Entertainment For Lively Minds
It's been a good day... I've just discovered John Prine's music.
Posted by Patrick Crowther on 6 February 2010 - 6:53pm.
Despite having known about his exalted reputation for years, I've never listened to him before. But I am currently playing Bruised Orange on Spotify and absolutely loving it. Particularly 'Aw Heck', which is the kind of humorous, feel good song that doesn't seem to get written much anymore.
I've heard that his debut album is considered a classic, but which of his records would the Massive recommend most highly? I've no aversion to buying best ofs, so perhaps The John Prine Anthology would be a good place to start?
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Learned something new
Thanks Patrick. I had never heard of John Prine until i read this thread. Over to Spotify and find 'Speed of the sound of loneliness'. I was unaware that it wasn't an original of the Alabama 3. I now realise that it is probably a well covered country tune. So thanks for the tip, off to listen to a few more.
Nanci Griffith did a fine cover of that song
some years back. She has a really hot band too; well worth checking out.
Yes
but is "you come home straight and you come home curly" a good line or not?
I've just seen that Ron Levy asked the same question...
a few months back, but I'd be grateful for more of your opinions.
God I'm loving Bruised Orange! The country guitar bends that echo the lyrics of 'Aw Heck' are fantastic: "They could torture me and stretch me like a rubber band.... BOING!"
Here's a J.P. goodie
And yes! The Anthology is damn near flawless.
C.
The man
Does a mean cover version too. This is simply beautiful and the most heartfelt, soulful singing performance i have in my collection.
The best one .....
....is his second, "Diamonds In The Rough", but they've all got something going for them. The Anthology is terrific from start to finish.
In Spite of Ourselves
...is one of the greatest albums ever, despite what Mr Hepworth says above (DITR v good too). It features a string of duets with various superb country women, most notably Iris Dement on the title track:
And if you like John Prine, you might enjoy Todd Snider too. Some of his recorded albums are a bit over-produced, but his live bootlegs, fairly easily track downable, are just wonderful, with plenty of Prine songs alongside those of Kristofferson, Jerry Jeff Walker et al - as well as his own tunes, and, best of all, very long stories.
Well, I'm going to keep posting my Americana stuff....
.....even though no one ever reads it.
I'll get youse interested in New West and Lost Highway eventually.
Patrick,
The self titled first album is good and many of the songs still show up in his live setlists today. Most of *these* are on the anthology double CD. "Souvenirs" is also a sort of best of. It's his favourite songs re-recorded. IIRC he won an award (Grammy?) for "The Missing Years" which is also excellent.
I would imagine you've heard either the originals or covers, maybe unknowingly of -
Illegal Smile
Spanish Pipedream
Sam Stone
Angel From Montgomery
Fish and Whistle
Please Don't Bury Me
All The Best
It's A Big Old Goofy World
Speed of The Sound Of Lonlieness
That's The Way The World goes Round.
"Sam Stone" would bring a tear to a glass eye, whereas "Please Don't Bury Me" releases different tears.
I know that
this has been posted lots of times but..................
Sam Stone
Possibly his best known song. All together now: 'There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes, and Jesus Christ died for nothing I suppose...'
His more recent
stuff is very good too. Check out "fair and square" from 2005
You beat me to it.
Fair And Square easily ranks with the best albums he's done. We took a copy to California for the road a few years back and played it at least twice a day. Highly recommended.
Here's the opening track played live:
a much under rated
artist that has lasted the pace a lot better than some of his more famous contempories.
Surely his finest moment
is this
That Clip...
...is taken from the DVD "live at West 54th" - and all the performances therein are equally magnetic. He's got himself a couple of really talented multi-instrumentalists backing him and we even get the bonus of watching him duet with Iris Dement. John REALLY like Iris Dement.
It's a terrific DVD and - if you're a fan or think you might grow to be -i urge it's imminent acquisition.