dog in the twilight's last gleaming
He said Son it sounds like rattling old bones
This highway is long but I know some that are longer
By sunup tomorrow I guess I'll be home
Through the hills of Kentucky 'cross the Ohio river
The old man kept talking 'bout his life and his times
He fell asleep with his head against the window
He said an honest man's pillow is his peace of mind
This world offers riches and riches will grow wings
And I don't take stock in those uncertain things
Days turn to minutes
And minutes to memories
Life sweeps away the dreams
That we have planned
You are young and you are the future
So suck it up and tough it out
And be the best you can
The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow
I do things my way and I pay a high price
When I think back on the old man and the bus ride
Now that I'm older I can see he was right
Another hot one out on highway eleven
This is my life It's what I've chosen to do
There are no free rides No one said it'd be easy
The old man told me this my son Im telling it to you
Days turn to minutes
And minutes to memories
Life sweeps away the dreams
That we have planned
You are young and you are the future
So suck it up and tough it out
And be the best you can
07 Justice and Independence '85 (03:33)
He was born on the fourth day of July
So his parents called him Independence Day
He married a girl named Justice who gave birth to a son called Nation
Then she walked away
Independence he would daydream and he'd pretend
That some day him and Justice and Nation would get together again
But Justice held up in a shotgun shack
And she wouldn't let nobody in
So a Nation cried
Oh Oh
When a Nation cries
His tears fall down like missiles from the skies
Justic look into Independence's eyes
Can you make everything alright
Can you keep your Nation warm tonight
Well Nation grew up and got himself a big reputation
Couldn't keep the boy at home no no
He just kept running 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Independence and Justice well they felt so ashamed
When the Nation fell down they argued who was to blame
Nation if you'll just come home we'll have this family again
Oh Nation don't cry
Oh Oh
When a Nation cries
His tears fall down like missiles from the skies
Justic look into Independence's eyes
Can you make everything alright
Can you keep your Nation warm tonight
Roll a rock across the Country
Everybody come along
When you're feelin' down yeah yeah
Just sing this song yeah yeah
09 Rumbleseat (03:00)
All the leaves are green
All my friends are gone
I'm livin' in my hometown
I can barely get along
I feel sorry for myself
That's an easy thing to do
I feel sorry for the world
I feel sorry for you
Yes I am a pitiful sight
I can't even get one thing right
I know just what it's like
To be a rider ridin' in the rumbleseat
Yes I know just what it's like
To be a big time rider in the rumbleseat
Well I could have a nervous breakdown
But I don't believe in shrinks
I should be drunker than a monkey
But I don't like to drink
Call up some girls
But I'm afraid of the phone
I'm always talkin' to myself
I guess I'm never alone
Am I the only one that feels this way
I'd buy myself some stylish clothes
But I sure hate to pay
I know just what it's like
To be a rider ridin' in the rumbleseat
Yes I know just what it's like
To be a big time rider in the rumbleseat
The sun is coming up
Just goin' to bed
I combed my hair with my pillow
Still got some dreams left
Tomorrow is a new day
Gonna make these dreams come true
I'm gonna believe in myself
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stop puttin' myself down
I'm gonna turn my life around
I'll be ridin' high
With my feet kicked up in the rumbleseat
Yeah we'll go for a drive
And we'll be singin' shotgun from that rumbleseat
Yes I will blow you a kiss
And we'll be ridin' big time in my rumbleseat
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