John Mellencamp Community

RE: The Box Set
 
OMG!!! So I got this for Christmas.  I was not excited about this project because I assumed it was just going to be a rehash of everything I already have, but I asked Santa for it just because I figured I needed it for my collection.  Well - I haven't gotten past CD 3.  I started with that one because it had all my favorites.  If you have not heard "World Don't Bother Me" then I believe you are missing a CLASSIC Mellencamp performance.  It's my favorite sound from him!  And "Cherry Bomb" sung with auto harp from the kitchen table sounds like he's sitting in my kitchen...almost brings tears to my eyes.  "Someday the Rains Will Fall" is another great selection.  This is truly a fantastic collection....I take back everything I may have said....and I haven't heard 3/4 of it yet!!  I see now why it took so long.  He was true to his word with this one in that he didn't want to make it just a collection of greatest hits.
 
"-somedays I still don't know what to do-"

Mary in Michigan

Lucky for you that you were on Santa's "good"  list.

While I unfortunately don't own the boxed set I did have a chance to examine it at length last summer after a JM concert in Ontario.  The artwork and design are amazing and you can see that a lot of thought went into that process as well as the song selections.  Reading the song lists was like a walk down memory lane for me that covered over 28 years.  Brought back a lot of snapshots from my life and there were a lot of "oh yeahs"  at some of the tunes I had forgotten about.

I have this on my Ipod.....I love it ;D

 8)

Got the box set when it came out - LOVE IT!!!!

While some of the songs I have in the same format, the new arrangements, acoustic performances, new songs, and the set in its entirety is absolutely phenomenal.  Could (and do) listen to all 4 discs over and over.

And the book - OMG - love it too.

Well worth waiting for in my opinion.

jcooprx

I really liked "Colored Lights" from the box set and the original versions of some of Johns songs that were on there as well. Very Cool!!!

Oh yeah!  Finally got off of Disc 3 and tried out Disc 4....yes, yes, yes..."Colored Lights" is RAW Mellencamp.  And what about "Rural Route"?  This version is 100 x better than the released version.  This was my least favorite song before, but again, this version is raw Mellencamp...along with Andy's guitar......chilling...just like RR 7609 states.  If he would have asked me I would have told him to release the garage take....but once again...!  Seriously, I can't even express how much better this is!

"-somedays I still don't know what to do-"

Mary in Michigan

Mary in Michigan, you crack me up!!! I love all those extra special versions we got off of the Rural Route release. I listen to my Mellencamp playlist on my MP3 player at work and I dunno, there is just something about having Mellencamp blaring in the ears. LOL  I could play these same songs over and over and over again.  :)

My plan -when I figure out how to work the computer CD burning system - or when I can get my husband to do it for me - is to put all those "extras" on a seperate CD.  I want to hear "raw" Mellencamp blaring in my ears.  I'm all for his releasing a bare bones CD. 

"-somedays I still don't know what to do-"

Mary in Michigan

So I'm still checking out my Christmas Present...RR 7609......I notice no "Hurts So Good".  Did I miss the conversation on this?  (I do have a life outside of MellenLand).  I wonder what the reasoning behind this was? 

Anyone? Anyone?

"-somedays I still don't know what to do-"

Mary in Michigan

"On the Rural Route" isn't a greatest hits box set by any means, so it should come as no surprise that "Hurts So Good" isn't included. It's meant to showcase John's songwriting by highlighting great songs that weren't hits, like "Deep Blue Heart," "Sweet Evening Breeze," "Forgiveness," etc. "Hurts So Good" isn't the only hit not included here: there's no "Crumblin' Down," "Lonely 'Ol Night," "Small Town," "Paper in Fire," and many more. John doesn't particularly care for "Hurts So Good" and his other light-hearted songs these days, which is why they are rarely played in concert.  

As I go through more of this I see you are right....and I know it wasn't meant to be a greatest hits....guess I just thought he'd add the original recordings or experimentations of these...like he did "Cherry Bomb".  Don't get me wrong....I DON'T miss them.  Just thought that "Hurts So Good" is probably his most famous song....every cover band plays it and you hear it at every wedding....so he may have wanted to add some insight into it's creation -I know he says he wrote it in the shower one day-would be fun to hear the water running and soap sloshing in the background!!! LOL 

"-somedays I still don't know what to do-"

Mary in Michigan

Mary keep replying.  You are hilarious.

I asked for this set for my birthday and guess what I got it. My husband said it was hard to fine up here in Toronto! but he knows I have to have everything Mellencamp releases so he managed to find it he said " dont know why you wanted it though isnt it just a compilation"? and yes in all honesty it is but its just so much better and more than your bog standard compilation. It's John being John and explaining his career and how the songs developed and the lyrics and meanings and I love it to bits I too started off with disc 3 had it in my car for most of the summer! I too would love to know why he never plays his grammy winning song (hurts so good) or includes it on any compilations. This was my song during the summer of 1988 I was living in Atlanta for the year and I requested that song every night at the Houlihans we frequented the other punters must have been sick of it!

All I can say is it's an exceptionally well put together package.  I'll also admit, I don't it yet. (shame on me)  I will get it soon though. 




Mike