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80 of 83 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Collection of an American Original, January 13, 2005
A major fixture in American music for over 25 years, Words & Music is John Mellencamp's first (near) career-encompassing collection. Its two discs contain 37 digitally remastered selections - including all 22 of his top 40 hits - covering 14 albums. Mellencamp's only musical phase neglected here is his initial recordings for MCA Records from the mid-70s when he was using the Johnny Cougar moniker (and frankly, they deserve to be ignored).
Even after Mellencamps's first couple of albums on Mercury in 1979 and 1980, it was hard to envision that a long, substantial career lie ahead. With his initial hits "I Need A Lover," "This Time," and "Ain't Even Done With The Night," Mellencamp came across as a rebel with a few good riffs and simplistic lyrics that rarely went beyond stud-boy prowling. "Hurt So Good" - the ultra infectious leadoff single from 1982's American Fool album was more of the same, but Mellencamp's next hit would forever alter his image: "Jack and Diane," a slice of life saga of a boy and girl growing up in the Midwest (like Mellencamp did). The lyrics for "Jack and Diane" and its follow-up "Hand To Hold Onto," remained uncomplicated, but they hold a nostalgic eloquence to which a broader, post adolescent audience could relate.
1983's Uh-Huh (with its enclosed singles "Crumblin' Down," "Pink Houses," and the raucous "Authority Song") showed even more of an emphasis on heartland reflections, while 1985's thematically varied Scarecrow album - with vignettes of rock and roll heroes ("R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A."), the simple life ("Small Town"), young love ("Lonely Ol' Night," "Rumbleseat"), and the plight of the modern farmer ("Rain On The Scarecrow)" - found Mellencamp really coming into his own as a storyteller. At this time, he also became actively involved in Farm Aid as one of its founding members. After Scarecrow, Mellencamp closed out his first decade at Mercury with his most sonically enjoyable effort to date, 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee (represented here by "Paper In Fire," "Cherry Bomb," and "Check It Out)." This release began Mellencamp's prominent use of violin, giving his recordings more of a down home feel.
Aside from its sarcastic leadoff single "Pop Singer," 1989's Big Daddy was even more folk-oriented, with its character study "Jackie Brown" ranking among Mellencamp's most moving recordings. After exploring this gentler side, 1991's Whenever We Wanted presented some of Mellencamp's hardest rockin' material like "Love And Happiness" and "Get A Leg Up." Then Mellencamp really surprised us with the somewhat somber, always eclectic Human Wheels from 1993, highlighted by its hypnotic title track, the atmospheric "When Jesus Left Birmingham," and the scorcher "What If I Came Knocking." The follow-up - 1994's Dance Naked - was short (about 30 minutes in length) and simple, stripped down rock and roll. Its enclosed title track and effective cover of Van Morrison's "Wild Night" (that introduced Me'Shell Ndegeocello to the masses) are the album's lone standouts. Much better was 1996's adventurous Mr. Happy Go Lucky that featured "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" and "Just Another Day."
Disappointed by the sales of his recent Mercury albums, Mellencamp moved to Columbia Records in 1998. Album sales at Columbia would become increasingly sluggish, however, and success at pop radio would now elude him completely (despite no drop off in quality). Mellencamp's 1998 self-titled release offered some of his most introspective material, including the enclosed singles "Your Life Is Now" and the exotic shuffler "I'm Not Running Anymore." 2001's Cuttin' Heads served up the timely - released just prior to 9/11 - single "Peaceful World" which featured the debut of duet partner India.Arie. Mellencamp then took another stylistic detour with 2003's Trouble No More, an inspired collection of rootsy and bluesy cover tunes represented here by "Teardrops Will Fall."
Words And Music also includes two new Mellencamp compositions that feature production and background vocal collaborations by Babyface: the social commentaries "Walk Tall" and "Thank You." Both hold their own amongst Mellencamp's best work. Mellencamp also provided the sequencing for this collection. Instead of just placing the tracks in chronological release date order, he decided to group recordings with similar themes and succeeded in creating two well-paced cds. While a few low charting singles ("Small Paradise," "Rooty Toot Toot") were left off this set, every significant Mellencamp recording has been included here (with only the final track "Now More Than Ever" rating as less than essential). It's a must-own retrospective of a gifted musical icon.
This version also includes a DVD with five Mellencamp videos.
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40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the great "greatest hits" albums ever., December 6, 2004
Now this is a collection to be proud of. His previous disc didn't tell nearly enough of the story (although admittedly it was a "volume one") but this one seems just right.
Every song you know. Every song sounds better from a technical point of view.
Every song is improved by it's context. The album defines a career; it makes his impressive talent obvious.
The two "new ones" are fine...they're "gravy" as I like to say. The "meat and potatoes" part...the "hits" part...is awesome...song after song after song...
...the quality of the songwriting improves dramatically. The musicianship improves dramatically. The scope and breadth of his work is simply well displayed here.
That's EXACTLY what you ask for in a greatest hits type of compilation.
Best of all, you'll hardly ever hit the "skip track" button. It's a joy from stem to stern.
The people who will need this record are:
1) The Mellen-heads...because every Mellencamp fan will need these songs sounding this good.
2) The more casual fan who recognizes a few of the song titles here. This record will expand your appreciation for his career, and you'll find new songs to love.
3) The "student" of rock. This album makes a case for his inclusion amongst the great rock singer-songwriters of all time. While maybe not quite Springsteen, he's close. Certainly up there with (and in my opinion, above) people like Bob Seger, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and the like.
4) The "newbie". If you're just discovering Mellencamp, or maybe only know one or two songs but want to know more, this will absolutely HOOK you. You'll most likely seek out some of his albums...I recommend starting with "Scarecrow" and "The Lonesome Jubilee."
And on a more superficial level, this is an incredible "car" record. This is one to play with the top down and the volume up.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ode To The Man From Indiana, October 19, 2004
OVERVIEW: 25 years and 16 albums later, we're treated to the Mellencamp collection we've been waiting for. It was only a matter of time before a new & improved digitally remastered 2-cd set came out - and here it is! Mellencamp's last compilation is now obsolete - with all the songs from "The Best That I Could Do" being here, minus one song "Without Expression" (of which I hardly miss). This is truly a beautiful collection of Mellencamp's best work.
WHAT YOU GET: 2 discs, 37 tracks - all digitally remastered. 2 new songs - "Walking Tall" and "Thank you" (featuring some great slide guitar). A 10 page booklet listing all the tracks, the players and the albums they came from. The notes say these tracks were chosen and arranged by the artist himself. All 22 "Top 40" songs of Mellencamp's are represented here... including the standards "Hurt So Good", "Jack & Diane", "Crumblin' Down", "Pink Houses", "Authority Song", "Paper In Fire", "I Need A Lover", "Small Town", "R.O.C.K In The USA", "Key West Intermezzo", and more.
EXTRAS & MISC: A bonus DVD is included containing a mere 5 tracks - 1 song 'live', and 4 videos. The albums of Mellencamp are all represented on "Words & Music", minus his first 2 (somewhat obscure) releases. You'll find no songs from "Chestnut Street Incident" (1976), or "Kid Inside" (1977) with probable good reason. Mellencamp's ("Cougar" at the time) self titled album featuring "I Need A Lover", followed by "Nothin Matter's And What If It Did" is where this collection starts. "American Fool" (1982) is where Mellencamp gained his fame featuring stronger song writing with hits, "Hurt So Good" and "Jack & Diane". The success of "Uh Huh" in 1983 (featuring "Pink Houses" and "Crumblin' Down") forever would make Mellencamp a household name. "Scarecrow" is best represented on "Words & Music" with 5 songs taken from it. The album "Whenever We Wanted" has 4 songs on this collection and there are several albums that had 2 or 3 songs taken from each. You'll find one hit ("Teardrops Will Fall") from his most recent (2003) studio album "Trouble No More". A few of my personal (non hit) favorites are missing like "Melting Pot", "Hot Dogs & Hamburgers", and "Circling Around The Moon"... but I can live with that. Like so many "Best Of" compilations, there can be hits and misses. This one from Mellencamp is a definite HIT. 2004's "Words & Music" is THE most complete 2-disc package to date from John Mellencamp.
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~ John Mellencamp
~ Bob Seger
~ Bruce Springsteen
~ Tom Petty,heartbreakers
~ John Mellencamp
See all 19 tracks on this disc
by John Mellencamp 
