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John Prine---for me, maybe the best songwriter ever.


MissouriPicker

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I agree with all of the above. John Prine is an amazing songwriter and has been a gift to a generation. His thumb and two fingered Travis picking (or whatever you call it) always seems to fit his lyrics and vocals perfectly. I've come to really appreciate some of his old stuff much more now than I did back in the 70's when it was fresh. It's almost hard to believe that songs like 'Angel from Montgomery' and Hello in There' were written when he was in his mid-twenties. The guy has always had an old soul. I hope he lasts forever.

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On board with everything that has been said about JP so far. I too latched on to Sweet Revenge and played it over and over and ...

 

One overlooked gem in his catalog is Souvenirs. He rerecorded a bunch of his early songs in 2000 and these new versions provide a remedy for the only complaint I could ever make about his music, the poor sound quality of some of his early recorded work.

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On board with everything that has been said about JP so far. I too latched on to Sweet Revenge and played it over and over and ...

 

One overlooked gem in his catalog is Souvenirs. He rerecorded a bunch of his early songs in 2000 and these new versions provide a remedy for the only complaint I could ever make about his music, the poor sound quality of some of his early recorded work.

 

Before I even got down to read your post in this thread, this was going to be my very message! It is staggering to me how good that record is. I am just SO glad someone felt the need to 'right' the wrong of poor overall sound on early recordings. I totally agree with you.

 

One thing that slays me about him is how good his early songwriting is. He truly is one of the best ever. If a songwriter can write even ONE song as good as his top 20, s/he has done something special. That's quite amazing!

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donald and lydia ...sunshine feeding daisies.. oh yeah for JP

“Sunshine feeding daises.” Yeah, Prine’s songs are filled with lines like this. He has a unique street-vernacular-way of saying things. Makes you think.

 

“Well you never know how far from home you’re felling, until you watch the shadows cross the ceiling.”

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Saw him a couple times back in the '80s and twice on his current tour. Can't think of him w/out thinking of Steve Goodman...JP's the absolute best, in my book...I hope his latest album isn't his last, but if it is it's a perfect bookend to a stellar body of work...see him if you can and if you've never heard his work, get on it!!!

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Leave it John Prine to show us which caravan we should really be suspicious of...

 

 

Caravan of Fools

 

[Verse 1]

The dark and distant drumming

The pounding of the hooves

The silence of everything that moves

Late at night you'll see them

Decked out in shiny jewels

The coming of the caravan of fools

 

[Verse 2]

Like the wings of a dove

The waiter's white glove

Seems to shimmer by the light of the pool

Some dull, blinding winner

When you can't help but lose

You're running with the caravan of fools

 

[Chorus]

The caravan of fools, caravan of fools

You're running with the caravan of fools

 

[Verse 3]

Love and devotion

Deep as any ocean

Don't play by anybody's rules

With your carousel of horses

And your unforeseen forces

You're running with the caravan of fools

 

[Chorus]

Caravan of fools, caravan of fools

You're running with the caravan of fools

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I've been a big fan of Cash, Dylan, Joanie Mitchell, and several others for decades, but this guy is at least the equal and possibly the superior of any. The simplicity, craftsmanship, and just being damn good are off-the-charts.

 

Yeah and if you want proof check out Egg and Daughter Day on his recent offering

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