VIDEO | John Mellencamp

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BAND | John Mellencamp

"Small Town"

Last updated 📅 2025-04-18

Celebrate your roots with John Mellencamp's heartfelt 1985 anthem, "Small Town." A standout track from his acclaimed Scarecrow album, this song blends honest heartland rock with folk rock sincerity. Its proud defense of small-town life resonated deeply, becoming a signature Mellencamp classic.

TITLE: Small Town
BAND: John Mellencamp
GENRE: Folk Rock, Heartland Rock
RELEASEDAY: October 14
YEAR: 1985

Released as a major hit single from the 1985 album Scarecrow, "Small Town" further cemented John Mellencamp's status as the voice of the American heartland. Its straightforward rock structure, infused with folk rock instrumentation and appreciative lyrics, offered a counterpoint to common criticisms of provincial life.

This 1985 heartland rock favorite features Mellencamp's sincere vocal delivery expressing contentment and pride in his origins. Combining driving rock energy with folk rock textures, "Small Town" remains an enduring anthem about community, identity, and the value of simple roots.

SONG MEANING: This song is a proud affirmation of the value and identity found in small-town life. Rejecting negative stereotypes, the lyrics express contentment and a strong sense of belonging to one's roots ("I was born in a small town / And I can breathe in a small town"), celebrating the positive aspects of community and simplicity.

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"John Mellencamp"

John Mellencamp stands as an essential voice in American rock, renowned for his powerful heartland rock anthems and honest storytelling. His music captures the struggles, joys, and realities of small-town life with unflinching sincerity, earning him critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase worldwide.

TITLE: John Mellencamp
ACTIVE: 1974–present (1974)
BAND: John Mellencamp

His incredible catalog features timeless classics, from nostalgic tales of youthful romance and rebellion to defiant working-class anthems. Around 1985, his sound deeply embraced folk rock instrumentation within his signature heartland rock framework, producing some of his most acclaimed and socially conscious work...

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BAND | John Mellencamp

"Cherry Bomb"

Remember simpler times with John Mellencamp's nostalgic 1987 rock hit, "Cherry Bomb." A standout single from The Lonesome Jubilee, this track blends heartland rock with rich folk instrumentation like accordion and fiddle, fondly looking back at youthful nights at the local club.

TITLE: Cherry Bomb
BAND: John Mellencamp
GENRE: Rock
RELEASEDAY: August 24
YEAR: 1987

Released as a major hit single from John Mellencamp's acclaimed 1987 album The Lonesome Jubilee, "Cherry Bomb" climbed high on the rock charts...

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BAND | John Mellencamp

"Check It Out"

Take a moment with John Mellencamp's reflective 1987/1988 heartland rock hit, "Check It Out." A standout track from The Lonesome Jubilee, this song blends folk instrumentation like fiddle and accordion with rock energy, urging listeners to appreciate life's simple moments.