John Mellencamp - Whenever We Wanted (1991)
Tracklist front / back album covers
"Love and Happiness" – 3:53
"Now More Than Ever" – 3:43
"I Ain't Ever Satisfied" – 3:36
"Get a Leg Up" – 3:47
"Crazy Ones" (Mellencamp, Randy Handley) – 4:01
"Last Chance" – 3:39
"They're So Tough" – 4:17
"Melting Pot" – 4:47
"Whenever We Wanted" – 3:42
"Again Tonight" – 3:17
"Love and Happiness (London Club Mix)" (2005 re-issue bonus track) – 6:33
John Mellencamp Band Members / Musicians
John Mellencamp – vocals, guitar, hand percussion
Kenny Aronoff – drums, percussion, vibes
Mike Wanchic – guitar, background vocals
Toby Myers – bass guitar, background vocals
David Grissom – guitars
John Cascella – Hammond B-3, accordion, penny whistle, Farfisa Organ
Pharez Whitted – trumpet on "Love And Happiness" and "Whenever We Wanted"
Jay Healy – engineer, mixing
Whenever We Wanted is American singer-songwriter and musician John Mellencamp's 11th album, and the first to be credited simply to Mellencamp's given name (i.e., without the "Cougar" name).
The album reached the top 20 and went platinum. It includes the hits "Get A Leg Up" (#1 for three weeks on the Album Rock Tracks chart), "Now More Than Ever" (#3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart), "Last Chance" (#12 on the Album Rock Tracks chart), and "Again Tonight" (#1 for two weeks on the Album Rock Tracks chart). "Get A Leg Up" (#14) and "Again Tonight" (#36) also cracked the Billboard Hot 100.
Entertainment Weekly gave the album a positive review, stating: "To Mellencamp's credit, even though 'Whenever We Wanted' delivers his signature rock & roll punch, he doesn't try to. That Mellencamp still has the courage to make depressing assessments in a pop context is a victory that outweighs the record's other shortcomings."
Mellencamp later said the album was an attempt to "write American Fool with better lyrics" after a fan mentioned the previous two albums "had nothing about sex on them." This inspired him to write less about problems in the heartland and "get back to the basics."
