John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow

Scarecrow is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Cougar Mellencamp, originally released in September 1985 via Riva Records and Mercury Records.

Arguably the most important roots rocker of his generation, John Cougar is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, James Brown, and The Rolling Stones. Mellencamp rose to stardom in the 1980s with a string of top ten singles, including "Hurts So Good", "Jack & Diane", "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.", "Paper in Fire", and "Cherry Bomb".

A loose concept album about lost innocence and the crumbling of small-town America, Scarecrow represents John Cougar Mellencamp's perfection of heartland rock. For the recording of the album, the band spent a month in rehearsals, playing more than a hundred rock and roll songs from the Sixties before going into the studio. According to the record's producer, Don Gehman, the idea was to "learn all these devices from the past and use them in a new way with John's arrangements". 

The album received critical acclaim upon release. "The Captain" purchased this album back in 1985 after reading really positive reviews about the album in local music press and The Age Newspaper in Melbourne. It's a classic album with all the songs working together perfectly. There is not a weak song on the album.

This album contained three Top 10 hits, a record for a Mellencamp album: "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.", which peaked at No.2 in the U.S.; "Lonely Ol' Night", which peaked at No.6 and No.1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, his second chart-topping single on this chart.; and "Small Town", which also peaked at No.6. "Rain on the Scarecrow" also peaked at #21 on the US Billboard singles chart and #34 on the Australian singles chart.

In 1989 Rolling Stone magazine ranked Scarecrow at #95 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s, saying "Scarecrow consolidated the band's rugged, roots-rock thrash and the ongoing maturation of Mellencamp's lyrics”.

This album is a 2022 reissue on 180 gram black vinyl with a printed inner sleeve and newly remixed and half speed remastered audio, pressed in Europe via Mercury Records.