John Prine
John Prine
1971
Album Summary
John Prine is the debut album by American country/folk singer-songwriter John Prine, issued by Atlantic Records in 1971. In 2012, the album was ranked number 452 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was later ranked number 149 in a revised version of the list published in 2020.
WikipediaWell, country really isn't my genre. Not by a long shot. So I wasn't thrilled to get this album. But I hit play with as open a mind as I could and, wouldn't you know it, it didn't suck. It's still SUPER not my genre, don't get me wrong. But Prine's lyrics are clever and funny and so sharp they cut. It's amazing to me that this album came out in '71 and still feels so daggum relevant. Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore is painful in its relevance. COVID-19 took Prine from us this past year and that also feels too close for comfort. What a debut album.
Man I love this album. I'm a bit biased as I was raised on John Prine, but even so, what a story teller. The humor he brings along with the poignancy of his lyrics about the human experience. This album is his least polished, but also feels like the most honest.
John Prime’s lyrics are so beyond what I might have assumed from the young man pictured on the album cover. “Illegal Smile” reminds me of a simple way to escape troubles in life. The clever lyrics can in one moment make you laugh and cry. ‘Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won’. By the first chorus of “Spanish Pipedream” I'd added the album to my library. “Hello In There “ is so beautiful… left me in tears. Then “Sam Stone” followed that up with a devastating song about the impact of veteran's addiction. Every song overflows truth with an emotional heft that can change you as a listener. John Prine tackles war, government, jingoism, aging, drugs, depression, relationships, the environment and a host of other topics with perceptive and unflinching observations of humans and humanity. The organ warms itself against the stark lyrics. The guitars wander from folk to country with occasional touches of rock to elevate the stories. Every song on this album is a gem. Experiencing them together as an album is a powerful and emotional experience. This is an album that will connect you more deeply to your humanity if you are willing to listen. An amazing work of art that I will listen to again and again. RIP John Prine
While the music is unremarkable, it is simply the backdrop to a masterpiece collection of folk poetry. Folk music is at its purest in protest, and on this record, Prine protests war, nationalistic jingoism, and the misapplication of Christian values. Reading the lyrics, one can't help but notice the more things change, the more they stay the same. Consider politicians with their little flag lapel pins as you listen to "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore. Prine, of course, throws a few apolitical and melancholy songs about lost love and heartache for good measure. He does it all with clever flourishes and a sense of humor, too. It is beautiful. I laughed, I cried, I clicked the little heart icon.
What a lyricist and storyteller. I was glued to hearing each line. The music is classic country, with a Dylanesque timbre, but his words are what sold me.
Amazing album from front to back. He's basically a country Bob Dylan. This is what country music sounds like when it's good.
I really liked this. I mean it was folk country, but God damn if you don't hear some punk underpinnings in this you aren't listening. This is the kind of music that makes me proud of being an American, without me having to have pride in my government, and be able to criticize the nation without losing my love for it.
very good record. powerful storytelling and so much emotion Sam Stone - wow, this one hits so hard. I was listening to the album in the background not really noticing anything when THAT lyric caught me right in the head: "There's a hole in daddy's arm, where all the money goes". holy fuck what a song. Paradise tells a heartbreaking story as well. great song.
cheeky hippie folk music unmistakably from the early 70's. there are definitely some clever smiles generated, but it's hard to love it given that it is for a distant time and place.
Really nice guitar melodies, but vocal twang a bit much for me. Angel from Montgomery is a beautiful song - Into the Wild
It's pretty country but more on the folk side of country. Having said that, there are some strong anti-war songs on here. It's not your modern red-state fishin'/drinkin'/Merica! country music. Though there is some religion-stuff in here. The songs do all kind of sound the same after a while and he's not the best singer. But in folk music like this the words/message are a bit more important than the music. And he's got some clever, enjoyable, and thought-provoking lyrics. TLDR: Interesting listen. Probably won't revisit much but I can appreciate it.
This guy's got jokes, but if you listen closely he also has a point or two. I guess Vietnam was pretty bad.
3.5 | Muy agradable country-blues con toques que a rato me recordaban a Rodriguez y a otros a Willie Nelson. Como dijo Casper, letras mucho mejores de lo esperadas, pero además muy buena instrumentación: desde Paradise, súper tradicional, con ese fiddle que es excelente, hasta algo como Quiet Man casi casi se sale del Country para darle con todo a la música como de protesta. Y sí me da curiosidad de escuchar más material de él. Como curiosidad extra, creo que es el primero que escuchamos que murió víctima del COVID.
Generally, I do not like country at all. Im not saying I like this, but I did make it all the way through the album for one reason alone - some of these lyrics are hysterical! I didn't love the music, or the voice, or anything really. But the lyrics contain little gems of comedy that made me laugh enough that I could endure the rest.
One of Prine's best albums, this is the country side of Dylan, but on the side that has inspired so many great alternative country and indie-folk bands. This is simple music with an attitude, a huge sense of humor and sarcasm, this is the way it should be done. Prine was an ignored artist most of his life, but at least his music became appreciated before we lost him to Covid-19. Prine will be sorely missed.
What a solid slice of Americana. I could get behind this country music
Surprisingly really good. And I noticed that after I found out it's not technically country I liked it better, which is something I need to work on.
An album I've been very fond of for a while now. Prine for me is a songwriter that transcends his genre, and connects with something primal and human. Lovely stuff. If country music is the music of the people, then there's none more country than this.
Country / Folk Wow, this is hilarious. Solid songwriting - made me laugh out loud multiple times. Every song is golden.
It took me a couple of listens to warm up to this album, but it's impossible not to feel its considerable charms if you stop and listen. The fact that this a debut album from a man who was 24 years old when he recorded it makes it even more remarkable. Singers can work for decades without reaching Prine's depth as a songwriter and natural talent for delivering a line. These are songs that have become standards in the 50 years since they came out, and you can hear Prine in practically every singer-songwriter who came after him. He exudes warmth, wry wit, and sensitivity with such ease in these songs. You know, I first caught "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" before I had really heard of Prine and I assumed it was some sort of post 9/11 song. No, it's just a sad testament to the fact that this nation perennially fails to learn from its mistakes. It's also a pretty brutal takedown of false patriotism, all the more cutting for how he delivers it with humor. "Sam Stone" and "Paradise" also highlight how the problems of 50 years ago are still somehow the problems of today and remain fresh all these years later. Favorite songs: Quiet Man, Angel from Montgomery, Far from Me.
Incredible song writer. Even better storyteller. Josh Ritter, Dylan, Prine. He's in high cotton here.
The first two songs I learned to play on the guitar are "Paradise" and "Angel From Montgomery". Prine is one of the great songwriters. For a debut album, you can see that he already had an old soul. I need to add "Hello in There" to my list of songs that I can play. (Brandi Carlile did a great version of that track on Colbert - check it out). I've heard this album all the way through more than once, and so many of the songs dozens of times. I was lucky enough to see Prine in concert once, and so many performances on TV. RIP John.
This record broke my heart and made me laugh out loud. He's a genuine poet and a heck of a story-teller. I loved pretty much every track (even Pretty Good with its glib mention of dog rape (WTH???)). This kind of album is the reason I'm here.
Embarrassingly, this was an introduction to me. I only knew the song "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore." I did realize that I'd heard a few of the other songs, whether performed by John Prine or other artists, but I was so delighted to spend my time with this one. Another walking into work smiling kind of day after listening on my commute. I'm having trouble thinking he was 25 when he recorded this. His voice sounds like he's been around and seen a lot more. There's something special about a song that's so clever or poignant you want to listen to it again and again, and by as many artists as you can find performing it. These songs all feel that way. (And I did.) I've missed out. I wish there were a voice like his in modern day music. We need it.
I never thought I consider giving a country album 5 stars. Maybe it’s the content I usually dislike as much as the delivery? This unpatriotic antiwar album works for me.
I'd never even heard of this guy before this morning! Lol. I understand he's big in the States... I love the album. Added to my portable music player before I'd even finished listening to it, and will definitely check out more of his stuff.
Beautiful. Just absolutely immersive listening. This is storytelling and songwriting. This is not folk. This isn't bluegrass. This isn't country. It's John Prine and this is music I can get behind. Highlight Tracks: ALL
Ahhh, the eponymous debut of a terrific song writer. The themes here may diverge from one another, but on the whole it plays like a greatest hits record. Prine swings for the fences here and connects on nearly every song. I suppose it makes sense - he had his whole life to write the songs that appeared here, and it shows in everything from the musical arrangements to the turns of lyrical phrase. I must admit that I've never cared for his voice, but he delivers the songs earnestly and with feeling. Top notch for the genre.
Excellent guitar, good balance of songs equally witty, powerful, emotional. I love John Prime. RIP
How have I never heard this album? Great from beginning to end. Albums like tis is why I'm here.
This is a stellar album. Prine can tell a visual story with just his words and is one of the strongest songwriters of the era. Really excellent album, and glad I got to listen to it again.
John Prine is an American treasure. While he always praised for his witty humor, it's his almost gut punch emotional songs on this album that get, Hello in There and especially Sam Stone, wow just powerful stuff. Yeah this deserves to on the list.
Such a talented lyricist. I listened to each song as if I was watching a movie, waiting to see what. Happens next. The story telling, he makes it so visual and through it all, even in the saddest tracks, he places humor just right. Amazing
I really enjoyed this more than I thought I might. The Americana that just drips off this album is so great and Anti Redneck its perfect.
I'm not the biggest country fan, but this is the type of country music I enjoy. It's also cool to hear all these songs that I've heard other singers cover in later years. Really appreciate how influential John prine was
Haven’t listened to much folk but this was some of the best folk music I’ve ever heard. Loved the general vibe and the lyrics.
One of my personal favorites, I know every word to every song on this album. My dad played John Prine records all through my childhood. Prine was an American treasure, one of the greatest song writers ever. This album is perfect. Favorite track: Paradise
Wow. Just… wow. Gorgeous music that paints a painful picture of a very real and imperfect world.
I'm quite baffled that I didn't know this before.. that's just right for me, really nothing to object to Perfection
I will always love John Prine. His lyrics are so balanced in profundity and unpretention. So wonderful. And oh boy is “your flag decal won’t get you into heaven” still relevant today
John Prine was quite simply, one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. He had the ability to tell the stories of others with striking empathy and humor. Whether it was from the perspective of the lonely old in 'Hello in There,' the story of a Vietnam War veteran who came home with a heroin habit in 'Sam Stone', or from the perspective of an older woman who never got to live the life she dreamed of in 'Angel From Montgomery', John Prine could be trusted to tell that story faithfully. His songs became instant classics and his loss will be felt for a long time.
4/19 Great songwriting, some somber songs delivered lightly. Standout Tracks: Hello In There, Sam Stone, Pretty Good, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, Six O'Clock News
Social commentary and protest songs in a country style! I really liked this. Pretty Dylan-esque. Fave track - "Sam Stone" - mainly because Spiritualized lifted some of the lyrics for one of my all time fave tracks "Cop Shoot Cop" from "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" and hearing them in the original song was one of those "oooh, so _that's_ where that came from" moments!
You know, these nasally folk artists can be tough to listen all the way through for yours truly. I really enjoyed the vibe of the album from start to finish, I try to absorb the scene being painted for me. And eventually the nose faded away and I just relaxed into it.
Illegal Smile has me hopeful about this album. I'm liking this wayyyyy more than Bob Dylan's Blood On The Tracks. Sam Stone is a great tune. Your Flag Decal would be a good punk cover song.
Wow. What an introduction to someone I have never heard before. Every song was really good
Much better than expected. Reminded me of Bob Dylan. Would listen to it again.
This album is an American classic! It's fire folk-country that represents Appalachia to the Mississippi river. There's a mix of sad songs and happy songs, but all of them are great and have a story to tell. John Prine had a perfect country singer voice and I'm sad I never knew about him until now. RIP
What a surprise! Country, dude sitting on a hay bale - but themes of environmental devastation and crippling heroin addiction in blunt lyrics that would be funny if they weren't depressing.
I actually like this quite a bit. I had pretty low expectations with a country record, but I was surprised by the songwriting and nostalgic feel of the album. Highlights: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, and 13.
Pretty good old school country; I'm not big on country but this is just a guy and a guitar and he's got some great lyrics. Not over the top party songs like the new country, but has a bluesy tone. Pretty Good actually kind of reminds me of The Hip in some of its lyrics. Back half is a lot slower, definitely liked the first half more.
This is a great album. This style of folk/country music can get repetitive but every track here is solid despite this. Don't know how anyone can listen to "Angel From Montgomery" without crying.