A Biography

A Biography is John Mellencamp's second released album (third recorded), and last credited to his then-stage name "Johnny Cougar." Recorded in London, it was released in the U.K. and Australia by Riva Records on March 6, 1978.

A Biography
Studio album by Johnny Cougar
Released	March 6, 1978
Recorded	1977–78
Studio	Wessex Studios, Basing Street Studios, AIR Studios, London
Genre	Rock, heartland rock
Length	42:58
Label	Riva
Producer	John Punter
Johnny Cougar chronology
Chestnut Street Incident (1976) A Biography (1978) John Cougar (1979)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[2]

Due to poor sales of Mellencamp's debut album, Chestnut Street Incident, A Biography did not receive a U.S. release upon its 1978 debut. Two of its tracks, "Taxi Dancer" and the single "I Need a Lover," were also included on his 1979 album John Cougar, which was released in the U.S.

In Australia, however, "I Need a Lover" became Top 10 hit, giving Mellencamp his first taste of success. The song would eventually crack the Top 40 in the U.S. in late 1979 when released as a single from his John Cougar album. AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described "I Need a Lover" as Mellencamp's "first good song."[1]

A Biography, along with all Mellencamp's other Riva Records/Mercury Records albums, were remastered and re-released in 2005, marking the first time A Biography was released in the United States.

Mellencamp has often spoken negatively about his early albums, and A Biography is no exception. He stated in Tim Holmes’ 1986 biography: “A Biography is so bitter. I mean I don’t even like to listen to it. I can’t believe it’s me. The songs were written in ’76 or ’77. The lyrics were real awful. They were real ‘I hate you. I hate this.’ And that’s the way I felt at that time."

Track listing

All tracks are written by John Mellencamp.

Side One

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Born Reckless"	4:35
2.	"Factory"	3:02
3.	"Night Slumming"	4:40
4.	"Taxi Dancer"	4:05
5.	"I Need a Lover"	5:37

Side Two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Alley of the Angels"	3:58
2.	"High C Cherrie"	4:58
3.	"Where the Sidewalk Ends"	3:56
4.	"Let Them Run Your Lives"	5:55
5.	"Goodnight"	2:05

Personnel

• Johnny Cougar – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, background vocals
• Brian BecVar – keyboards, background vocals
• Larry Crane – guitars, background vocals
• Robert "Ferd" Frank – bass, background vocals
• Tom Knowles – drums, background vocals
• Andy Mackay – saxophones
• Ann Odell – string arrangement on "Taxi Dancer"
• David Steen – photography

References

1. "A Biography – John Mellencamp". Allmusic. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
2. Rolling Stone Album Guide

John Mellencamp