Scarecrow
by John Mellencamp
- Type: Album
- Released: August 1985
- Label: Riva
- Country: United States
- Length: 45:03
- Community rating: 3.84/5 from 4 ratings
Album Notes & Community Reviews
'Scarecrow' established John Mellencamp as a major songwriting voice with its rugged, roots-rock sound that was deliberately steeped in 1960s rock traditions. The album's thematic core focuses on the decline of the American family farm and the erosion of a rural way of life, with Mellencamp's lyrics taking on a new level of narrative maturity and social consciousness. This stark subject matter was delivered through a tight, guitar-driven band performance, yielding anthemic heartland rock hits like "Small Town," "Lonely Ol' Night," and the nostalgic "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
Genres
Descriptors: conscious, arena rock, guitar-driven, nostalgia, storytelling
Tracklist
- Rain On The Scarecrow (03:46)
- Grandma's Theme (00:55)
- Small Town (03:41)
- Minutes To Memories (04:11)
- Lonely Ol' Night (03:45)
- The Face Of The Nation (03:13)
- Justice And Independence '85 (03:31)
- Between A Laugh And A Tear (04:31)
- Rumbleseat (02:58)
- You've Got To Stand For Somethin' (04:32)
- R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To 60's Rock) (02:54)
- The Kind Of Fella I Am (02:55)
- Small Town - Acoustic Version (04:11)
Credits
- John Mellencamp - vocals, guitar, harmonica on "small town"
- Larry Crane - electric guitars, acoustic guitars, backing vocals
- Kenny Aronoff - drums, tambourine, vibes, backing vocals
- Mike Wanchic - electric guitars, backing vocals
- Toby Myers - electric bass, backing vocals
- John Cascella - keyboards
- Rickie Lee Jones - vocals on "between a laugh and a tear"
- Sarah Flint - background vocals on "r.o.c.k. in the u.s.a."
- Laura Mellencamp - lead vocal on "grandma's theme"
- Mimi Mapes - backing vocals on "minutes to memories"
- A. Jack Wilkins - saxophone on "justice and independence '85"
- Richard Fanning - trumpet on "justice and independence '85"
- Ry Cooder - slide guitar on "the kind of fella i am"
- Don Gehman - producer, mixed by, engineer
- Bob Cato - art direction, design
- Rick Fettig - engineer [assistant engineer]
- Ross Alexander - engineer [maintenance engineer]
- Greg Edward - engineer, mixed by
- Bob Ludwig - mastered by [mastering engineer]
- George Tutko - mixed by
- Marc Hauser - photography by
- Little Bastard - producer