"On this record, we ended up quite a bit away from where we started," Mellencamp told Guitar World Acoustic in 1998.

"Initially, I wanted to make a record that barely had drums on it.

Donovan made a record (in 1966), Sunshine Superman, and I wanted to start with that same kind of vibe—Eastern, very grand stories, fairy tales.

After the last tour, I gave everybody Sunshine Superman, and I said: 'Listen to this record, because you're going to need to know it.'"

While it is unusual for an artist to release a self-titled album this late in their career, Mellencamp was asked by Columbia Records to self-title his debut album for them to mark a fresh start and a creative rebirth.