"Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore” 🇺🇸 [+ Souvenirs] Facebook sources

From the 10th October the John would have been 78 

"Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" 

"Especially not with Prine himself watching the pearly gates.

Today we're celebrating John Prine's incredible life and music on what would have been his 78th birthday - Handsome Johnny in hand  While we miss him every day, we're so grateful for the lifetime of music, wisdom, joy, and love he graced us all with.

: John Prine on Facebook - Live at The Station Inn during AmericanaFest 2016”

The Bluegrass Situation

and of course if someone posts this (a favourite) I can’t get by without sharing

SOUVENIRS

Remembering John Prine (October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020)

Aww heck!

I have said before it was the longest time after John’s death (from complications around Covid-19 he ws the first ’star’ I heard it claim!) that I couldn’t play his music or watch him sing anything but I got there. We miss him sorely

Credit: Getty Images

He wrote about the problems of everyday life, about loneliness, the elderly, victims of war and those abandoned by the American dream, but did so with a blend of poignancy, anger and sudden bursts of humour. So he would sing about an injured soldier leaving Vietnam with a morphine addiction “with a purple heart and a monkey on his back”, about Christmas in prison, and then, about an advice columnist: “Dear Abby, Dear Abby … My fountain pen leaks, my wife hollers at me and my kids are all freaks.”

Bonnie Raitt, who covered one of his best known songs, Angel from Montgomery, compared him to Mark Twain for his combination of tenderness, wisdom and “homespun sense of humour”, while Bob Dylan, who admired his “beautiful songs”, commented that “Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree.” 

Robin Denselow / The Guardian 

In a career that lasted more than 50 years, Prine saw his songs covered by an extraordinary array of different artists including Raitt, Johnny Cash, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, the Everly Brothers, Joan Baez and many more. There were lengthy periods when he failed to produce new material – partly because of his battles with cancer – but his later albums were as original as his early work and helped him to win a new young audience towards the end of his career.

Australian TV

why between these clips they nearly got the whole damn song!!

So as this really annoyed me we will post a magical classic!

That’s The Way The World Goes Round (The Happy Enchilada Song!) in John’s Kitchen!

John Prine - Knockin’ On Your Screen Door

Kris Kristofferson from The Prine Family

 

Fiona Whelan Prine posted this:

On behalf of the Prine family, we were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of John’s dear friend, Kris Kristofferson. Their friendship was made of magic, and Kris was the long time North Star for John. He was a beacon of light, a fierce talent and a gentle soul. Our hearts are with Lisa and his family…

Kris was an important character in John’s story. They first met when Steve Goodman convinced Kris to go hear John play in Chicago: “The chairs were on the tables, the waitresses were counting their tips, and I was waiting for my paycheck. And Kris came in with two other people. We got four chairs down and I got on the stage right in front of him and sang about seven songs. And then he bought me a beer and asked if I could get back up there and sing those seven again and anything else I wrote.” Kris then invited John to join him at his NYC show which led to John getting offered a record deal from Atlantic the next morning. The friendship between the two not only impacted John but every country artist after Kris and beyond. 

He was always happy to connect with those who admired him; we appreciate the time he took to speak with Fiona Prine’s mother Mary (super fan). Though he was a giant, he was incredibly warm and human. He will be missed.

“Kris did more for me than anyone, without looking for anything for himself. I always make a point of telling musicians, and other singer-songwriters, that at no time did Kris ever introduce me to his music publisher or record label. He introduced me to people who were good people, and let it fly from there. After being in the music business for 45 years, I can see how rare that is.” - JP

Happier times - we are gonna miss Kris like we miss John

Songs have anniversaries too! “YOU NEVER EVEN CALLED ME BY NAME” [Goodman & Prine]

50 years ago today, David Allan Coe recorded “You Never Even Call Me By My Name” in Nashville’s Columbia studio A. 

Though it was written by both Steve Goodman and Prine, John passed up the publishing rights. “I wouldn’t put my name on it ’cause I thought it sucked, then it went to number one! That’s how I found out what a number one song is” (though, it never went #1 but rather #8 on the country charts.) Despite not receiving credit, Goodman instead bought Prine a Wurlitzer jukebox, which basically made them even.

The Maestro! John Prine : You Never Even Called me By My Name

Larger Than Life a Celebration of Steve Goodman

The genius co-writer (who got all the royalty!)

Steve Goodman - You Never Even Called Me By My Name Live on Austin City Limits

For John and Steve

Sorely Missed!

QUIZ ANSWER!! No. 3! And yes there WERE entries (several!!)

 JONDER FOR THE WIN!!!

so the ANSWER was of course John Prine!

Prizes?! 

PRIZES!?

What do you want for nuthin’? A RUBBER BISCUIT!

John Prine and Steve Goodman ‘Souvenirs’ on Austin City Limits

John Prine, vocal and guitar with John Burns , guitar and harmony vocal

John Prine - Live at the Point Depot 1989 - Full Concert

I Remember Everything 

The last recorded song by John Prine. Written by Prine and his longtime collaborator Pat McLaughlin.

How ya doin’? | JOHN PRINE - Pretty Good?

O My Soul

John Prine - Pretty Good

The Speed of The Sound of Loneliness (x2) - Nanci Griffith & John Prine

 Heck ’n' now I miss BOTH of them . . . . . . . . . so I’ll sign off the day with these two

John and Nanci  The Speed of The Sound of Loneliness 

The official video of them both . . . .  

John Prine notes . . . .

 

If you could sum up what was unique about John Prine’s work, you might look to what inspired him to write "Angel From Montgomery": a vision of a woman who feels older than she is, "standing over the dishwater with soap in her hands.” He so often found other people more interesting than himself - which only serves to make him more interesting.

 

Probably most John Prine fans know how he got started, how Roger Ebert walked out of a Chicago movie theatre because the popcorn was too salty — true or not, I love that detail, because it sounds like it came from a John Prine song — and into a little club where he saw this young guy with a scratchy voice and a steady picking hand, three years out of the Army and working as a mailman, singing songs that he wrote. Ebert went home and rushed out a rave review that, among other things, pointed out that Prine's work was notable for its complete lack of narcissism. Shortly after, Kristofferson showed up to marvel at him, strings were pulled ... and within a year, the mailman was a star. 

It’s one of music’s most authentic Cinderella stories, but there is something more to be gleaned from it than the fact that sometimes the good guy wins and the poor boy gets lucky. I think often about the fact that Prine was a soldier, a mailman. In fact he wrote most of his first album — a perfect album — on his mail route. This should serve to makes us mindful of how the mail carrier passing by the yard, the woman pushing the shopping cart with three kids in tow, the guy that fixes your car, the kid on the corner in the cheap shoes … any of these people could be geniuses, filled with strange beauty, wisdom, striking images and shards of poetry. 

But there will never be another John Prine: someone who's idea of an inspiring figure, worthy of an immortal song, was a tired woman washing dishes.

John Prine Fans Official

More John (Prine that is!) for Steve Goodman at his tribute concert . . . .

Always renowned for his brilliant intros and chat between songs, this one is especially warm for the obvious reasons and it always makes  me smile . . . . . . note: I couldn’t post Please Don’t Bury Me for the longest time . . . . . again for obvious reasons but again it does make me laugh so and let’s face it John more than most would appreciate how much we need more laughter right now!

John Prine - You Never Even Called Me By Name (live)

Song of The Day | John Prine - Please Don’t Bury Me!

SUNDAY SONG | The Singing Mailman - John Prine ‘Souvenirs'

 John Prine - SOUVENIRS

just because . . . . . . . . . I can now listen and watch John after we lost him to the first round of COVID!

This one for “Steve Goodman"

When Leon met John [Redbone and Prine that is!]

Finding out that two of your musical heroes once met is always enjoyable and this is no exception and really made me laugh out loud (there should be an acronym for that!?) a random photo with random notes and Leon and John would doubtless have fond memories too which might have made either, or both, burst out laughing , . . . . . . just another random synchronous meeting of the stars aligning!

 

"From a party over at John’s in 1988. Leon Redbone had just attempted to fix John’s jukebox by moving a couple of tubes around when we heard a pssst sound and some smoke curled up from inside. That’s when this picture was taken! Don’t know if it ever worked again."

Photo & story from Jim Rooney 

#JohnPrine #LeonRedbone

While looking for Bonnie and her response to the Golden Globe this past week I found this

Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, & John Prine, 1975

young, young, young

Bonnie Raitt: "There'll never be anyone like John Prine, we just have to keep playing his music. Tell your kids to tell their kids to keep it going." 

“Angel From Montgomery” was written by John Prine and was originally released to critical acclaim by Atlantic Records in 1971 as part of his self-titled debut album, John Prine.  (The album was subsequently inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015 and was also listed by Rolling Stone Magazine as #68 of the Greatest Country Songs of All Time). Reviewers and critics alike were struck by the maturity and folksy wisdom of the singer-songwriter and his subject matter. In the liner notes which accompanied the record, Kris Kristofferson commented that: “Twenty-four years old and he writes like he’s two hundred and twenty”; and in 2009 Bob Dylan famously described Prine’s work as “pure Proustian existentialism…. Midwestern mind-trips to the nth degree.” 

A cover version of the song by Bonnie Raitt on her 1974 album Streetlights helped to further propel the song to wide recognition. In a 2000 interview, Raitt stated: "I think 'Angel from Montgomery' probably has meant more to my fans and my body of work than any other song, and it will historically be considered one of the most important ones I've ever recorded. It's just such a tender way of expressing that sentiment of longing...without being maudlin or obvious. It has all the different shadings of love and regret and longing. It's a perfect expression from [a] wonderful genius.”  

Photo: ALAN L. MAYOR / Bobby Hotel

Song of the Day to Start The NEW YEAR off as we mean to go on . . . . . .

O My Soul

I will never not post this . . . . . . . . . . we miss you Johnny P

(thanks Alice . . . . as ever)

 

The Hello in There Foundation is an initiative established by the family of John Prine, to honour his memory and continue the love, kindness and generosity he shared with the world. The work of the foundation will be inspired and guided by John’s simple song title, Hello In There. For more info: https://www.thehellointherefoundation.org

Song of The Day II FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE :: JOHN PRINE | CHRISTMAS IN PRISON

O MY SOUL

John Prine: Christmas In Prison

It was Christmas in prison and the food was real good

We all had turkey and pistols carved out of wood

again thanks as ever to O My Soul for the reminder, great choice 

John Prine on Soundstage - Revisiting his home in Maywood, Illinois

 The time between Christmas and New Years (days that is!) are odd and filled with ennui often so after the miniposting of the track from John Prine t’other day here’s the whole programme. Enjoy!

I did!

Heart of Country Mewsic . . . . . . . . !

 I love this . . . . . if you don’t get it you can just leave!

Oh you know it!

Spanish Pipedream live on Soundstage 1980.

John Prine , vocal and guitar John Burns , lead guitar Bob Hoban , keyboards Leo LeBlanc , pedal steel guitar Tom Piekarski , bass Angie Varias , drums

John Prine : ‘THAT’S THE WAY THE WORLD GOES ROUND’ [first performance]

 Now I can finally listen and watch old John Prine songs and vids, I found this the legendary ‘The Happy Enchilada’ song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John’s first performance of ‘That’s The Way The World Goes Round’

John Prine LIVE in Lafayette GA | The Blueridge Harvest Festival 2003 | FLOPPY BOOT STOMP :: JEREMIAH

 Speaking of Classic Country (or US American folk singers whatever you wanna call ‘em) there is this from Jeremiah over at the HQ of American music + FLOPPY BOOT STOMP

JOHN PRINE - LIVE IN LAFAYETTE GA 2003 - Floppy Boot Stomp

It is only just lately I have been able to play John after his cruel and untimely death from COVID-19 one of the first public stars I noted who got hit and why I get so cross with the anti-vaccine nutjobs like Morrison and Clapton funding such shit whilst getting THEIR jabs

If we had caught it earlier we wouldn’t have lost MILLIONS to the pandemic! [yes it is, check the figures = 3 million in 2020]

John was one of those of whom we were robbed!

This is of course a late delight (2003) so thanks as always go out to Jeremiah and the boys at FBS and VW for posting all they do. I dedicate this triumphant concert to those guys over in Merka!

John Prine

Blueridge Harvest Festival

Lafayette GA

2003-09-17

Soundboard @320

01. Spend the Night With Me

02. Souvenirs

03. Fish And Whistle

04. Grandpa Was A Carpenter

05. Picture Show

06. I'm Just Getting By

07. All The Best

08. Angel From Montgomery

09. You Got Gold

10. Dear Abby

11. It's A Big Old Goofy World

12. Illegal Smile

13. Sam Stone

14. Bear Creek Blues

15. That's Alright By Me

16. I Ain't Hurtin' Nobody

17. Hello In There

18. Lake Marie

Look at that tracklist not a duff song on it!

Each one a classic

“Awww baby spend the night with me”

Visitor Dell dropped by and shared a link to this fine full set and concert from John over in Sweden on the 7th Feb ‘20. If anyone has links to the last gig on the 13th before John had to fly back home after contracting COVID we would appreciate it

Meanwhile here ’tis!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDQbmzYWYGo&t=1575s

John Prine, Full show at Gävle Konserthus, Gävle Sweden, 7 February 2020

“ I put out this album last year, ‘Tree of Forgiveness’. My wife and son encouraged me to do a new one and I thought I’d done one about a couple of years back and it turns out it was 13 years ago. Anyway the album kinda took off. Don’t know why!” John Prine

Another couple of John Prine . . . . . to end the day and raise a smile

 Knockin on Your Screen Door  . . . . .from John’s last album 'The Tree of Forgiveness'

All The Best