American Fool

John Mellencamp | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B000001F51
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,319 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Hurts So Good

2. Jack & Diane

3. Hand To Hold On To

4. Danger List

5. Can You Take It

6. Thundering Hearts

7. China Girl

8. Close Enough

9. Weakest Moments

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is the record that transformed John Cougar (né John Mellencamp and soon to be John Cougar Mellencamp) into a superstar. "Hurts So Good" was destined to be a huge hit--ludicrous, powerful, and utterly unforgettable--and has long since gone on to be something of a rock & roll standard. But the real revelation on this record was "Jack and Diane," a poignant slice of life from a small town somewhere in middle America, a topical vein he would mine with even greater success on later recordings (especially on The Lonesome Jubilee). Backed by a crisp, powerful, spot-on band that gave a needed sense of urgency to the material, Cougar deservedly wore the mantle of Mainstream Rock King while this record ruled the airwaves. --Percy Keegan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent American Folk-Rock., April 30, 2004

By 

J. Schneider "john_jps" (Mosinee, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Fool (Audio CD)

An awesome musician with a great rough edge to his voice, banging out original music that we can all relate to with an honest passion and natural talent we all wish we had. He became an American icon and this album is where he hit it big.

A Mellencamp newbie may wish to just check out his "Best That I Could Do" compilation first, but if you want to go beyond that, this abum is where to start. This is an American classic... and to think he has at least a few others that could be considered classic.

For the one guy who gripes about him going by "John Cougar" at first... ever heard the story about his first record deal: the copmany-guy said something along the lines of, "I don't care what you want to call yourself, but 'John Cougar' is gonna be the name on this contract." So he sucked up his pride and went by John Cougar. When that contract was up, he immediately went back to Mellencamp... if you have a gripe about that, get real.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cougar with a sound that hurts so good, March 24, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Fool (Audio CD)

With American Fool, John Cougar, attained status on the American music scene that would reach its peak during the Scarecrow and Lonesome Jubilee albums, but that was three and five years away, respectively. For now, let's concentrate on 1982 and the singles that shot up the charts, including the #1 single "Jack & Diane."

The sounds here are more raw and rock than the more refined material of the mid- to late 80's, some songs encompassing a combination drums and guitar that neared the crunch of AC-DC, such as one of his signature tunes, "Hurt So Good." Most of the songs have pounding pneumatic drums and power guitar chord stomp, and what I'm noticing here is that many other songs could've become singles because of it. In other words, Cougar's moment could've been bigger had this album been given a few more singles. Much like the lines in "Hurt So Good," "sink your teeth right into my bones" and "c'mon baby make it hurt so good," there's a new sort of confidence in the sound and in Cougar himself.

"A little ditty about Jack and Diane/two American kids doing the best they can" Well that little ditty went to #1 sure enough, divided into the quiet acoustic verses about the couple, with the transitional refrain of "life goes on/long after the thrill of living is gone" on the inevitable parade of life, leading into that ringing power riff. The thing seems to be that any young couple had better enjoy it, because "change will come around real soon and make us women and men." And break out the vomit bags, for the recognizable power riff and two notes plucked was sampled by Jessica Simpson in "I Think I Love You."

Needing that moral backup and set to a style that would come to its fruition in Scarecrow is what "Hand To Hold On To" is about. The hand need not be strong or rich, and there's the need to have some dreams or thrills to live for.

There's a bit of self-assured wild loner in the mid-paced "Danger List"; in one moment, he says "I ain't looking for affection" but that next turns to, "give me someone I can look up to/show me someone I can love." The songs ends with the usual crunch chords prevalent in this album.

Another could-be single is "Can You Take It" with its opening storm of guitars and a catchy chorus, as is "Thundering Hearts" with its AC-DC crunch. One of the better and more powerful songs here.

No, this isn't the Iggy Pop version of "China Girl," as the Coug wrote all his own songs here, and he sings admiringly of a Chinese girl. Had he released this as a single, this might've beaten David Bowie to the punch and people might associate the title of the song to Cougar.

A bit of truth there in "I'm close enough for rock and roll," as Cougar proclaims in Close Enough, another song that could've made it as a single, given the same sound defining "Hurt So Good." The album ends with the soft acoustic "Weakest Moments."

American Fool further opened the crack in the door that was "I Need A Lover" two albums back, but given the material here, that crack could've been wider. And did that crack turn into a wider peek into the mainstream? Uh-Huh.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, March 9, 1999

By 

John Young ([e-mail]) (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Fool (Audio CD)

One of the best albums that John Mellencamp (formerly John Cougar) has ever released! since then, we have seen some incredible work from him, but nothing as yet hascome up to the classic song "Jack and Diane". If you're going on a long road trip and need something to keep you awake, this is the CD for you!