Words & Music - John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits

iTunes Review

John Mellencamp evolved from a struggling heartland rocker into a concerned man of the people. He always had a chip on his shoulder (his nickname is Little Bastard) and his songs and performances reflect that bravado, whether he is singing about love (“Hurts So Good,” “I Need A Lover”), scripting out tales of small town kids (“Jack and Diane”), shouting down the establishment (“Crumblin’ Down,” “Authority Song”), or expressing hope for the disenfranchised (“Pink Houses”). His attitude and his approach have never wavered. While he reached fame in the 1980s with a string of hits and emphatic concerts that established him as a fellow compatriot and pop-friendly version of Bruce Springsteen, Mellencamp still fought the stereotype (“Pop Singer”) and his music into the 1990s turned more introspective and organic. This 37-song collection brings all the aspects together, deliberately juxtaposing and blurring the different eras until everything comes together as one well-paced storyline with the young “Johnny Cougar” facing off against the adult Mellencamp.