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 a 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.

Mellencamp has often spoken negatively about his early albums, and A Biography is no exception.