Mellencamp Songs

[Aqualung60]

"Rumble Seat".

 

[Biggbass]

Six seems like a lot of JCM for one gig...even for one rehearsal...
I'd be more inclined to find a couple of JCM smokers and dial them in well.
ROCK in the USA is a great choice. So is Authority Song.
For gig material I always like to go with the tunes that motivate dancing. Slow tunes or table tunes are easy to come by.

 

[DirtDog]

We play Hurts so Good and Get a Leg Up, but there's quite a few other we could bring in. Thundering Hearts would be a top contender. Rooty Toot Toot, just for fun!

Useless trivia: my first band in high school was called "Serious Business", after the Mellencamp song of the same name. We also had other goofy names like "Duran Duran Duran" and "The Who Two".

 

[Papalampraina]

We play Hurts so Good and Get a Leg Up, but there's quite a few other we could bring in. Thundering Hearts would be a top contender. Rooty Toot Toot, just for fun!

Useless trivia: my first band in high school was called "Serious Business", after the Mellencamp song of the same name. We also had other goofy names like "Duran Duran Duran" and "The Who Two".

Gotta love "Duran Duran Duran", even though it would have been funnier if it was "Duran, Duran & Duran".

 

[matty1039]

I just told one of my coworkers this the other day. When I think of John Cougar Mellencamp I imagine some middle-aged woman dancing around barefoot with a glass of white wine in her hand. If you can make her dance you've picked the right song.

 

[KillerEddie]

This is one of my favorites of his, and it should work well with a 3-piece:

YES yes yes. This is a great song and really easy to pull off with a three piece. 99.99999% of the crowd will have never heard it but they'll still like it.

 

[Joe Ty]

I Need a Lover
Very danceable and not overplayed since it was earlier in his career.

Big Plus: The bass is very prominent in that song.

 

[Chains]

The plan is for each of us is to bring in 2 songs that we would sing, with charts and mp3's for the other members, and see which 1 or 2 out of those 6 might
click, if any.
I am looking at it as an experiment and a good learning experience. JCM songs are not really what we are known for. That's is why I was searching for some
"unique" songs.
I appreciate all of the suggestions so far.....

No way would I want 6 songs on our list. Not really our thing. Two weeks ago, we played 5 Floyd songs and 5 from The Doors, spread out over 3 sets.

 

[Richland123]

"Rumble Seat".

I used to play "Rumble Seat" in a 3 piece band. I always liked that one.

"Crumblin' Down", "Now More Than Ever", and "Melting Pot" have not been played to death with bands.

I like the groove of "Melting Pot".

 

[JRA]

(toby myers and jon gunnell = good players and good people!)

 

[jerry]

We also did a mashup of "ROCK in the USA" into "What I like about You" by The Romantics. I forget exactly how, but the riffs are similar enough to get two songs for the price of one.

In the 80's I played that combo in sooooo many bands, always worked packing the dance floor though.

 

[Chains]

OP update...
Drummer and excellent vocalist selected Play Guitar and Small Town.
Guitarist and very good singer selected Rain On The Scarecrow and Check It Out.
Me - Bassist and always improving singer picked Crumblin' Down and Hurts So Good.

I know, I chose an "obvious hit" but I would rather have people going for the going the dance floor than going for their coats.

Now, we will see if any gel at the next rehearsal. Thanks for the responses and suggestions!

 

[hrodbert696]

Honestly that is JMC 5 songs too many. No body is aching to see a cover band do a whole set of this guy now. You'd be better off doing a Springsteen half set.

This was my reaction, too. As a rule of thumb, I try never to play more than two, or at most three, songs by a given artist on a given gig. You start morphing from cover band to tribute band, and tie your appeal to the appeal of that one act.

OP update...
Drummer and excellent vocalist selected Play Guitar and Small Town.
Guitarist and very good singer selected Rain On The Scarecrow and Check It Out.
Me - Bassist and always improving singer picked Crumblin' Down and Hurts So Good.

I know, I chose an "obvious hit" but I would rather have people going for the going the dance floor than going for their coats.

Now, we will see if any gel at the next rehearsal. Thanks for the responses and suggestions!

And you chose wisely. If you want to keep getting gigs, play songs that entertain the audience. 95% of the time that means familiar hits. It's only musicians and the one annoying drunk guy at the back who chatter on about wanting "deep cuts." Dancing women want to hear their favorites.

 

[blue4]

What if I came Knocking
Human Wheels
Nobody ever plays anything off that underappreciated album.

Ain't even Done With The Night

 

[Grumry]

Raining Blood is always a dance floor filler.

Oh, I thought you said Slayer.