Let's talk John Prine

Subject: Let talk John Prine
From: olddude
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 11:18 PM

What is your best story of favorite John Prine song. I have not thought about him in years and he is amazing for sure. Anyone want to share a memory or tune?

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 02:35 AM

Paradise, if that was his only song he would still be an amazing songwriter.

eric

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 02:45 AM

Olddude.......I linked a few older JP threads at the top for your perusal. I'm sure this one will also draw a crowd as we have a lot of JP fans here, myself included.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: evansakes
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:23 AM

My favourite is the one about the happy enchilada...

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Amergin
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:31 AM

I've seen him three times, and each time his show was amazing. The last time he brought his brother onstage who I guess lives in the area, and they played together for a couple of songs.

I like Hello In There....and Jesus the Missing Years...

However I think my favourite one is Six O'Clock News....the last line of the song is a shocking contrast from the rest of the lyrics. His brains were on the sidewalk, blood was on his shoes.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: evansakes
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:49 AM

John Prine sings the happy enchilada song

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: olddude
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 07:42 AM

OH MY GOD, Six O'Clock news ... wonderful have not heard that one in years and years ... wow ... gotta dig it out for sure
thank you for reminding me

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: oldhippie
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 07:42 AM

I like "Illegal Smile" best, although "Donald & Lydia" and "Sam Stone" are powerful songs.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 07:59 AM

As to stories..............I used to see him a lot in Nashville at small clubs and always loved his closeness to the audience. Some people are at their best in those situations and Prine is one. He'd have two guitars and a bottle of Jack on the stool beside him.

I'd heard him tell this story a few times then one night I heard him tell it again to John Hiatt on the PBS program, "Sessions at West 54th." He went to the Olde Town School in Chicago while he was still a postman and taking various things. He told of going to a club across the street on open mic night and singing three songs he had written. After hearing him, they hired him as a regular of sorts. The three songs were "Paradise," "Sam Stone," & "Hello In There." No wonder they hired him.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:27 AM

Most of 'em are good. Hello in there probably gets my vote although Speed of the sound of loneliness and Paradise are very close. For the novelty value how about Please don't bury me?

Pay a visit here if you can't decide.

Cheers

Dave.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Nick
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:35 AM

Hello in There, Speed of the Sound of Loneliness and Let's Talk Dirty In Hawaiian

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:36 AM

I do believe I have every song he has ever done. The amazing thing I find is that in some of the songs that are not that popular I'll go back to and find some amazing lines he has written which I missed the first or second time round. The only other writer I have found that could do the same thing is Bob Dylan.

Back to Prine.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: Lyr Add: IT'S A BIG OLD GOOFY WORLD (John Prine)
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:13 AM

Another big fan of John Prine here.

"Hello in There" has to be one of the most heart wrenching songs I have ever heard.

with that being said I'll put in a plug of one of my favourite JP songs and that is "It's A Big Old Goofy World"

Up in the morning
Work like a dog
Is better than sitting
Like a bump on a log
Mind all your manners
Be quiet as a mouse
Some day you'll own a home
That's as big as a house

I know a fella
He eats like a horse
Knocks his old balls
Round the old golf course
You oughta see his wife
She's a cute little dish
She smokes like a chimney
And drinks like a fish

There's a big old goofy man
Dancing with a big old goofy girl
Ooh baby
It's a big old goofy world

Now Elvis had a woman
With a head like a rock
I wished I had a woman
That made my knees knock
She'd sing like an angel
And eat like a bird
And if I wrote a song
She'd know ever single word

Kiss a little baby
Give the world a smile
If you take an inch
Give 'em back a mile
Cause if you lie like a rug
And you don't give a damn
You're never gonna be
As happy as a clam

So I'm sitting in a hotel
Trying to write a song
My head is just as empty
As the day is long
Why it's clear as a bell
I should have gone to school
I'd be wise as an owl
Stead of stubborn as a mule.

Ya gotta hand it to anyone who can write that ... yes it is a big old goofy world and I luv it.


biLL

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:14 AM

First saw John Prine at the Philly Folk Festival sometime in the 70's. He sang "The Great Compromise" and I was hooked. Being a Vietnam Vet I think it struck a chord.

He was also in an early concert. Unfortunately, he was three sheets to the wind. He was bothered by a fly that was buzzing around him on stage. He tried to swat it and was so uncoordinated he nearly fell down. Hilarious and not so hilarious at the same time. Still liked his music, though.

I believe he achieved some sort of recovery prior to his Burnt Orange release.

I guess I last saw him about three years ago. He sold out a summer venue in Baltimore. I was amazed at the diversity of folks who were attracted to his music. It was not a typical folk crowd and not quite a rock and roll crowd. He put on a fine show.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Peace
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:16 AM

Remarkable songwriter. I love his "Dear Abby".

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: pdq
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:25 AM

oldhippie says: I like "Illegal Smile" best, although "Donald & Lydia" and "Sam Stone"...

Happy to say that there is no way to go from there but up. He actually did some great songs, so keep looking.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:27 AM

PARADISE, no doubt about it, mostly because I can relate to strip mining in the area my father came from in PA. I guess it was the first John Prine song I ever heard, soooo long ago.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 11:05 AM

His recordings of Souvenirs are my favorites - the ones with Steve Goodman's great guitar work. When in doubt about what to sing at a song circle, I do Souvenirs, Hello in There, or Spanish Pipe Dream.
Check out the great interview on the Library of Congress website.
Chris

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:17 PM

So many wonderful songs and so many great lines---one line I have always admired---"...sometimes you have to lose your mind to keep your sanity:.    Insightful in 11 words.


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:21 PM

I 've seen him a number of times at the Buffalo Folk Festival..lots and lots a years ago. Don't remember any stories; just that he had a genial, totally unaffected and slightly rakish demeanor.

He was a populist without labelsm and his songs have a way of resurfacing over the years. " Hello in There "was a favorite of mine from decades ago, and I sure get a kick out of "In Spite of Ourselves," which I just heard for the first time last year, by some performers in a local coffeehouse. Funny as anything.

But his greatest line ever,imho, is sung by Bonnie Raitt in a voice that's got at least 100 years of weariness:

"How in hell can a person
go to work in the morning
come home in the evening
and have nothing to say?"

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: PoppaGator
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:32 PM

No one has yet mentioned "Angel from Montgomery," although I believe that the four lines quoted above (as sung by Bonnie Raitt) come from that really great song.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:42 PM

That club in Chicago that hired him after 3 songs was The Fifth Peg---on Armitage.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:49 PM

In Spite of Ourselves. great, great song and a superb performance by two superb artistes.

"Unwed Fathers", however is indisputably, incontrovertibly and incontestably, the greatest song ever to come from the pen of J Prine, and I have them all as well.

"Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" is probably my least favourite Prine song. Too clever by half, imo, and doesn't actually say anything very meaningful. Damn catchy tune, though ...

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: bankley
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:52 PM

"Fair and Square" was a lot of fun.... nice picking by Jason Wilbur and Shawn Camp...   he's like an old comfy pair of slippers..

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Ebbie
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 05:53 PM

John Prine will come to Juneau Alaska in August. I've seen him on television but it will be my first time to see him live.

Gordon Bok is coming to Juneau in September. Michael Smith was here this spring.

We may be remote but we do get some good ones...

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: topical tom
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:28 PM

Unfortunately I never saw him perform live but his songs are, by turn, spell-binding, touching and humorous. He is a great singer-songwriter. My favorite songs are "The Sound of Loneliness", "Hello In There" and "Sam Stone".There are, however, many more that I love, "In Spite of Ourselves", "Some People Ain't Human" and on and on.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:32 PM

Tom.
Have you ever heard his first album?

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: topical tom
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:54 PM

I'm not sure. What was the title, Beer?

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:59 PM

If memory serves me right and I think in this case it does. It was just titled John Prine and he was sitting on a bail of hay.
if this album was released today it would remain on the top for a long long time.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 12:06 AM

Played softball against The John Prine Band. Around the time 'Bruised Orange' was released. They talked alot of trash. I played w/t Chicago Folkies. John pitched, Steve Goodman played 2nd base and John Burns played 1st as I recall. I think Angie Varias played ss for them. We had Mike Jordan ss, Tom Dundee 2b, Dave Laser 3b, Marty Peifer lf, Al Day(we made him play rf), Harry Waller c and me, Jeff Jones cf. We killed them. We got 'em 1-2-3 in the first inning and then batted around twice. They knew they were in for a long afternoon. Mike Jordan was an All county BB player in HS and I was drafted, but never signed by the Pirate org. Tom Dundee was just a good all around athlete. We had Jim Tulio, too. He played 1st. Marty played lf and was very, very fast in the outfield. He got to a couple of gap shots that were impressive. I think he could've played pro ball 'cause he could really hit, too. Betsy Redhed played 'rover' and Cassie pitched. We 10 runned 'em twice and then swapped a few players around to make things more even. There's a picture from that game on Tom Dundee's post-humously relaeased CD set called 'Fleeting Moment' where he's leaning in talking to Steve Goodman and tapping his ballglove. Great moment.

OH yeah favorite John Prine songs: 'Iron Ore Betty' w/t immortal words: I'm goin steady w/Iron Ore Betty and she's goin' steady w/me. We get our mail from the same mail box and we watch the same TV. She's got rug burns on her elbows, I got 'em on my knees. I'm goin' steady w/Iron Ore Betty and she's goin' steady w/me.

Subject: Lyr Add: ONE RED ROSE (John Prine)
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 05:18 AM

So many great songs, as witnessed by the range of choices above. The thing about John Prine for me is that some of his songs can make you laugh, whilst others can make you cry. He has a genius for setting a very vivid scene or completely describing a character in just a couple of lines. He's written far more 'I wish I'd written that' songs than anyone else I can think of.

How's this for an example of his picture painting in song:


ONE RED ROSE
Written by John Prine
As recorded by John Prine on “Storm Windows” (1980)

The rain came down on the tin roof; hardly
A sound was left from the birthday party.
The kitchen light fell asleep on the bedroom floor.
Me and her were talking softer
Than all the time before I lost her.
Picture sat on top of the chest of drawers.

CHORUS: One red rose in the Bible,
Pressed between the holy alphabet.
Probably wouldn't believe you if you told me,
But what I never knew I never will forget.

Rainy nights get dark real early.
Her dress was soft and her hair was curly.
We danced around the table to the old banjo.
Rainy nights were made for lovers.
We lay there still beneath the covers,
And I ain't never felt like that before. CHORUS

INSTRUMENTAL BREAK; CHORUS
What I never knew I never will forget.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 11:07 AM

As everyone has known, JP is truly one of the premier wordsmiths. Coupled with his tunesmith abilities, its a tough combination to match. Every person who meets that criteria has something different in the way it comes out which singles them out. That's probably a thread discussion all by itself.

Prine uses the commonest words and phrases and somehow puts them together in a rhyme and meter that makes what might be an awkward phrase flow together and through the tune......very natural. I may not have explained that well...............Anyway, for me it makes it almost imposssible to think about any of his lyrics without the tune. I don't do that with everyone. Sometimes I do it because I'm that way musically. But in the case of JP, its absolutely impossible for me disassociate one from the other. Again, poorly explained but......................

All that said, he is very capable of writings that make us want to say, "Damn! I even knew that and still never said it!!!" One of his perhaps lesser known songs is "All the Best" which contains this beautiful phrase:

Then you change your mind   
For something else to do
And your heart gets bored with your mind
And it changes you

Geeziz......I've known that for years and never have been able to put it into so few words or phrased so beautifully.

Yeah......I like John Prine a lot.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: topical tom
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 12:26 PM

I don't believe I have heard that album, Beer.If you have it perhaps I could burn myself a copy of it? It sounds like a great one.

P.S.:I said "burn".Is it a cd, though?

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 12:30 PM

No it is an album. And Tom, don't say burn on any threads. It's a bad word.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 12:31 PM

And your a good guy.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 01:58 PM

Clocks & Spoons is a great one.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 02:37 PM

Part of John's greatness lies in his ability to elicit universal themes from totally mundane circumstances without a shred of self-importance or "Look at me!" type cleverness. He's just a guy who sees the world a little crookedly, mainly because the world is a little crooked.

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Beer
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 05:50 PM

"An old man sleeps with his conscience at night
Young kids sleep with their dreams
While the mentally ill sit perfectly still
And live through life's in-betweens".

Powerful lines by J.P.
Taken from the song "Late John Garfield Blues"

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 07:17 PM

copied & pasted from a thread I posted to in 2005

"In 1973, I helped a friend move to Wash DC, and we took a detour through Kentucky to look for Paradise, and 'photographed the song'. We took pictures of every thing named in the song that we could find, from Peabody Coal trucks to the Green River to broken pop bottles at the site to the cooling towers for the power plant. The only thing left of Paradise itself was an old outhouse, leaning at an angle.....but we could 'hear' the words of the song as we stood there in the desolation."

Subject: RE: Let talk John Prine
From: olddude
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 08:53 PM

Sam Stone, got a hole in his arm .. that's where the money goes

Dear Abby Dear Abby my feet are too long, my hair fallen out and my rights are all wrong ...

sooooo true .... sooo true

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:57 AM

And just lookee what got posted just today on YouTube!! Now if you think Prine's some kind of god and Emmylou's an angel then see them together just last week. Yeah, she uses a crib sheet but who gives a turkey..........Its Emmylou!

In Spite Of Ourselves

Angel From Montgomery

Lousy quality and balance too but......hey.......JP and Emmlou!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: Amos
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 01:27 AM

Can't do much better than that. Sho' nuff.


A

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: Marion
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 01:33 AM

I don't know if it's my absolute favourite, but I have a lot of affection for a song that hasn't been mentioned yet: Fish and Whistle.

Father forgive us for what we must do
You forgive us, and we'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven.

Marion

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: fat B****rd
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 03:51 AM

All of the above and Hello In There gives me wet eyes as well.
Throw Out The TV !!

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: mandotim
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 10:32 AM

I'm with you on the wet eyes, fat B****rd. I find there are some John Prine songs I have to 'take a break' from, and not sing them for a while. Hello in There is one of them; I sometimes struggle to get past certain lines without choking up completely. The man is a genius; he can crack you up with laughter or tears in three verses and a couple of choruses, no problem.
Tim

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:00 PM

How often do you get to hear a joke embedded in the lyrics?

"For the life of me, I could not see
But I heard a brand new joke
Two men were standing upon a bridge
One jumped and screamed you lose
And just left the odd man holding
Those late John Garfield blues."

Thanks for the "Late John Garfield Blues" reminder...

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 03:00 PM

OMG! I completely forgot about John Prine until a few months ago, when I was trawling for American folk music to sing. I am American living in UK and attend sing around sessions couple a times a month. New to folk music, (only about 7 years so still in the honeymoon stage) I had been learning mainly English folk. But now I want to sing songs of my homeland too.

So I found my all time favorite from when I was a babe of 18 years. Paradise, still makes me tingle and am relearning it to sing at the sessions here.

But this thread (thank you so much folks) I am now going stock up on as many John Prine recordings as I can lay hands, ears, heart and voice on.

Amazing stuff.

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: Capt. E
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 03:25 PM

My favorite memory of John Prine is from the Kerrville Folk Festival and an incredible hours long jam around the campfire after all the official perfomances were done. I can't even begin to list all the songs of his that I love and his versions by other songwriters such as Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans".   Anyone got a pickle?

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: Bill H //\\
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 05:20 PM

Clay Eals book ---Steve Goodman: Facing The Music--is a great read and also show the relationship between Steve Goodman and John Prine--along with how influental Goodman was in helping launch Prine's career. Goodman's loyalty and generosity are to be much admired. The book has a bevy of wonderful pictures.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Let's talk John Prine
From: DannyC
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 08:36 PM

About a decade ago, I worked with JP's first cousin - Candy W. - at the phone company in Louavul, KY. We got to be big buddies... when our branch came under control of a Columbus, Ohio center, Candy got me to run interference for her when we went up there 'cause she had never been north of the Ohio River and thought them folks might have some funny ways.   I wuz a Yankee she could trust - everything worked out fine.

It wuz Candy and her branch of the family who brought their shared Granpappy down to the big weddin' in Nashville (she said Prine married an Irish girl). Candy says after the big bash on the way home to Western Kentucky, Pappy wuz riled up sayin', "Did you see all that food and flowin' wine. They spent a fortune... They must a spent evey dime they had." AND "I don't see what the big deal wuz about them guitar pickers. Ol' (so n' so) from home could pick rings around them boys down there." (Apparantly the reception featured a cavalcade of stars - Nashville cats.)   

Candy loved telling that story and I loved hearing it - every time. That's all I got for now...