Congratulations, Lil' Bastard

I don't care about the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. But I care a great deal about John Mellencamp, who was (finally) inducted into said HOF this week. Validation from peers means a lot to Mellencamp, who's always been mentioned after Woody, Bruce and Bob on the list of great chroniclers of the American condition. But growing up, especially as a child of the MTV generation, Mellencamp was my guy, especially his Scarecrow album, one of the great rock statements of all time. (Special shout-out to drummer Kenny Aronoff.)

As I've mentioned far too many times, I spent some one-on-one time with the native Hoosier a few years ago. The Washington Post sent me to Bloomington, Ind., after the "Vote for Change" concerts were ineffective in dislodging George W. from office. Mellencamp and his family (wife Elaine Irwin, sons Hud and Speck) were nice enough to have me in their gorgeous house (and their bathroom) on the shores of Lake Monroe. The interview was mind-blowingly good, but in classic Lil' Bastard style, he picked apart Scarecrow when I suggested it for canonization. "Too many cartoon songs," he grunted in between drags on an American Spirit. I called him crazy, a highlight of my life.

Anyway, in celebration of his induction, here are SD's 10 Favorite John Mellencamp Songs:

10. Minutes to Memories
9. Check It Out
8. Justice and Independence '85
7. My Aeroplane
6. Get a Leg Up
5. What If I Came Knocking
4. Hurts So Good
3. Lonely Ol' Night
2. Jack & Diane (WATCH)
1. The Authority Song

Comments

[Jeff in Cuba]

I used a "R&R HoF" theme for this week's radio show, and used "The Authority Song" and "Paper in Fire" during the Mellencamp portion, but I could have gone a dozen other ways and have been just as happy. Clearly the best choice in the Class of 2008. It also provided great counterpoint to...

...my 5-minute tirade on Madonna's induction and the egregious inclusion of 6-time snubee Iggy Pop in the ceremony. That really frosts my flakes.

As an aside; the most surprisingly enjoyable portion of the show may have been the Gamble & Huff tribute. I had forgotten how "TSOP" sets your toes to tapping. Classic.

[Sherrie]

I adore that grouchy old cuss, Mellencamp rules. My top 10:
10. Jack & Diane (this is the song that introduced me to Mellencamp, back in middle school, so it can't be left out)
9. I Ain't Ever Satisfied
8. Sometimes a Great Notion
7. Lonely Old Night
6. Between a Laugh and a Tear (I love the line near the end- "I know there's a balance/I see it when I swing past")
5. Justice and Independence '85
4. Martha Say "Martha say she don't need no stinkin' man/making no decisions for her"
3. Cherry Bomb "Seventeen has turned 35/I'm surprised that we're still living"
2. Get a Leg Up- a bit of honkeytonk raunch that I never get tired of. "You know, I aint that handsome/but you know, I ain't shy shy shy". I always play that one REALLY loud
1. Minutes to Memories- my very favorite, I love every word of this song. The picture it paints is so real- gotta live it.

Two that barely missed my top 10 but that are big favorites-
Rumbleseat
Jackie O

Now I'm gonna have to dig up Scarecrow tonight and listen to it, I love listening to Mellencamp.

[sparky]

I can't believe that I played the hell out of the album (yes vinyl) when I was in High School and never bought a copy on CD. Oh well, I know what I will be doing when I get to the house tonight. Some more of my iTunes gift cards will be no more.

That has to rank right up there in top albums without a clunker on it.

[sparky]

And who gave Madonna a key to the RnR HoF. What did she ever do that would be classified as Rock n Roll.

Somewhere the Big Bopper and Buddy Holly aren't real happy.

[Sherrie]

This talk of Mellencamp sent me scurrying to his website on my lunch break, and there are a few really excellent live show clips on there, all filmed at Walter Reed Vets Hospital. "Our Country" and "Minutes to Memories" are great, but the stripped down version of "Lonely Old Night" is really remarkable. Check it out: http://www.mellencamp.com/index.php?page=videos

[Sean Daly]

Thanks, Sherrie.

If anyone's interested, here's a link to my Mellencamp profile from The Washington Post. This was back when newspapers actually ran 80 inch stories.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41894-2004Dec6.html

[Travis Henry]

Wow! Trying to nail down a Mellencamp Top Ten is like trying to pick my favorite kids, but here goes .....

10. Love and Happiness
9. Circling Around the Moon
8. Life is Hard
7. Jack and Diane
6. Lonely Ol'Night
5. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A
4. Jackie Brown
3. Paper in Fire
2. Rain on the Scarecrow
1. Pink Houses

* I find it hard that "Authority Song", "Hurt So Good", and "Small Town" didn't make it, but ...

[Jeff in Cuba]

SD,

That's a great piece of writing, my friend, and worthy of the subject matter.

And 50 years from now, Kid Lulu's husband will be sitting on his couch thinking "I'm Sean, man. I'm (bleep)ing Sean!"

[DG]

I got to meet Kenny Aronoff when I was around 11 years old. He was signing autographs at a music supply store in Tampa and, for some reason, my mom and I were the only ones to show up. Aronoff was the nicest guy. I told him how I'd played drums in my middle school band and so he signed a drum head for me, writing an encouraging note to keep up with my practicing and playing. Since we were the only ones there, we talked for close to half an hour. He made a big impression on me as a kid and I've never forgotten his kindness. Great guy.

[Erin]

I saw Mellancamp in concert maybe twelve years sgo and it was such a great concert. He not only played every song fans wanted to hear but played his heart out. One of my top five concerts easily. Glad to know I'm not alone.

And Sparky, I disagree about Madonna. She was an'80s popular culture phenomenon and deserves her place at the RRHF.

[DG]

Parachute pants were an '80s popular culter phenomenon too.

Like Madonna, they're not anywhere deserving of being regarded in the same league with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.

[jane]

Hell of an article, Mr. Daly. Now that's a fine piece of journalism. Bravo.

Off to iTunes to enhance my sadly lacking personal collection of Mellencamp tunes...

[DG]

and my top 10 Mellencamp songs are:

10. Big Daddy of Them All
9. Ain't Even Done With the Night
8. Rumbleseat
7. The Americans
6. Get A Leg Up
5. Jackie Brown
4. Minutes To Memories
3. Jack and Diane
2. Authority Song
1. Lonely Ol' Night

[Jeff in Cuba]

I know it's off-topic, but one last shot at this whole Madonna thing:

The RnR HoF purports to honor artists who shaped the course of Rock and Roll. For example, the Ventures are in this year's class because of the guitar sound they pioneered in the early 60's (cue "Walk, Don't Run).

Madonna was an artist who used music as one ingredient in a multi-media pop culture zeitgeist. She's smart, she's even talented, but she's done nothing for Rock & Roll. (Did she even have a guitar with her on tour?)

The Hall of Fame is for those who craft the building blocks of Rock, not for those who find entertaining ways to stack them.

[DG]

My whole issue with Madonna and the HoF boils down to this:

When you discard the videos, the self-promoting controversies, the image changing...and simply consider her music, it's simply pop music. Nothing groundbreaking. Nothing influential in and of itself (no one says "I was inspired by that melodic hook in "Borderline"). It's just pop music.

[chad]

ive always been a big mellencamp fan. i love how he combines elements of folk, rock, country, bluegrass all into one great slive of americana. my top ten in no particular order is as follows: 1. aint even done with the night 2. hand to hold on to 3. pink houses 4. authority song 5. rain on the scarecrow 6. jackie brown 7. cherry bomb 8. human wheels 9. key west intermuzzo 10. peaceful world

[DoctorDrew]

The problem is, the RnR Hall of Fame really has no idea what it wants to be. If it really wants to "honor artists who shaped the course of Rock and Roll" then you are correct, Madonna has no place there. However, if it merely wants to chronicle the history of modern POPular music, she does. I look back at some prior inductees and am hard pressed to find major shaping of what I consider Rock and Roll. In 1997, the BeeGees were inducted; 2000 - James Taylor; 2001 - Michael Jackson (along with Queen I might add a worse insult then Madonna with Mellencamp). We could argue about what one considers rock and roll, but all of these performers have certainly influenced the course of POP music. So, if they are worthy of a place, certainly Madonna deserves a place in this Hall of Fame.

BTW, so I can at least post on topic, I used to love Mellencamp, but his incessant selling out of his songs for commercial jingles (and getting upset if anyone with different views dares plays them) is annoying. If I hear "Our Country" never again it will be too soon, but I love his old stuff and Scarecrow was the first Compact Disc I ever purchased, and I still have it.

However, I prefer Tom Waits' thoughts on advertising, "Apparently the highest compliment our culture grants artists nowadays is to be in an ad . . . I have adamantly and repeatedly refused this dubious honor."

[Al]

Hey Sean, I picked up "American Fool" and "Scarecrow" for 2 BUCKS! On Vinyl! A shop was going out of business. I resisted some Spandau Ballet, but I got "Sports", just for you.