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John Cougar (album)

John Cougar
John Cougar Album.jpg
Studio album by John Cougar
Released July 27, 1979 (1979-07-27)
Recorded Criteria Studios, Miami, 1979
("I Need a Lover" recorded at AIR Studios, London, England in 1978)
Genre Rock, heartland rock, blues
Length 43:20
Label Riva
Producer Ron Albert & Howard Albert;
John Punter ("I Need a Lover")
John Cougar chronology
A Biography (1978) John Cougar (1979) Nothin' Matters and What If It Did
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2/5 stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 2.5/5 stars

John Cougar (titled Miami in Australia) is the fourth studio album by John Mellencamp. This was the first album with his new record company Riva Records and under the name "John Cougar." Released in 1979, following the Australian success of "I Need a Lover" from the previous year's A Biography (which did not receive a U.S. release), the album included the aforementioned track for U.S. audiences, as well as a re-working of A Biography's "Taxi Dancer."

"I Need a Lover," upon the release of this album, became a Top 40 hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 28 in December 1979, after having been a No. 5 hit in Australia in 1978 when it was released as a single from A Biography. "Miami" was also a hit single in Australia and became his second Top 40 hit in that country. "I Need a Lover" was subsequently covered by Pat Benatar on her album In the Heat of the Night. In the U.S., however, "Small Paradise" was released as a single in place of "Miami," but it was not very successful, peaking at No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1980. During concerts to promote the album, guitarist Mike Wanchic would trade lead vocals with Mellencamp on "Miami."

Mellencamp recorded a solo acoustic rendition of "Sugar Marie" for his 2010 box set On the Rural Route 7609, stating in the set's liner notes: "'Sugar Marie' suffered from young musicians not knowing how to present the music. I've always had an affection for the song, and I've always known it had something I didn't get at on the album."

All songs written by John Mellencamp, except where noted.

Album

Billboard (North America)

Singles

Billboard (North America)

Online references


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Wikipedia

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