Hubby has everything he ever recorded, and we went to see him in concert a year ago. It was awesome. I think I’ve heard all the songs he’s ever written, at least once.
One of my favorite lyrics is;
“Your flag decal ain’t going to get you into heaven any more.” (Hope I got that right!)
John Prine is an American treasure. I don’t think there’s a better songwriter alive today. I was lucky enough to see him a few years back. My wife had to walk out because his lyrics were so touching, she started to cry. So, yes, he has some sadness in his music, but I don’t believe all of his songs hold a fatalistic view of life. In fact, in Spanish Pipedream, an exotic dancer provides the young soldier with advice to improve his life:
Ah yes, Spanish Pipedream, another favorite.
Within SP is a great example of a very clever piece of lyric that could easily go unnoticed if the listener is not paying attention:
mmm