John Cougar (album)

John Cougar
Studio album by John Cougar
Released	June 18, 1979 (1979-06-18)
Recorded	Criteria Studios, Miami, 1979 ("I Need A Lover" recorded at AIR Studios, London, England in 1978)
Genre	Rock
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

John Cougar (titled Miami in Australia) is the fourth album by 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 hit in the US as well as in Australia, where "Miami" was the album's first single and became his second Top 40 hit. "I Need a Lover" was subsequently covered by Pat Benatar on her album In the Heat of the Night. In the US, however, "Small Paradise" was released as a single in place of "Miami," but was not very successful.

Track listing

All songs written by John Mellencamp.

1. "A Little Night Dancin'" – 3:43
2. "Small Paradise" – 3:40
3. "Miami" – 3:53
4. "Great Mid-west" – 4:29
5. "Do You Think That's Fair" – 4:48
6. "I Need a Lover" – 5:35
7. "Welcome to Chinatown" – 3:59
8. "Sugar Marie" – 4:16
9. "Pray for Me" – 3:30
10. "Taxi Dancer" – 5:02
11. "Take Home Pay" (2005 re-issue bonus track) – 3:10

Charts

Album

Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1980	Pop Albums	64

Singles

Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"I Need A Lover"	The Billboard Hot 100	28
1980	"Small Paradise"	The Billboard Hot 100	87

Personnel

• John Mellencamp - vocal, guitar
• Brian BecVar - piano, keyboards
• Larry Crane - guitars, backing vocals
• Mike Wanchic - guitars, backing vocals
• Robert "Ferd" Frank - bass
• Tom Knowles - drums