# In Praise of John Prine **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263 "2010-07-02T02:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/21 "2010-07-02T16:51:59Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > He ain’t got laid in a month of Sundays > I caught him once and he was sniffin’ my undies > He ain’t too sharp but he gets things done > Drinks his beer like it’s oxygen > He’s my baby > And I’m his honey > Never gonna let him go If you haven’t seen it yet, they’ve been showing [Daddy and Them (2001)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166158/) on cable (several channels) lately. Prine has a fun role in it and he and Iris DeMent sing this song over the end credits. Southerners can easily relate to it and Billy Bob fans of all persuasions will enjoy it, too. John’s a natural and gets lots of laughs from just being himself for the most part. His scene with Walt Goggins (from The Shield and Justified for just two roles worth mentioning) is a rare jewel. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/22 "2010-07-02T17:24:36Z")
Cool, I’d never heard of Daddy and Them. I just Netflixed it. I have seen [Falling from Grace](http://allmovie.com/work/falling-from-grace-16653), though, in which Prine appears along with John Mellencamp and Mariel Hemingway. mmm ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/23 "2010-07-02T17:50:28Z")
I caught most of his set at Bonnaroo a few weeks ago. Kristofferson and some of the guys from Old Crow Medicine Show joined him for “Lake Marie” and “Paradise”. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/24 "2010-07-02T18:20:18Z")
Huh. I got my schedule mixed up. It was Fogerty I passed on for Kristofferson. I missed out on Prine for non-conflict related reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/25 "2010-07-02T18:23:18Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > He ain’t got laid in a month of Sundays > I caught him once and he was sniffin’ my undies Funny lyrics, but that album is all covers. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/26 "2010-07-02T19:14:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Big John Prine fan, here. I was in high school when his first album came out, and he was supposed to be the next Bob Dylan. Kinda went downhill after that, but that was one hell of an album. I’ve seen him play a few times, and he really is one of those guys who puts on a good show. Yeah, Dylan has never really recovered from his downward spiral 😃 I’ve been wondering: how do you pronounce his last name? Does it rhyme with wine? Or thin? Other? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/27 "2010-07-02T19:19:35Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yeah, Dylan has never really recovered from his downward spiral 😃 > I’ve been wondering: how do you pronounce his last name? Does it rhyme with wine? Yes ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/28 "2010-07-02T19:23:12Z")
We say “exactlyodo” in our house fairly often. I haven’t seen any live music in a while due to budgetary concerns, but have seen Prine solor, or at festivals several times over some years and never been disappointed. This thread inspired me to take a look at his tour schedule. The stars aren’t lining up for me to see him this year. However, if any of you are near enough to see him at the Tarrytown Music Hall in NY on August 1 I can’t say enough good about the venue. The auditorium is acoustically perfect, and it’s geographically well suited to having special guests show up unannounced. Wish i could do it. Nertz! Further investigation shows it’s sold out. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/29 "2010-07-02T19:35:24Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > I’m going to have to find the time to research this a little more closely, but I have a strong impression of John Prine from a roommate who used to play his records all the time. I greatly admired the way he wrote his songs–I recall that he got his rhythms just right, and didn’t depend on a lot of lazy near-rhymes. The problem I had was the persistent motif of helplessness: Sam Stone couldn’t deal with his memories and died with a needle in his arm; “Old people just grow lonesome waiting for someone to say, ‘Hello in there’”; even "please tell the Man I didn’t kill anyone carries a trace of it. He appears to think individuals are incapable of acting to change their own circumstances, and I find that a _really_ lousy message to send. Mr. Prine was asked “Why are all your songs so sad?” He answered “Who the hell wants to write a song when they are happy” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/30 "2010-07-02T19:59:36Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Funny lyrics, but that album is all covers. They weren’t all covers, and this particular song is a John Prine original. There’s a great concert DVD available - John Prine and his backup trio, and Iris Dement comes on and sings this with him. I highly recommend the DVD - it’s Prine at his best, and his backup band is tremendous. > [@askeptic](#): > > Mr. Prine was asked “Why are all your songs so sad?” He answered “Who the hell wants to write a song when they are happy” A lot of Prine’s songs have a sad story behind them, but many of them are also full of humor and biting wit and a definite spirit of defiance. “Sweet Revenge”, “Please Don’t Bury Me”, “Illegal Smile”, “Dear Abby”, “Living in the Future”, “Christmas in Prison”, “Spanish Pipedream”, “That’s the Way the World Goes Round”, and many others have a lot of humor shot through the sadness. That’s what makes his songs so great when you’re feeling down - it’s like listening to the blues, except sung by a guy who’s still got a twinkle in his eye and who’s ready for another round. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/31 "2010-07-02T20:02:41Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Mr. Prine was asked “Why are all your songs so sad?” He answered “Who the hell wants to write a song when they are happy” Much the same’s been said about country music. Me, I write a lot of songs when I’m happy. It makes 'em better! For me, it isn’t that John Prine’s songs are sad, per se, just that they present, and somewhat glorify, an approach to life that does no one any good. Some folks adopt it to justify their own lack of achievement, and others to foment a discouragement that they can then use to present themselves as the solution. It’s detrimental to everyone involved either way. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/32 "2010-07-02T20:22:11Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > They weren’t all covers, and this particular song is a John Prine original. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/33 "2010-07-02T20:23:51Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > It’s Prine at his best, and his backup band is tremendous. My favorite JP concert was just him and his guitar on stage with a card table on which sat his cigs and a glass of water. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/34 "2010-07-02T22:48:08Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My favorite JP concert was just him and his guitar on stage with a card table on which sat his cigs and a glass of water. Having seen Prine a few times…are you SURE that was water?? 😉 I taught myself how to fully realize the potential of my (key of) A harp playing to… \*You can gaze out the window get mad and get madder, Throw your hands in the air, say “What does it matter?” But it don’t do no good to get angry, So help me I know For a heart stained in anger grows weak and grows bitter. You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there Wrapped up in a trap of your very own Chain of sorrow. I been brought down to zero, pulled out and put back there. I sat on a park bench, kissed the girl with the black hair And my head shouted down to my heart “You better look out below!”… \* and how can you ever beat his duet w/ Bonnie… **Angel from Montgomery** Side note: Miss you Shannon! tsfr ---
**Author:** ![jrepka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@jrepka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrepka)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/35 "2010-07-03T18:24:46Z")
I bought his first album, without knowing who he was or what he sounded like, when I saw the song title: _Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore_. I was hooked. I eventually had to replace the vinyl disk (I got the first version before I knew to take care of my albums). I’ve owned that one twice on vinyl, on cassette, twice on CD (one was apparently ‘_donated_’ to a grad-school housemate that moved out), and now on MP3. When Sam Stone posts here I always end up listening to that song again. The only time I saw him live was at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, when he was touring with the _Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings_ album. He was big in that town, primarily because he got a lot of airplay on KPIG, along with other great niche artists like Iris Dement and Robert Earl Keen. He was interviewed by Elvis Costello earlier this year on _Spectacle_ on the _Sundance Channel_. If that is available anywhere I highly recommend it, he talks about what his cancer surgery did to his voice, how he’s now rediscovering his old music because of the lower register, and does a great version of _Lake Marie_ ([here it is on youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFF-Sv7eOgI)). ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/36 "2010-07-03T22:29:02Z")
Fond memories. Unfortunately, I have no effing idea what of his music I have, what format it is (vinyl or cassette), or where it is. I guess it’s time to start over. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/37 "2010-07-05T22:48:58Z")
He’s playing the Regina Folk Festival this summer and I’m getting excited. Last time he was here he told a story about being in the Regina airport with Steve Goodman after overindulging on the plane. A Mountie was staring him in the face and explaining that he was about to be taken to the barracks. At that moment, Steve staggered up and said, “Hi Dudley Do-right!” Without ever taking his eyes off Prine, the Mountie said, “tell your little friend he can come too.” ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/38 "2010-07-06T03:16:42Z")
I just had the fortune of seeing Prine play live on Prairie Home Companion on Saturday. He’s an amazing performer. I’d only heard a handful of his stuff, but really liked him already, and his performance proved that he’s somebody I’ll absolutely need to listen to more of in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/39 "2010-07-06T03:32:26Z")
I was introduced to Prine’s music by a boy I went to college with. We spent a summer sitting on his porch, listening to music and drinking beer. A few years later, I was living out in Salt Lake City. I was at a brewpub and John Prine walked in with a few other people. I almost had a panic attic and the people I was with had no idea who he was. I asked him to sign a coaster for me and had him make it out to the college friend, who received it in the mail. I finally got to see Prine in concert a few years ago (with Patty Griffin - amazing). ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263/40 "2010-07-06T13:58:39Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > Much the same’s been said about country music. Me, I write a lot of songs when I’m happy. It makes 'em better! > For me, it isn’t that John Prine’s songs are sad, per se, just that they present, and somewhat glorify, an approach to life that does no one any good. Some folks adopt it to justify their own lack of achievement, and others to foment a discouragement that they can then use to present themselves as the solution. It’s detrimental to everyone involved either way. Well, first of all, you know everybody has to balance, as they say, the courage to change things with the serenity to accept unchangeable things. And some things just can’t be fixed. I mean – like the woman in “Angel from Montgomery” – there’s you or I or anyone can do to get younger and farther away from that one big thing that every single one of us has to eventually accept. But also, songs can be about sympathy, and understanding that there but for the grace of God, go I. My life hasn’t been really challenged; I can’t say for sure that had I been wounded and gotten addicted to morphine that I could have kicked it. I’d like to think so, but I’m sure Sam Stone would have thought so too. I don’t see the song “Sam Stone” as being about hopelessness, but about compassion. And compassion can stir action, too, whether it’s funding VA hospitals or opposing mountaintop removal strip mining (“Paradise”), opposing mindless jingoism (“Flag Decal”), or feeling sympathy for our elder relatives (“Hello in there”). It’s art, so your milage may vary, de gustibus, etc., but not everyone sees his songs as defeatist or discouraging action. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-john-prine/545263.md?page=3)