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John Mellencamp has been in need of a thorough, career-spanning compilation for a while, and Island/UTV's 2004 release Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits finally fills that gap. His previous hits collection, 1997's The Best That I Could Do, was too short, since he had more hits than could fit on a brief 14-track disc. Words & Music doesn't have the problem of brevity. Spanning 37 songs over two discs, this has nearly all of his charting hits. Radio hits like "Justice and Independence '85" and "Rooty Toot Toot" may be absent, but they're not missed, since all the big hits are here, including "Pink Houses," "Lonely Ol' Night," "Paper in Fire," "Authority Song," "Crumblin' Down," "Small Town," "Hurts So Good," and "Jack & Diane," among many others (including two solid new songs). The biggest complaint that could be lodged against this collection is that the sequencing is doggedly nonchronological, which may upset some listeners who would like to hear his career evolve, but this sequencing flows like a good concert and highlights the common threads in his music from 1978 to 2004. As such, it's not only a good collection of hits, but it's a good career summary and introduction, as well. [Initial pressings of Words & Music contained a bonus DVD containing videos for "Crumblin' Down," "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.," "Rain on the Scarecrow," "Check It Out (Live)," and "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)."]
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Scott Davis, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Reggie Hamilton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ricky Lawson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Ramos, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Gass, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Boutin, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andy York, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - KENNETH "BABYFACE" EDMONDS, Producer, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Miriam Sturm, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Mahern, Engineer, Additional Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Mellencamp, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ed Quesada, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Wanchic, Additional Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 John Mellencamp
Don Gehman, Producer - Little Bastard, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1983 John Mellencamp
Larry Crane, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Myers, Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Cascella, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1989 John Mellencamp, Under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
Larry Crane, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George Michael Green, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Myers, Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Cascella, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 John Mellencamp
Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 John Mellencamp
India.Arie, FeaturedArtist - Paul Mahern, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2001 John Mellencamp
Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 John Mellencamp
George Green, ComposerLyricist - Bob Ludwig, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 John Mellencamp
David Leonard, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Malcolm Burn, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - George Michael Green, ComposerLyricist - John Mellencamp, Producer, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1993 John Mellencamp
David Leonard, Producer - Malcolm Burn, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer
℗ 1993 John Mellencamp
Don Gehman, Producer - Little Bastard, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1983 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
David Leonard, Producer - Malcolm Burn, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer
℗ 1993 John Mellencamp
George Green, ComposerLyricist - Don Gehman, Producer - Little Bastard, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1983 John Mellencamp
Larry Crane, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Myers, Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Cascella, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 John Mellencamp
Larry Crane, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Myers, Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Cascella, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 John Mellencamp
Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1989 John Mellencamp, Under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
DISC 2
John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2004 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1989 John Mellencamp, Under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
Junior Vasquez, Producer - George Green, ComposerLyricist - Little Bastard, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer
℗ 1996 John Mellencamp
Brad Gilderman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Larry Crane, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Tutko, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Perry, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Al Stegmeyer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dennis Hertzendorfer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Stebbeds, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1982 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
John Punter, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1979 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
George Green, ComposerLyricist - Brad Gilderman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Larry Crane, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Tutko, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Perry, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Al Stegmeyer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dennis Hertzendorfer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Stebbeds, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1982 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 John Mellencamp
VAN MORRISON, ComposerLyricist - JAY HEALY, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Meshell Ndegeocello, FeaturedArtist - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist - Mike Wanchic, Producer
℗ 1994 John Mellencamp
JAY HEALY, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer
℗ 1994 John Mellencamp
Marion Smith, ComposerLyricist - John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist - David H. Alldred, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 John Mellencamp
Steve Cropper, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1980 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
Junior Vasquez, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - David Leonard, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andy York, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Little Bastard, Producer - John Mellencamp, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1996 John Mellencamp
Brad Gilderman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Larry Crane, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Tutko, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Perry, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Al Stegmeyer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dennis Hertzendorfer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Stebbeds, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1982 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
Larry Crane, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Myers, Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Gehman, Producer - John Mellencamp, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - John Cascella, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Wanchic, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 John Mellencamp
Steve Cropper, Producer - John Mellencamp, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1980 John Mellencamp, under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group
John Mellencamp, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 John Mellencamp
Albumbeschreibung
John Mellencamp has been in need of a thorough, career-spanning compilation for a while, and Island/UTV's 2004 release Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits finally fills that gap. His previous hits collection, 1997's The Best That I Could Do, was too short, since he had more hits than could fit on a brief 14-track disc. Words & Music doesn't have the problem of brevity. Spanning 37 songs over two discs, this has nearly all of his charting hits. Radio hits like "Justice and Independence '85" and "Rooty Toot Toot" may be absent, but they're not missed, since all the big hits are here, including "Pink Houses," "Lonely Ol' Night," "Paper in Fire," "Authority Song," "Crumblin' Down," "Small Town," "Hurts So Good," and "Jack & Diane," among many others (including two solid new songs). The biggest complaint that could be lodged against this collection is that the sequencing is doggedly nonchronological, which may upset some listeners who would like to hear his career evolve, but this sequencing flows like a good concert and highlights the common threads in his music from 1978 to 2004. As such, it's not only a good collection of hits, but it's a good career summary and introduction, as well. [Initial pressings of Words & Music contained a bonus DVD containing videos for "Crumblin' Down," "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.," "Rain on the Scarecrow," "Check It Out (Live)," and "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)."]
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 37 track(s)
- Total length: 02:26:44
- Main artists: John Mellencamp
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: John Mellencamp 2023 (Island)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2004 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2004 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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