Customer Reviews

John Mellencamp: Lonesome Jubilee

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Mellencamp took his romantic fascination with the heartland to the max with "The Lonesome Jubilee". Lyrically, he doesn't really break any new ground here: The album is dominated by social commentary and vivid narritives of the life of the regular American. However, the quality of the songs is remarkable and John brings in a variety of instruments that you rarely hear on a "rock n roll" record. From the opening accordion and dobro guitar riffs of *Paper In Fire*, "Jubilee" is mostly upbeat. Songs like *Down And Out*, *The Real Life*, *Hard Times For An Honest Man* roll along passionatly. Mellencamp brings in a strident working class anthem in *We Are The People* and also a few deep, melancholy stories with *Empty Hands* and *Hotdogs and Hamburgers*. You can almost feel the despair of the characters in the songs when John uses words like "Oh lord, what did I do to deserve these empty hands" or "My daddy's always drunk, my mom's a babysitter, and I don't like the Russians cause I hear they hate me". On the other hand, the carefree *Rooty Toot Toot* breathes a little Mellencampesque comedy into the record. Finally, there's two songs on here that are worth the admission price alone. Listen for the beautifull fiddle work on the nostalgic *Cherry Bomb*. With its catchy accordion hook, building melody, and crafty lyrics, *Check It Out* is probably Mellencamp's finest song! All in all, "The Lonesome Jubilee" is a fantastic recording, where John Mellencamp, Middle American ambassador that he is, is at the top of his game. The eclectic instrumentation, the themes, and the emotions in these songs will blow you away!

Thanks!

No matter how many times I've listened to this album, I still love it. I remember reading a Musician magazine review praising it upon its release in 1987 and thinking that, "Well, I thought the songs on 'Scarecrow' were pretty good, even though they were played to death on the radio. Maybe this one will be good, too." Until then, I had never bought any of Mellencamp's music. After listening to "The Lonesome Jubilee," I had to own all of it. To this day I still think this is his strongest album. It might not have anything as radio friendly as "R.O.C.K. in the USA," "Small Town," "Jack and Diane," or "Tumblin' Down," but the songs, while maybe not as catchy, are definitely stronger both musically and lyrically. There's not a single weak track here, and songs like "Paper in Fire," "Real Life," "Down and Out in Paradise," "Hot Dogs and Hamburgers" and "Check it Out" are all masterpieces, some of the best songs to come out of the 80s -- even if they didn't enjoy so much popularity. I still think this was probably the best album of 1987, and one of the best albums of the 80s. Had Mellencamp released it in 1980 as an unknown, he would have immediately enjoyed Springsteen-like adoration. But coming on the heals of "Scarecrow" and "Uh-huh," people thought they knew Mellencamp; his fan base was already established. That's a shame, because all of his best work lay ahead on his next two albums as well as later on the underrated "Human Wheels" and "Dance Naked." Unfortunately, by the time of those two later releases, rock-n-roll was on its last legs. Hip-hop, rap, techno and divas were taking over. The likes of Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey and M.C. Hammer were all the rage. (Where are they now?) Even consummate artists/pop music icons like Springsteen and Prince were having a hard time getting any attention by then. Grunge was also the new rage. Mellencamp's straight rock 'n' roll talents were ignored. Well, don't you ignore this album. It's his best. Oh, and see if you can pick up on all his references to Paul Newman movies buried in the lyrics. The man was obviously obsessed. He even named one of his sons "Hud" after a character Newman played in a movie of the same name.

"Paper in Fire" was the first (and biggest) single off this album, but it is not one of my favorites. It is however a strong rocker with John Mellencamp borrowing heavily from the Bible for his lyrics. "Cherry Bomb" and "Rooty Toot Toot" were also singles, and much more melodic than "Paper in Fire." The Lonesome Jubilee is loaded with well-composed tunes, thanks partly to Mellencamp's songwriting collaborator George Green.
"Cherry Bomb" is one of my favorite tracks, another JM reflection on his small town youth. I also like "Check it Out," and "Hot Dogs and Hamburgers." The latter is a story-song in first-person narrative about meeting an Indian girl on the road and giving her a lift. He tries to take advantage but she brushes him off, then he gets a conscience. The song is a strong statement about white America's role in destroying the Native Americans' way of life, and The Lonesome Jubilee is on the whole a very political album. Other songs lament poverty and broken dreams in working-class America.
The backing vocals are stronger and more soulful on this album than previous JM efforts, and the addition of folk and bluegrass instruments like the fiddle and the mandolin are very welcome. I highly recommend this album.

John Mellencamp is often called a poor man's Bruce Springsteen. In many ways he is, and that is not such a bad thing to be. Like the Boss, Mr. Mellencamp sings about personal experiences and tells tales of people struggling to get ahead in the world. Where Mr. Springsteen sings about Jersey & the East Coast, Mr. Mellencamp sings about his region of the country, Indiana & the Midwest. The Lonesome Jubilee is my favorite Mellencamp album and he expands on the musical stylings of his previous release, Scarecrow. He employs fiddles, accordians and mandolins to give the album a rustic, midwestern feel. "Paper In Fire" opens the album with a bang and then slides into "Down & Out In Paradise" which is a critical rocker about the state of the nation. "Cherry Bomb" is a great song about days gone by and is his "Glory Days". Like "Down & Out", the album makes many political statements with songs like "We Are The People", "Empty Hands", "Hard Times For An Honest Man" and "Hotdogs & Hamburgers". After the political heaviness, he closes the album out with the silly and fun "Rooty Toot Toot". John Mellencamp always has alot to say and on this album, he speaks from the heart and it makes for great music.

Though it may be highly unfashionable these days to admit to being a John Cougar Mellencamp fan, I'd have to admit that if push came to shove 'The Lonesome Jubilee' would be one of my all time favourite albums. I had never really cared much for his older eighties material, but with this release Mellencamp really nailed it - an artistic and commercial success that encapsulates the hopes and dreams of many Americans (and New Zealanders) in the late eighties era and that is admirably, steadfastly written for 'the people'. I believe this is where Mellencamp was in the zone in terms of his songwriting, shaking off the tag of 'poor man's Springsteen' (whom I also love), and delivering some absolute classics in 'Paper in Fire', 'Check It Out', 'The Real Life', and 'Cherry Bomb'. 'We Are The People' and 'Empty Hands' are superb album tracks also. An album such as this is made for road trips, and sitting around with friends reminiscing over past days over a couple of beers - so much so that any self respecting diner or bar should come equipped with a copy of this in their jukebox.

This CD got me listening to John Mellencamp's music when I was 8 years old. Now that I am 19, I look back on it and it is the most innovative album he ever has put out. He augmented his style to include rural sounding instruments such as the fiddle (not violin), accordion and hammer dulcimer. The additions enhance the musicality of the album and the poetry (some alluding to Ecclesiastes) is top notch - the best until "Mr. Happy Go Lucky". I find this album to be the difinitive Mellencamp album and I always enjoy the music on it.

I remember listening to an earlier piece, American Fool, owned by a fellow student at college. I kinda liked it so I took the plunge of buying the 'new' album of Lonesome Jubilee. Since then I have been a Mellencamp junkee. People might think some of the lyrics are cliched, but to me it makes me think that this is a person that cares about where he is from and what he sings about & that makes the music all the more special. I simply love this album and when I play it - it reminds me of the mid 80's and makes me smile :)

I jumped on the John Mellencamp bandwagon when he had his breakthrough album, AMERICAN FOOL. In the following years, I bought Mellancamp's UH-HUH; SCARECROW; the album in question here, LONESOME JUBILEE; and HUMAN WHEELS. I liked all of them a lot except for the last one, HUMAN WHEELS, so after that I abandoned the Mellencamp bandwagon.

Recently I inserted LONESOME JUBILEE in the stereo for the first time in probably ten or more years. While I had liked it back in the late 1980s, the outstanding musicianship and especially the Reagan era-inspired lyrics, now relevant again in the dark days of George W. Bush, have me listening to the C.D. as frequently as possible. Back then, I considered SCARECROW to be the best John Mellencamp release I had heard, but THE LONESOME JUBILEE may be even better. Check other reviews here, and you'll see other music fans naming those two as Mellencamp's jewels.

I even gave HUMAN WHEELS another spin and liked it better.

John Mellencamp, I am going to catch up on your music.

Rock and roll fans, I recommend LONESOME JUBILEE.

I've gotten just about all of the albums by Mellencamp and Springsteen from the 1980's. This one is far and away the nicest. There is not a single rotten song..

As far as artistic achievement is concerned, it easily one of the top ten albums of the 1980s...and a certifiable classic. For some reason, however, it is usually overlooked in most "best album" polls. Mellencamp outdid himself on this one, and history will be kind to it.