Mr. Happy Go Lucky

Mr. Happy Go Lucky
Studio album by John Mellencamp
Released September 10, 1996
Recorded January 1995 – June 1996
Genre Rock
Length 45:43
Label Mercury
Producer Little Bastard, Mike Wanchic
and Junior Vasquez
John Mellencamp chronology
Dance Naked
(1994)
Mr. Happy Go Lucky
(1996)
The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone [2]
No Depression (?)[3]

Mr. Happy Go Lucky is a rock album released by American singer-songwriter and musician John Mellencamp on September 10, 1996. It was his first album released after his heart attack in 1994. Mellencamp's music on the album is said to reflect his brush with death. This album was recorded in Belmont, Indiana, in his studio the Belmont Mall. The first single from the album, "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)", peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is his last Top 40 single in the United States to date.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written by John Mellencamp, except where noted.

  1. "Overture" (Mellencamp; arranged Miriam Sturm) – 1:56
  2. "Jerry" – 4:24
  3. "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" (Mellencamp, George M. Green) – 4:54
  4. "Just Another Day" – 3:28
  5. "This May Not Be The End Of The World" (Mellencamp, George M. Green) – 5:29
  6. "Emotional Love" (Toby Myers) – 3:20
  7. "Mr. Bellows" – 4:26
  8. "The Full Catastrophe" – 3:11
  9. "Circling Around The Moon" (Mellencamp, George M. Green) – 5:48
  10. "Large World Turning" – 3:55
  11. "Jackamo Road" – 1:37
  12. "Life Is Hard" – 3:15
  13. "What If I Came Knocking?" (2005 re-issue bonus track) - 5:26

Covert Art Controversy

After being released into stores nationwide, retail giant Wal-Mart found the depiction of the Devil and Jesus on the cover to be offensive and additionally stating it looked like the baby in the photo was dead. Mellencamp stated the baby was his son, Hud and was only sleeping, but he wasn't upset at changing it since he didn't design or decide on the cover, and since the music wasn't required to be changed. The newer versions of the cover art have the Devil and Jesus removed.

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard (America)[4]

Year Chart Position
September 28, 1996 The Billboard 200 9

Singles - Billboard (America)[5]

Year Single Chart Position
1996 "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" The Billboard Hot 100 14
1996 "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" Mainstream Rock Tracks 10
1996 "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" Adult Contemporary 15
1997 "Just Another Day" The Billboard Hot 100 46
1997 "Just Another Day" Mainstream Rock Tracks 13
1997 "Just Another Day" Adult Contemporary 24
  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Rolling Stone review
  3. ^ No Depression review
  4. ^ Billboard.com - Discography - John Mellencamp - Mr. Happy Go Lucky
  5. ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - John Mellencamp