Customer Reviews

Scarecrow

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What makes a great album a best album are the songs that penetrate your soul but not the radio charts. The B-siders. Scarecrow songs with the simple grace of "Minutes to Memories" and "Between and Laugh and a Tear" complement the hit melodies that made my high school soundtrack. I bought the vinyl in '85 and the CD in '95 and the songs are never worn, but always fresh and revealing. Like albums such as Van's Moondance, Bruce's Born to Run, or U2's Joshua Tree, Scarecrow is a rock and roll masterpiece. And while JM is still producing great music, Scarecrow is his best to date. It's more than an Amazon essential recording. It's one of rock's truly finest.

Every reviewer here is right. This is a classic album. The songs on it all keep a flow to the CD that never wears out. When it comes down to key moments on the disc, Mellencamp laid out with such exquisite beauty tracks like Between a Laugh and a Tear, Minutes to Memories,Rain on the Scarecrow, Rumbleseat, and Small Town, that half the album is unforgettable. The rest of the album is good filler, more rock out tunes, some social commentary- Face of the Nation, Justice and Independence, ROCK, Lonely Ol' Night. This album yielded five top 40 hits, there's no question why when you listen to it. John Mellencamp simply sang from his soul honest songs about the people he knew. Instead of the people being junkies from LA, they were regular men and women of the midwest. It still stands a perfect roots-rock album for any time and place.

The songs and sounds of Scarecrow is a far cry from the braggadocio John Cougar Mellencamp showed in his earlier "Hurt So Good" and rebelliousness in "Authority Song". The harder-edged electric rock sound with pounding riffs yielded five singles and pushed him at his apex in the 80's rock arena, alongside big names like Bruce Springsteen and Prince.

"Rain On The Scarecrow" definitely does indicate that. The Reagan era saw many farms closed down but what makes this song poignant and angry is the destruction of the farmers' morale. It's not just the land that's being taken away, but a man's dignity in feeding a country's people. "There's 97 crosses planted in the courthouse yard/and 97 families who lost 97 farms."

I never got tired of hearing "Small Town", despite the fact I hated the one I lived in. Must've been that catchy guitar and Kenny Aronoff's drums that did it. But in JCM's ode to the small town he grew up in, we learn more about his roots, his parents, his upbringing, and himself, of course. A small town reflects who he is: "Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town/And people let me be just what I want to be." However, I take issue when he self-deprecatingly calls himself a boring romantic. Boring? Hardly!

"Minutes To Memories" is the interraction between an old man and a younger one riding a bus. The old man tells about his life, and his value in certainties. His advice to the young man may be one to us all: "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 intense stomp of "Lonely Ol' Night" more or less emphasizes the need for human company, because "ain't they all [lonely ol' nights]?"

From the way he beholds "Face Of The Nation", it's one of JCM's state of the union addresses. Poverty is the one thing identified here, as well as the absence of the golden rule, which is yet another chop at Reaganomics. "I don't recognize it [the face of the nation] no more," he sings.

"Justice and Independence '85" is an allegory of America and how it has gone awry. Independence Day marries a girl named Justice, and together they have a child named the Nation, but the girl and child leave on their own. "Well, Nation grew up and got himself a big reputation/Couldn't keep the boy at home oh no/He just kept runnin' 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." Very accurate portait of America!

The mid-paced "Between A Laugh And A Tear", which features Rickie Lee Jones as accompanying vocalist, details how one can be mentally jaded when one's dreams fall through, and is a personal song about my state of mind: "Through the days you feel a little used up/And you don't know where your energy's gone/It's just your soul feelin' a little downhearted." That's me, all right.

"Rumbleseat" is an amusing rocker about a guy who's so self-pitying, he says, "I feel for the sorry for the world/I feel sorry for you/Yes I am a pitiful sight/I can't even get one thing right." As the song goes on, though, he decides to "stop putting myself down/I'm gonna turn my life around." Lesson for me, you think?

"You've Got To Stand For Somethin'" is a slap against the gossip-mongering, warmongering mentality, with references to Vanessa Williams's scandal. As he says, "The American people/paid a high price for justice/And I don't know why." "We've got to start respectin' this world/or it's gonna turn around and bite off our face" he says. You tell'em, Cougar!

"R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." is an engaging rocker, that's a nod to the 60's music JCM grew up with--with even a small flute and organ section--, and the musicians who took a risk to follow their dreams. The mention of Frankie Lyman, Bobby Fuller, the Shangri-Las, made me want to find out who these artists were. And yes, "let's don't forget James Brown."

"The Kind Of Fella I Am" shows JCM to be ordinary, not impressed with flashy extravagant nothings, but also jealous when it comes to a woman.

A very mature, socio-political commentary with rocking sensibilities from Seymour, Indiana's small town guy.

By the time 1985 would roll around, John Mellencamp (or known at that time as John Cougar Mellencamp) had established himself as a star in Rock music. He gained a following back in 1979 with his hit "I Need a Lover". With his 1982 album, "American Fool" he became a household name with the songs "Jack and Diane" and "Hurts so Good". His next album, 1983's Uh Huh" was not considered the blockbuster follow-up to "American Fool" that many expected - although it did produce two hits in "Crumblin Down" and "Pink Houses". So, in 1985 when Mellencamp released "Scarecrow", many would have the question whether John Mellencamp had peaked? The answer clearly would be no. For Mellencamp, he would deliver the defining album of his career - a mix of social and political commentary with some of the classic Mellencamp "Middle America" music that made him so popular. What shocks me is how this album didn't garner attention for Album of the Year.

Perhaps "Uh Huh" got released during the peak of the synth pop revolution of the early 1980s. But as 1985 came around, the music landscape was starting to undergo some changes. Only a about a year before, Bruce Springsteen had released "Born in the USA". I look at "Born in the USA" as a landmark album for many reasons, but perhaps one of the most important reasons is that it began to shift the sound of the 80s music scene away from synth-pop to a more natural guitar-laden sound. By 1985, other artists were now beginning to find commercial success with that sound - such as John Fogerty ("Centerfield"). Artists such as Springsteen and Fogerty were mixing their own musical roots with social commentary. Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" fits into this mold perfectly - and came along at the right time where the music fans were willing to embrace this style. However, Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" goes beyond this embracing - it delivers a most solid sound.

Here is a track by track breakdown of this album:

"Rain on the Scarecrow": This is the title track and not only the best song on the album, but I feel the best of Mellencamp's career. The song's opening immediately creates a haunting song. This is a song that Mellencamp sings about the plight of the American Farmers facing foreclosures. Mellencamp sings this song with pure passion. He does a great job at playing the role of the banker who is handling the foreclosure - "John, it's just my job and I hope you understand". This song featured a very good video - and the added sounds of a farm auction that are in that video give the song a new dimension. Listening to this song, you can see why Mellencamp felt so passionately about "Farm Aid".

"Grandma's Song": This public domain song is sung by Mellencamp's Grandmother, Laura Mellencamp. Not a great song, but it is a great lead-in to "Small Town".

"Small Town": The title says it all. This song is about a - small town. Back in 1986, radio overplayed this song - however looking back at it now - very good song.

"Minutes to Memories": I'd put this underrated song in the upper echelon of Mellencamp's work. This song is a great mix of Mellencamp's Social Commentary with his Middle America music. This is a narrative sung by Mellencamp about an elderly man who has seen things change around him. On top of the great lyrics, there is some great music as well.

"Lonely Ol' Night": This was the first song released from this album. This song almost is in the theme of "Jack and Diane" as it has the feel of a young man growing up in Middle America. This is a great song and probably lured a lot of people to buy this album.

"The Face of a Nation": This is a clear social/political commentary. When Mellencamp sings "You see people starvin' under the tree", it is clear that Mellencamp is looking at society and questioning how these things can happen.

"Justice and Independence": This song has a great melody, but it is also a bit of an symbolic allegory. "Independence" is a man who marries "Justice" who is a woman - they have a son named "Nation". Listen to the words carefully as Mellencamp uses the family as a way to compare to the concepts of Justice, Independence, and Nation we are all familiar with. Masterful songwriting - also some terrific percussion and trumpet work.

"Between a Laugh and a Tear": This is another underrated song that I put in the upper echelon of Mellencamp's career. This title might not indicate social commentary - but it's loaded with references - such as "When paradise is no longer fit for you to live in, and your adolescent dreams are gone". This song is a duet with Ricki Lee Jones and it blew me away.

"Rumbleseat": Kind of a song that takes you back to the 1950s - it has a retro feel to it. It seems to be more of a personal song of Mellencamp's own experiences - great stuff.

"You Gotta Stand For Somethin": I thought this was the toughest to get into, but lyrically it's a solid track. It almost takes you on a historical journey of pop culture from 1950 onward.

"R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A": Great song, but was overplayed on the radio. This is a tribute to the early pioneers of Rock and Roll.

"The Kind of Fella I am": Another great song. This song is basically about a jealous man. It's a fun song and nice way to wrap things up.

The liner notes contain all of the lyrics, songwriting, and musician credits. I love how you get the recording dates and times of the songs. This song is clearly the defining album of Mellencamp's career. It also has the best music that he did. Truly one of the underrated albums of the 1980s - I highly recommend it.

I can't explain in words how wonderful this record is.John has always been one of my favorite musicians and songwriters,he just knows how to tell a great story through his music.For me, Scarecrow is John Mellencamp at his artistic best, i can listen to any of his works and enjoy them but nothing can beat Scarecrow as far as i'm concerned.

I'v technically been a fan since 1988, when i was living in Exeter New Hampshire."Jack and Diane" was the first song i ever heard in my life, i was 4 years old at the time and that was what started it all for me.I'v always had JM albums laying around since then in some form or another and listened to them quiet often.American Fool, Uh-HUH and Scarecrow were the ones i listened to the most.Scarecrow is one of the finest rock records ever commited to wax,and i think this utterly destroys Springsteen's much more popular Born in the U.S.A. album released a year earlier.JM is just a superior songwriter and preformer when compared to The Boss,mainly because you can hear where John's music is coming from, as demonstrated beautifuly by Scarecrow. This Album was predominatly inspired by John's life growing up in the farm land of his native Indiana,which is the first time i'v really seen a theme be put through a collection of songs(album).I won't go over every song here as to not sound redundant but i will mention the highlights. "Rain on the Scarecrow" is one of the best JM songs ever written, real anger is put through the songs lyrics which are about the plight of hard-working farmers losing their farmland to the govenment(can any one say Megadeth's "Forcolsure of a Dream"?). "Small Town" is a classic rock radio staple and the most famous song off of this album. "Face of a Nation" has a real edgy,moody beat and is one of my favorites from here. "Justice and Independence 85" is an attack on the American justice system. "R.O.C.K in the U.S.A" is a classic rock n roll song and the most upbeat tune found here. I could go on like this for every song, but i won't. The truth is that this whole album will get you, it is one of the most emotional albums i have ever listened too.While i enjoy everthing John has done, Scarecrow is his finest hour and i can't imagine my music collection with out it.It is really a timeless record, unlike alot of garbage that is(was) released in an effort to acheive the commercial cash cow.With this being his fifth studio effort, it is intersting to take a look progresivly at how John developed and evolved from his self titled debut all the way up to this one.He has definatly matured and progressed on each of his albums since the inception but you can see it most here.Some of the lyrics tackeled issues that were happening in 85 and in someways are still relevent today. Overall, this album is nothing short of amazing in every aspect;the musicianship,songwriting,lyrics,heart,emotion, this album has it in spades.


Have some great memories from listening to this album.When you compare it to the corprate junk that was coming out at the time in music, you will realize it was one of the most sincere and heartfelt rock records to come out of the 80's.You just can't go wrong with this one, in my top 10 of desert island CDs.

It made me a John Mellencamp fan for life, and it might make you one as well.

Scarecrow is the most politically charged album of John Cougar Mellencamp's career. "Rain On The Scarecrow" is about the plight small farmers face. His compassion for the farmers led him to start Farm Aid with Willie Nelson & Neil Young. "Justice & Independence '85", "Face Of A Nation" & "You Got To Stand For Something" all take a social commentary slant. The album is also ripe with down home tales from Mr. Mellencamp's life. "Small Town" was a huge hit and tells of the little Indiana hometown, "Minutes To Memories" is about an old man he meets on a bus and "Rumbleseat" is about being young and in love. "Lonely 'Ol Night" sounds like it could have been released in 1967. "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." is a tribute to the sounds and groups he grew up with and is a great song. Scarecrow spent half a year in the top ten, spawned three top ten hits and made Mr. Mellencamp the Midwest answer to Bruce Springsteen.

I could not be more sincere in saying that. I was about 13 or 14 when I got this album, and within a few months, I had become a different person. Growing up in the Philadelphia suburbia, I had very little clue about what was happening in the rest of the world. But through the songs on this album, I got another perspective on life - John's; a very honest, frank, cynical, and occasionally heart-wrenching perspective."Scarecrow" helped me become a little more aware of my world, moved me enough to start exploring more of it, and also helped me realize that if you chase a dream you believe with all your heart, and work hard, you will get where you want to. I could go on and on about this album - as if i haven't already - so I'll stop now, and tell you that if there was a CD that I could use to mark a turning point in my life - this would be it. Get it.

John Mellencamp is one of the greatest singer/songwriters ever. This is his best album. But All of them are good. I've followed John from he early days playing around central Indiana in the 70's to his making big in the early 80's on through his second greatest hits cd. . His music always says something. Just listen to this disc and its 's there. Songs like Rain On The Scarecrow or Small Town or ROCK In The USA. I highly recommend this and all of John's albums. This is one of my all time favorite albums ever. Great midwestern rock and roll at it's best.

I have been a Mellencamp fan since Jack & Diane in 1982 and there's still no one but Mellencamp that rocks and sings about social strife. I chose Scarecrow of all of his albums to review because I feel that it truly is his best. Those who are non-fans would probably like this cd. 12 tracks that tell us all about what it's like to be an American. 15 years later the subject matter still rings true--farms are going under, small towns are still the best places to live, people are still lonely, people still get depressed, people are still getting in trouble, people still want to rock, and people still have to stand for something. The music is stripped down and soul-bearing with no electronics or ear-piercing guitar solos. It's hard to rank Mellencamp's work because 1983's "Uh-Huh" was excellent and so was The Lonesome Jubilee, Big Daddy, Human Wheels, Dance Naked, Mr. Happy Go-Lucky and John Mellencamp. But start with Scarecrow if you like a great, and I'm going to say it, classic rock/folk album. Mellencamp at 48 still kicks Eric Clapton's, Rod Stewart's, Paul McCartney's and Bruce Springsteen's butts when it comes to rock and roll elderstatesmen.

Before releasing Scarecrow, Mellencamp was sometimes (unfairly) dismissed by the critics as lightweight ("Jack & Diane") or pointlessly rebellious ("Authority Song").

That all changed with this album. There is nothing "So Good" about the "Hurts" detailed on the opening title cut and elsewhere on this disc of startlingly mature songs. Crisp acoustic guitars (which have rarely, if ever, rocked as hard as they do on "Smalltown") and Kenny Aronoff's relentless drumwork only underscore the profound lyrical content, which was printed on the OUTSIDE of the album jacket, a rarity in popular music -- even in the age of vinyl.

This album has drawn comparisons to its contemporary, Springsteen's "Born In The USA". It's interesting to note that the best cuts on these two albums do not include any of the multitude of hit singles each one spawned (my personal highlights are "No Surrender" and "Bobby Jean" from BITU and "Minutes To Memories" and "You've Got To Stand For Something" on Scarecrow). For my money, Scarecrow has aged well (hence the five stars), while BITU is possibly the Boss's most dated-sounding release (therefore deserving only four) thanks to the blaring synthesisers on "Dancing In The Dark".

I bought this on vinyl in 1985 and recently picked up the CD version which concludes with an extra track, "The Kind Of Fella I Am". This tune, more in keeping with earlier Mellencamp work, does not fit the overall complexion of the original release, so its initial omission is understandable.