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NO BETTER THAN THIS

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Written by John Mellencamp

Save some time to dream
Save some time for yourself
Don’t let your time slip away
Or be stolen by somebody else
Save some time for those you love
For they’ll remember what you gave
Save some time for the songs you sing
And the music that you’ve made

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream could save us all

Save some time for sorrow
Cause it will surely come your way
Prepare yourself for failure
It will give you strength some day
Try to keep your mind open
And accept your mistakes
Save some time for living
And always question your faith

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream might save us all

Cast your eyes up to heaven
Oh what does that mean to you
Try not to be too judgmental
So others will not judge you
Save some time to think
Oh before you speak your mind
Many will not understand
And to them you must to be kind

Could it be that this is all there is?
Could it be there’s nothing more at all?
Save some time to dream
‘Cause your dream might save us all

Oh yeah
Your dream might save us all
 




Written by John Mellencamp

Well the West End now
The West End then
Went by the other day
Just to see my friend
His house was dark
His socks were thin
I told him let’s get out the West End

For my whole life
I’ve lived down in the West End
But it sure has changed here
Since I was a kid
It’s worse now
Look what progress did
Someone lined their pockets
I don’t know who that is

Well my old man slaved
Down here in the West End
He thought the future was bright
Way back then
But it beat him down
Till he had nothing to give
It broke his back
Took away his will to live

Now me
I don’t think much of the West End
Ain’t gonna end up
Like the old man did
‘Cause I got dreams and they’re bigger than this
As far as I’m concerned
You can keep the West End

Well I guess down here
In the West End
Broken promises
Now and then
It’s not even fair
To think that they would
‘Cause the West End now
Ain’t no damn good

Out there somewhere
You know there’s gotta be a place
Where a man can live
With a smile on his face
And every day something new begins
But it ain’t down here
At the West End

Some day down here
In the West End
No one will remember
How the whole place began

 




Written by John Mellencamp

This time I’m leavin’
And I ain’t-a kiddin’
Walkin out the door
For evermore
You see the devil
He’s right behind me
Whistling in my ear
It’s time to go
You know the devil
He thinks he’s got me
But he ain’t got me
No

Goin’ to get my baby
She in Chicago
Wrapped up with some stranger
Every afternoon
She says I don’t care
Nothin’ about her
But I gotsta tell her
I still do
You know the devil
He thinks he’s got her
But he ain’t got her
No

I know Jesus
And I know the devil
They’re both inside of me
All the time
This ain’t no picnic
That I’m livin’
Just a resting place
Before it’s time to go
You see the devil
He thinks he’s got me
But he ain’t got me
No

You see the devil
He thinks he’s got me
But he ain’t got me
No
No, no, no, no, no

This time I’m leavin’
I aint a-kiddin’
 




Written by John Mellencamp

It’s not a graceful fall
From dreams to the truth
There’s not a lotta hope here
If you got nothing to lose
When your vision’s no good
When you’re flat on the ground
Yeah the future’s not bright
When you’re falling down

‘Cause I’m sick of life
Yeah it’s easy to do
When everything so hard
Has been handed to you
Yeah I’m sick of life
‘Cause it’s lost its fun
I’ll see you in the next world
If there is really one

Well I’m not falling up the ladder
I’m just putting in my days
My pockets are empty
And my aces won’t play
Yeah I’m movin’ down the street
And I’m going nowhere
It’s not a graceful fall
When you don’t care

‘Cause I’m sick of life
And it’s easy to do
When everything so hard
Has been handed to you
‘Cause I’m sick of life
And it’s lost its fun
I’ll see you in the next world
If there is really one
Yeah, I’m sick of life
‘Cause I’m falling down
I’ll see you in the next world
If you’re still around

 




Written by John Mellencamp

Give me twenty-five dollars
And drive me around downtown
Solve all my problems
Don’t let me lose what I’ve found
Give me good lovin’
And seal it with a kiss
Then drop me off where the music’s loud
But it won’t get no better than this

Take me to a party
Where I’m the only man
With fifty women waitin’ on me
Who say they understand
Feed me milk and honey
Give me a story that I’ll never miss
Let me get one good night’s sleep
But it won’t get no better than this

Give me clear vision
And don’t let me miss anything
I’ll take the bird that whistles
And the world on a string
Fill my fist full of money
In these troubled times
And let me share the water
With all, all of mankind

Give me back my youth
And don’t let me waste it this time
Stand me up at the golden gates
At the front of the line
Let me lie in the sunshine
Covered in the morning mist
Then show me something I ain’t never seen
But it won’t get no better than this

 




Written by John Mellencamp

It’s not my nature
To be nostalgic at all
I sat by the phone last night
Waiting for you to call
It’s been decades since I spoke to you
I just wanted to say
I’ve been thinking about you

Did you get my message
I left the other afternoon
Your young girl’s voice said
I’ll call you back real soon
I bet that’s your daughter
She sounded like you used to
I just wanted to say
I’ve been thinking about you

So long ago
Those summer afternoons
I bet they’ve torn that playground down
Where I first met you

Don’t mean no trouble
Don’t want to bother you none
Ain’t looking for nothing
Just wondering about you some
If you ain’t got time
To return this call
I understand
That you’re busy and all
But thanks for the memories
When the world didn’t seem so small
I just wanted to say
I’ve been thinking about you
About you
Thinking about you
 




Written by John Mellencamp

Well I heard the bells of freedom once
As I was coming down the road
Coming down the road
And I followed that echo wherever it would go
As I was coming down the road
But there always seemed to be trouble in my path
I found my hands tied behind my back
As I was coming down the road
Coming down the road

Well I heard the truth call my name
As I was coming down the road
Coming down the road
And I followed that voice to the valley below
As I was coming down the road
And it took me down a path where I was lost all the time
I found some truth but it could never be mine
As I was coming down the road
Coming down the road

And I saw myself for a second as I really am
As I was coming down the road
And I had to look away in disbelief I suppose
As I was coming down the road
I caught a glimpse of myself as others see me
And I wasn’t the fella that I thought I’d be
As I was coming down the road
Coming down the road

I saw you out my window
As you was walking alone
Coming down the road
And I raised my hand as if to say hello
As I was coming down the road
But you didn’t wave back
You just walked on by
Alone by yourself
Till the day you die
And I guess the truth and freedom before us all are lies
Somewhere down the road
Somewhere down the road
 




Written by John Mellencamp

Well my wife she took off to Memphis
With some fella from our little town
My mother’s at home up in Baltimore
And my daddy is down in the ground
It gets awfully cold here in the winter
Hot and humid in the summer time
I got laid off on account there’s no work for me
Now I’m in the unemployment line

No one cares about me
No one cares about me
No one cares about me at all
If I had to guess
It’s because I’m spotty at best
No one cares about me at all

Well my kids they’ve all scattered
Went lookin’ for a better life
Lost one of my boys to the drug man
It’s the only time I’ve cried in my life
And I knew an old guy once
He was kind of my friend
But he smoked himself to death
And they buried him out at Riverview
Now I’m all that I’ve got left

No one cares about me
No one cares about me
No one cares about me at all
If I had to guess
It’s because I’m spotty at best
No one cares about me at all

Some day I’ll go look up my brother
He lives a few miles from here
Haven’t talked to him in quite some time
I guess it’s been six or seven years
Well he works out there at the cannery
And I think he makes a pretty good pay
His wife she never thought too much of me
So I just stayed away

No one cares about me
No one cares about me
No one cares about me at all
If I had to guess
It’s because I’m spotty at best
No one cares about me at all

Well it’s hard to say what kind of fella I am
But most the time nothing goes my way
I must have done something pretty wrong
But I still think it will work out okay
There surely must be some angels around the bend
And they’re trying to get to me
I’ll catch up with them pretty soon
But for now no one cares about me

No one cares about me
No one cares about me
No one cares about me at all
If I had to guess
It’s because I’m spotty at best
No one cares about me at all

 




Written by John Mellencamp

Let’s suppose you lived over here
Let’s suppose I lived right over there
Let’s suppose we shared a kiss
On a night like this
Let’s suppose we went too far
In the back seat of your car
Let’s suppose we fell in love
Like two turtle doves
And let’s suppose we got engaged
Underneath that ol’ Milky Way
And let’s suppose we were complete
Wouldn’t that be sweet
And let’s suppose we found happiness
And built ourselves a nest
Let’s supposed we had five kids
Like our grandparents did
And let’s suppose our dreams came true
Just like they’re supposed to do
And let’s suppose we spent the rest of our lives together

But let’s suppose sometimes we’d fight
When things weren’t going right
Let’s suppose you got tired of me
And our family
And let’s suppose that we went broke
And we both just gave up hope
And let’s suppose you left in a huff
Because you didn’t love me enough
And let’s supposed you found another man
And hit me in the head with a frying pan
And let’s suppose I wound up dead
Underneath the bed
And what would happen to the kids
After all that we did
Let’s suppose we both better just think it over

So I suppose it’s just hello
And that it’s time for us to go
We got a little ahead of ourselves
Like everybody else
Maybe some other time
I suppose that’d be just fine
So until we meet again
I suppose we’re just friends
But remember what they say
‘Cause it happens every day
I believe in love at first sight
So there, I said it
Good night
 




Written by John Mellencamp

Don’t forget about me
When you’re holding someone else’s hand
Remember we had dreams and plans
Don’t forget about me

Don’t forget about me
Please don’t make me a used-to-be
Someone lost in your history
Don’t forget about me

I know the thrill of love is waning
You can’t see the pictures I’m painting
Of me and you together
From life to death to heaven

Don’t forget about me
When you break your promises and lose our name
I’m still gonna love you just the same
Don’t forget about me

I know the thrill of love is waning
You can’t see the pictures I’m painting
Of me and you together
From life to death to heaven

Don’t forget about me
When you’re holding someone else’s hand
Remember we had dreams and plans
Don’t forget about me

 




Written by John Mellencamp

Well I ain’t been baptized
I ain’t got no church
No friend in Jesus
And what makes matters worse
I’ve lost myself
Into the dark
Scared and alone
With no love in my heart

Each day of sorrow
Brings me closer to goodbye
If I weren’t so afraid
I’d lay down and die

I guard it so closely
What I feel in my soul
And when I received love
I just let it go
And I called out for help
I found myself alone
Did I believe anything?
I don’t know

Each day of sorrow
Brings me closer to goodbye
If I weren’t so afraid
I’d lay down and die

So all of you angels
Don’t waste your words
Dog-gone my soul
I aint’ no good

This life is too much trouble
For a fellow like me
If I had something to give you
I’d give it to you for free

Each day of sorrow
Brings you closer to goodbye
If I weren’t so afraid
I’d lay down and die

Well I ain’t been baptized
I ain’t got no church

 



12.  Easter Eve

Written by John Mellencamp

Well me and my son of only fourteen
A finer young gentleman you’ve never seen
We went out walking on Easter Eve
Just to pass some time together

Well he asked me some questions of things that I’d done
But I kept it good natured, we were just having fun
And we talked about everything under the sun
And the Easter bells were chiming

So we walked for a while into a café we went
For we were hungry from the time we’d spent
We carried no malice or any contempt
And both our hearts were shining

Well we weren’t there long before my kid said hey
There’s a man over there and he’s looking our way
Pay no attention I said to the lad
Let’s just mind our own business this evening

Well the man approached said what are you staring at
And that if we didn’t stop gawking he’d take us out back
And teach us some manners, it was simple as that
Keep your eyes to yourselves, you bastards

So I looked up and said why don’t you just sit down
You’re walking here, sir, on very thin ground
There’s nobody gawking or looking around
And you’re alarming all of the patrons

Well I guess that I shouldn’t have said that
‘Cause he raised his voice said get ready to scrap
And with that he gave my kid’s head a snap
And said come and get what you’ve got coming

Well my son stood up and hit him a lick
And I tried to stop him but it happened so quick
Then he smashed the man’s head down in the deck
He was giving that fella a beating

But the man reached down pulled out a small gun
And he pointed it straight at the head of my son
But with a longneck bottle the kid slashed at his jaw
And the pistol fell down on the table

Well thank God the cops came and broke up the brawl
There was blood on the ceiling and blood on the wall
I said to my son you know you don’t win ‘em all
This has sure been one hell of an evening

He said you know Dad I never even saw that gal
But I wasn’t going to stand for him threatening us now
And I hope you forgive me for being so wild
Here on Easter Evening

Well they arrested us all and took us to jail
But ten minutes later we were all out on bail
And the wife of the man came up to my son
And said thank you young man for what you have done

You know my husband is jealous and very cruel
And whenever we’re out he always acts like a fool
And I’m gonna quit him now that they got him locked up
And I hope to hell that he will rot

Well me and my son of only fourteen
A finer young gentleman you’ve never seen
We went out walking one Easter Eve
And left with that man’s wife that evening
 




Written by John Mellencamp

She spends all our money
And then she tells me I’m too tight
She calls me Sunny
Cause she thinks that I’m so bright
She likes her love in the morning
I like it at night
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world

She don’t eat meat
But she smokes cigarettes
She remembers things
That I’m trying to forget
We both can hold a grudge
But she always forgives
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world

Sometimes she’ll meet me half way
But then she’ll steal my half
We’re always in each other’s way
And that just makes us laugh

She says she can’t quit me
But she doesn’t know why
She gets mean and hateful
But she’s the apple of my eye
We heart each other
With a love that’ll never die
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world
Gee it’s a clumsy ol’ world
 




Read No Better Than This Album Reviews, Features, and Profiles

Listen NOW To the Full Album


The album is now available for purchase at most major retailers as well as online websites. Here are several links to buy online:

Mellencamp.com Store (both CD and CD + Tee-Shirt Bundles Available)
iTunes Download
Amazon.com CD
Amazon.com MP3 Download

ALBUM DETAILS


Release Date: August 17, 2010 Rounder Records

ALBUM CREDITS:

Musicians:
John Mellencamp – Vocals And Acoustic Guitar
Andy York- Acoustic And Electric Guitars
Marc Ribot – Electric Guitar And Banjo
T Bone Burnett – Acoustic And Electric Guitars
David Roe – Bass
Jay Bellerose – Drums And Percussion
Miriam Sturm – Violin

Recorded In Savannah, Memphis, And San Antonio With 1 RCA 77 DX Microphone (Savannah & San Antonio) or 1 RCA 44 (Memphis)- Mono To An Ampex 601 ¼” Reel To Reel.

1 Save Some Time To Dream (Memphis Sun Studio) 4:31
2 The West End (Memphis Sun Studio) 3:58
3 Right Behind Me (San Antonio, Room 404, Sheraton Gunter Hotel) 4:00
4 A Graceful Fall (Memphis Sun Studio) 3:20
5 No Better Than This (Memphis Sun Studio) 3:13
6 Thinking About You (Savannah First African Baptist Church) 3:28
7 Coming Down The Road (Memphis Sun Studio) 4:45
8 No One Cares About Me (Memphis Sun Studio) 6:11
9 Love At First Sight (Savannah First African Baptist Church) 4:37
10 Don’t Forget About Me (Memphis Sun Studio) 3:14
11 Each Day Of Sorrow (Memphis Sun Studio) 2:36
12 Easter Eve (Memphis Sun Studio) 6:30
13 Clumsy Ol’ World (Savannah First African Baptist Church) 3:29

Produced By: T Bone Burnett
Mastering: Gavin Lurssen At Lurssen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.
Engineers: Paul Mahern, Mike Piersante
Assistant Engineer: Emile Kelman , Scott Davis
Technical Engineer: Michael Stucker
Guitar Techs: Paul Ackling, Scott Davis
Photography: Front Cover – Elaine Mellencamp
Back Cover - Monique Gibson
Design by Rachael E. Sullivan
Art Direction: Scott Billington
Management: Hoffman Entertainment Inc

All Songs Written By John Mellencamp - Belmont Mall Publishing (ASCAP). All rights administered by EMI April Music, Inc.

UPC number 0-11661-3284-2-6
(P) and © 2010 John Mellencamp. Under exclusive license to Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc., 100 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. All rights reserved, etc.

Rounder Records will release No Better Than This, an album from John Mellencamp of all new original songs that was recorded at a variety of historically significant locations around the South. The album, set for release August 17, was produced by T Bone Burnett who earlier collaborated with Mellencamp on the much-lauded Life Death Love and Freedom. Time Magazine called it “his best in a decade” and Rolling Stone ranked it #5 in its listing of the 50 best albums of the year.

No Better Than This was recorded over the course of a few break days afforded Mellencamp when he was on a tour of minor league ball parks last year, sharing the bill with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. The album was recorded on vintage equipment – a 55 year-old Ampex tape recorder with just one microphone -- in Savannah at the First African Baptist Church, in Memphis at Sun Studios and in San Antonio in room 414 of the Gunter Hotel.

Mellencamp wrote the thirteen songs included on the album during a thirteen-day span last spring. “I was tightly focused,” he related, “I got up every day and wrote and wrote and wrote.” The songs reflect various American traditions including blues, folk, western, gospel, rockabilly and country and address such themes as the need for hope, the nature of relationship and narratives that recount extraordinary occurrences in everyday life.

As far as the recording locations are concerned, they were chosen based on cultural and music history, each providing a sense of place for the respective sessions. About the experience, Mellencamp remarked, “It was absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had making a record in my life. It was about making music – organic music made by real musicians – that’s heartfelt and written from the best place it can come from.”

The First African Baptist Church is the first Black church in North America dating to pre-revolutionary times. The original congregation and ministry were slaves; the church, in fact, provided sanctuary to runaways before emancipation. Mellencamp, who has a residence in the area, has long been familiar with the church and the role it played in the Savannah community. He and his wife Elaine were baptized there before the sessions commenced.

While Sun Studios actually is a working recording facility, its equipment has been updated since the days of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis so Mellencamp’s team used the Ampex machine and established a makeshift recording booth in a construction shed in a vacant lot next door. Mellencamp and his musicians did, dutifully, arrange themselves on the studio floor in accordance with markings that had been laid down by Sam Phillips many years before for optimal presence.

Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio is where Robert Johnson first recorded for Brunswick Records in November of 1936; Mellencamp’s version of Johnson’s “Stones In My Pass Way” was the first track on Trouble No More, an album of blues and folk songs released in 2003. The room has been carpeted in the intervening years so a hardwood floor was placed over the carpet to better approximate the ambience heard on Johnson’s records. Mellencamp sang facing the corner of the room that Johnson had almost 74 years earlier.

After the sessions were completed, Burnett took the mono tapes back to Los Angeles and mastered them, per Mellencamp, “in a way that made them coherent.” Sequencing of the album was accomplished by Burnett in a moment that could be likened to an epiphany. Mellencamp was present when his producer recited the running order of all 13 songs in a moment of inspired spontaneity.

Following the release of No Better Than This, Mellencamp and his band will embark on a lengthy tour of theaters throughout North America that will get underway in October and continue into the late spring of 2011. These performance dates will include a showing of It’s About You, a film that Kurt Markus made during the album sessions and while Mellencamp was on tour with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. The concerts will showcase Mellencamp’s music in the context of a small group as well as discreet solo acoustic and full rock band segments, reflecting the range of approaches heard on the new album.

 

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