His best-produced album with songs that come off sometimes corny but sometimes brilliant. Welcome to John Mellencamp.
| 1 | Paper in Fire 3:53 | 79 |
| 2 | Down and Out in Paradise 3:39 | 76 |
| 3 | Check It Out 4:20 | 81 |
| 4 | The Real Life 3:56 | 82 |
| 5 | Cherry Bomb 4:49 | 88 |
| 6 | We Are the People 4:16 | 70 |
| 7 | Empty Hands 3:44 | 79 |
| 8 | Hard Times for an Honest Man 3:28 | 78 |
| 9 | Hotdogs and Hamburgers 4:04 | 78 |
| 10 | Rooty Toot Toot 3:29 | 74 |