[R. S. Gwynn]

He could write.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2okOuZ8T_o

I knew a girl who was almost a lady
She had a way with all the men in her life
Every inch of her blossomed in beauty
And she was born on the fourth of July
Well she lived in an aluminum house trailer
And she worked in a juke box saloon
And she spent all the money that I give her
Just to see the old man in the moon

I used to sleep at the foot of old glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Well we'd go out on Saturday evenings
To the drive-in on Route 41
And it was there that I first suspected
That she was doin' what she'd already done
She said, "Johnny won't you get me some popcorn"
And she knew I had to walk pretty far
And as soon as I passed through the moonlight
She hopped into a foreign sports car

I used to sleep at the foot of old glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Well you know I could have beat up that fellow
But it was her that had hopped into his car
Many times I'd fought to protect her
But this time she was goin' too far
Now some folks they call me a coward
'Cause I left her at the drive-in that night
But I'd rather have names thrown at me
Than to fight for a thing that ain't right

I used to sleep at the foot of old glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

Now she writes all the fellows love letters
Saying "Greetings, come and see me real soon"
And they go and line up in the barroom
And spend the night in that sick woman's room
But sometimes I get awful lonesome
And I wish she was my girl instead
But she won't let me live with her
And she makes me live in my head

I used to sleep at the foot of old glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But much to my surprise when I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise

[Jim Moonan]

x
I am an old woman named after my mother
My old man is another child that's grown old
If dreams were lightning, thunder were desire
This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go
x
x

[Chris O'Carroll]

Car Without Flag Decal Gets Warm Welcome at Pearly Gates

[Roger Slater]

Please Don't Bury Me

When I Get To Heaven

[Jim Moonan]

x
Roger, that "When I Get To Heaven" is heaven-sent. Thanks.
x
x

[Roger Slater]

This one off his last album is pretty great as well. Summer's End

[Roger Slater]

This is one of his more famous songs, and justifiably so. I like this particular performance. Have a tissue ready if you play it. (Of of the comments says that he wrote it when he was 21. I don't know if it's true, and I doubt it, but extra wow if so). Hello In There


You know that old trees just grow stronger,
Old rivers grow wilder every day,
But old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say "Hello in there..."

[Jim Moonan]

x
"Hello In There" is superb. Here's some incredible video footage of him performing at a small outdoor gathering where he talks back and forth with the crowd. At one point (13:45) he is asked about the song "Hello In There" and he talks at length about how it came to him (part of the inspiration came from John Lennon's "Across The Universe"). Then he performs it. As good as it gets.
x
x

[David Rosenthal]

This hit me hard. John Prine was one of my secret, imaginary mentors. He is one of the voices in my head. He was as big an influence on me as any poet I can think of. I am awed by his ability to combine humor and sorrow in a single line or image, and his boundless sense of empathy (he wrote "Angel From Montgomery" and "Hello in There" as a man in his 20s!). Anyway, here are two of my faves (I have dozens of faves), from a brilliant performance on the now defunct PBS show "Sessions at West 54th," which a recommend watching if you ever get I chance (most of it is on YouTube):

Far From Me

Six O'clock News

--David R.

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Roger Slater

This is one of his more famous songs, and justifiably so. I like this particular performance. Have a tissue ready if you play it. (Of of the comments says that he wrote it when he was 21. I don't know if it's true, and I doubt it, but extra wow if so).

I think actually 23. But early twenties for sure. It is true. He often told this story. When he was a mailman in Chicago in 1970, he took a songwriting class. At the end of the the class, the students went to an open mic at the folk club, The Fifth Peg. He sang his first three songs: "Sam Stone," "Hello in There," and "Paradise." Can you imagine! The club owner hired him to come back and headline on a regular basis, I think weekly.

It was at The Fifth Peg where Roger Ebert famously saw Prine after walking out of the movie he was supposed to review, and ended up writing Prine's first review. This was all in 1970. His debut album came out in 1971 with all of those songs on it, so yeah, it's true and it's wow. "Angel From Montgomery" was also on that album, so more wow. He was a genius, no hyperbole.

David R.