On any list I’d make of things that make life worth living, John Prine would be near the very top of the list.
What’s on your list?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
Hey, boo.
I knew there had to be an affinity that made me like you from the start. And here it is, revealed: John Prine!
I don’t actually know those particular songs. Nevertheless, here’s my list (in extremely rough order of importance):
Paradise
Angels from Montgomery
Illegal Smile
Spanish Pipedream (“Blow up your teevee”, etc.)
The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
Hello in There
The guy is (or if he isn’t, he should be!) a National Treasure!
All great songs. The songs I selected are from early in Bush’s second term.
Thanks.
I’d heard Crazy as a Loon before, but not (I think) Taking a Walk. Good stuff. The progression to far more orchestrated/harmonized/produced (compared to earlier stuff) is interesting. (Not altogether for the better, imho, but maybe that’s just me.)
Of course, though I’ve always enjoyed his live performances, in part for the “banter” (“happy enchilada and you think you’re gonna drown”!!!) accompanying them, I’ve also thought John is not the ideal interpreter of John (tha’d be me! . . . or, well, ok, if you insist, maybe Bonnie Raitt).
Thanks for sharing.
I love the production on Fair & Square. It gives the album a consistency and you can tell a song is off that album instantly.
I had the same reaction as you did, oaguabonita. And yes John Prine is a National Treasure. In fact, one of the former national poet laureate’s said as much. (Can’t remember the name.) I don’t know if this link will work, but here’s a great cover of Merle Haggard’s Clay Pigeons:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvFRfVsaXu0&list=RDBvFRfVsaXu0&feature=share
Cal Tjader, Aretha Franklin and Paul Weller are at the top of my list at the moment (though not together).
musically I must cite: Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Warren Zevon. Dozens of others close behind.
some Zevon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Rwu5yPUrc
BooMan, wtf is up with linking videos? If I view source I see that you’ve posted the youtube embed link same as I tried, but I get error messages
Your HTML has the following errors :
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(repeat for all specified attributes)
for comments, use the old code. There’s a box you check at YouTube for old code. Then you can enbed.
Chocolate chip ice cream
Butter
.
Barbecue.
Memphis style. Not the Texas crap.
Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change is Gonna Come’, books-even badly written ones and lots of good chocolate with the foundation of family and good friends.
What am I grateful for? Well for finally, at the age of fifty-six, getting to make a living with my art: selling it and teaching it. To be valued for what I can do and be recognized as a leader in my field is just about the best thing ever.
And also, getting health insurance. It’s pricey, but there is an enormous sense of relief to finally have good coverage after going without for many years.
I’m grateful.
Crud. I didn’t know about the restrictions until I posted. Sorry bout that.
It delights me to see you post something about John Prine, Booman. May I add that it brings to mind some of Tom Waits’ tunes, specifically “Jesus Gonna Be Here” and maybe “Down in the Hole” – tunes which are even more up to date now than when he wrote them.
-In Spite of Ourselves by John Prine and Iris Dement is the stuff.
Also Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows is an album with a bunch of really good John Prine covers by Conor Oberst, The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, among others. Six O’clock News by Lambchop would be my favorite.
Nice stuff–thanks. Reminds me of the guy from Searching for Sugarman.