Lonesome Jubilee

John Mellencamp's 1987 socially-conscious album would be a masterpiece--if not for the monotonous song subjects. Granted, he was making a point--and he succeeded--but an entire album devoted to society's weaknesses can be a bit nauseating.

That said, this really is a good album. Mellencamp and his band have talent, and they take it as far as they can. And the melodies of these songs are catchy; often, the lyrics are singable (in a good way). The closing track, "Rooty Toot Toot," is a delightful young-love romp, one that will have you dancing and singing along in no time flat.

The other songs fall just short of that, probably because they're too serious. The reminiscence of "Cherry Bomb" is undeniably attractive. The desperation evident in "Empty Hands," "Hard Times for An Honest Man," "Down and Out in Paradise," "The Real Life," "Check It Out," and "Paper in Fire"--all songs about people who've fallen below society's radar, and are paying the price--makes them enjoyable, if a little heavy. "We are the People" is almost trite; a song that basically covers every down-and-outer in the world, with an "our thoughts be with you" theme. "Hotdogs and Hamburgers" is a song about a modern-day man who is so overwhelmed by the way Native Americans were treated in the 1800's, that he breaks down and prays for forgiveness (not believable, no, but it makes for a relatively good song).

"The Lonesome Jubilee" lacks something, though I can't say what it is. You won't be able to, either--because when you enjoy a CD this much, it's hard to talk ill of it. John Mellencamp does indeed have a gift, and even a conscience (try and say that of most other rockers). He has emotions, and tries to reveal them to you through his music. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes he fails. "The Lonesome Jubilee" is, in large part, a success, and it makes for a socially aware, if daunting, album.

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," "Hot Dogs and Hamburgers" and "Check it Out" are real 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 1981 as an unknown, he would have immediately enjoyed Springsteen-like adoration. But coming off the heals of "Scarecrow" and "Uh-huh," people thought they knew Mellencamp, and 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. Mellencamp's talents were ignored. Well, don't 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.

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..