John Prine

love the way ’pretty good’ sounds. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Strong 3 1/2

It was fun.

This was so much better than what I was expecting.

A pretty good country album. I like the humourous approach to songwriting and the guitar playing is nice to listen to but i feel like there are other country albums from the time that are better 7/10 Favourite: Illegal Smile Least Favourite: Far From Me

Honestly pretty good!

pretty good. I taste dust i think now. country hippie your flag detail indeed wont get you into heaven six o'clock news was crazy

A great classic country album. Each song tells a good story, and John Prince's voice and guitar are great for each one. I miss this kind of country, even if I wasn't around when it was happening. I love it when a song tells a story .

Relatable, articulate country/folk. I enjoyed this a lot.

Eigenlijk wel tof!! Jonas vond het heel leuk

Prine is another one of my blind spots. Loved the country vibes on here. The lyrics were great.

Loved this album. Simple but fun and enjoyable, there’s not a lot of country on the list so it’s nice to get some and it be so endearing. Need to return to this one later

listened to this whilst walking around my (going to be) new neighbourhood. beautiful sunny day, people enjoying the sunshine in the park. how perfect

muy buenos efectos/sintes, es del 71

Yeehaw!!!! I was having a very stressful day at work, played this album on my headphones to stop hearing all the bustle at the office and it took me to country paradise. It's rare for me to listen to country but when I do, I enjoy it.

solid 4, melodias muito gostosas com uma produção totalmente country-folk

This was lovely. I am not a country fan at all, but even with the twang in both guitar and vocals, I really enjoyed listening to this. He is just so witty and funny and weaves some great tales with some memorable characters. Definitely will keep listening to this

I was just reading a book where it talked about this artist. This is not what I expected to hear. This will be a journey today. Ok, this opening track is so catchy and fun. It’s what I miss about music. Clever lyrics. This album is fantastic. The music and singing is great and the songs are catchy and clever.

I love Paradise, what a great song!

Will occasionally listen to John, but it’s been a long time since I did. Country/folk with the lyricisms in the Dylan vein. Both funny and sad, the human condition. All as relevant as they were in 71. Musical instrumentation is fairly minimal, but still excellent but always fits as a vehicle for the stories. All are never less than interesting and a favourite, Hello in there is just achingly beautiful. 4 Star

I was pleasantly surprised and liked this a lot! I hadn't heard of Prine before, as I'm not generally huge on country/folk, but reading the wiki and seeing his writing praised highly by Bob Dylan had me intrigued. This album was really interesting to focus and listen to the stories in the lyrics, I wasn't bored for a moment.

This was Pretty Good.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

I have this album.

Surprisingly likeable for a country album

Альбом супер, песня Donald and Lydia просто разрыв сердца, тексты очень социальные, настроение уютное

I really enjoyed this one also I appreciate well crafted lyrics and the humor. Great character building - short stories to music.

Wow, what a songwriter. If I was a more frequent listener of this kind of music I’d put this on a lot. The lyrics are so good. The emotional affect is perfect. I will say that 45 minutes is a touch long for an album like this, for me. I’d like to explore other albums of his. But this one is for sure a must-listen that will go on my list. #313.

Hard to believe this was his debut album. So good. Highlights: "Pretty Good" and "Angel From Montgomery"

John Prine is unmatched as a lyricist. He can tell a story, turn a phrase, and take the listener on a journey all at once. Musically, it's pretty simple stuff that serves his words without any flash or attempt at virtuosity.

American song writing treasure. Highlights: Hello In There, Sam Stone and Angel From Montgomery. 4.2

This is an excellent album that gets better as the album goes on. I love "Donald and Lydia."

Some of my favorite musicians call this man their inspiration. Many of the great folk singers often refer to John’s work when asked about their own. He’s no doubt on the short list of the finest country folk singers of the modern era. Gone too soon, yet like fine art or a classic car, our appreciation for his music will grow. Unless he’s canceled… you never know.

I prefer John Prine over any other folk artist of that era

Overall Rating - 4.31/5 (8.62/10). (13 Tracks) Absolutely an outstanding album. I knew I recognized the title Angel from Montgomery (I had heard Bonnie Raitt cover it), Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore is even more relevant 55 years later.

I never got the big deal with this guy but I like this one a lot. Illegal Smile and Angel From Montgomery especially.

What a deceptively good album. I can definitely see why the session drummer was a bit flummoxed working with John Prine's take on country/folk singing (apparently thinking that playing with him was "'gonna be like milking a dag-blasted dog"), but I can see listening to this album several times to get the most from his lyrics (or perhaps some of his later work); in some ways he reminds me a lot of Townes van Zandt (I still can't believe nothing of his made it into this collection). The best tracks on this album are probably the saddest tunes--"Hello in there", "Sam Stone", "Paradise", "Far from me"--but all of them are surprisingly insightful and/or quirky, and I also really enjoyed the opening track "Illegal smile" (apparently mistaken for a dope song from early on) and the Dylanesque/Buffett-style "Good enough" as well as "Quiet man". It's also fun to read how well-covered some of his songs became (especially "Paradise" and the Thelma-and-Lousie-adjacent "Angel from Montgomery"). Thanks for a great and unexpected selection, 1001-Albums team (and Kris Kristofferson for hooking up Prine with Atlantic Records)!

love the cover "art"

Excellent songwriting.

Welcome to Bob Dylan lite. And not on a derogatory way either. Its just a first album that wears its influences on its sleeves. He goes for a sort of similar Dylan sound vocally. And the structure itself is Dylanesque. But he also pulls from country western also. And im less knowledgeable on them so I dont know the specifics but I hear it. Ive always meant to listen to this guy cause I liked the cover of a duet he did, in spite of ourselves. The viagra boys version is pretty sick and fun. Also that amyl and the sniffers girl rules. But there are a couple story songs here and they all have their charm too. Its a great little record and maybe ill get more someday

A 1971 album that emerged with the saturated singer songwriter boom and has subsequently been extremely positively reappraised. To my ears it’s a more produced version of early Bob Dylan, Arif Mardin no less. It’s all about the lyrics and they do strike a chord. I only heard about this guy when he died during Covid. I’ve enjoyed this.

Classssiiiccccc John Prine stays winning. Never heard the flag decal song and it’s as relevant as ever

twangier than I expected. didn't like it at the beginning but it grew on me.

Rating: 7.5/10 He has a great sense of humor, great lyricism throughout.

She don’t like her eggs all runny but I like this album

++: Spanish Pipedream, Sam Stone, Paradise, Pretty Good, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore, Angel from Montgomery, Quiet Man, Donald and Lydia, Flashback Blues +: Illegal Smile, Hello In There, Far from Me, Six O'Clock News 8,5/10

Really solid folk album.

I know that John Pine is considered to be one of America's great folk song writers. This album is a good example of why this is.

Nie wierzę, ale… podobało mi się. Momentami brzmiało jak Dylan a u mnie to komplement. Czasem teksty mnie żenowały, a country za bardzo countrowało, ale ogólnie dam 6.5/10 równane w górę. Sorry not sorry

Solid songwriting.

I can’t remember the last time I was so completely swept off my feet by someone’s songwriting. John Prine has a wry sense of humor, and he had me grinning from the opening track. But as the album goes on, he sharpens his jokes and wit, using them as weapons against war, religion, patriotism, the coal mining industry, and more. He’s got no shortage of one-liners (“I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve”), but I’m also really impressed by the structure of these songs. The lyrics reveal themselves gradually, the meaning of the song getting deeper with each verse. Great singer-songwriter album. I’d love to play it again and hear more from him. 4.5

Porra, que vibe massa, muito Bob Dylan mais country. Curto muito esse estilo Folk. Que álbum bom, não conhecia esse cara, e já me fez adicionar 2 músicas na playlist. Que achado. 4* pra ele.

Me surpreendi com esse álbum, vibe de estar no meio de Rancho Queimado, na primavera, aquele solzinho, brisa fresca. Músicas bem gostosinhas, tranquilas. Foi bem tranquilo de ouvir e acabei adicionando metade do álbum. Tem até a "pista molhada" dele. A música de história feels, só que uma versão mais game of thrones sinistra. A "Six O'Clock News" Não achei nenhuma música ruim, nada extraordináário, nem todas se destacam, mas são todas boas ou bem boas.

Actually really liked this. Very cool guitar solos.

Great, never heard him before but will check his other stuff out.

Why can’t modern country be this instead of like Morgan Wallen

The OG of clay pigeons, I didn’t know. A lyrical wizard. Big love.

Best song: Spanish Pipedream Nice find: Your flag decal won't get you into heaven

1/11/26. Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore, they're already overcrowded from your dirty little war! 8/10

Very good album!

A truly gifted songwriter.

i don’t know why country music makes me feel so warm, i have no connection to rural america, or the idea of living off the land and i’m not christian, but this just hits

Listen to this when you're hungry. Im not kidding. The songs are so yummy even tho music like that was never my style. The songs give me great feelings and I really didn't expect that

It is a strong record and was enjoyable to listen to. The melodies are catchy and the lyrics are good, particularly the ones that tell a story.

I was impressed by this. Not generally a fan of any of the genres here, but this was what singer-songwriter should be: Meaningful lyrics and instrumentation that is interesting but not the focal point. It works here, and was engaging enough throughout. I was not expecting to like this, but it surprised me, and ends up getting 4 stars.

A solid, solid debut album. Soulful lyrics and a catchy country twang is what gives makes this album stand the test of time.

i really like the songwriting its rly attention grabbing and charming.

Such smart songwriting (of course). By itself, “Angel from Montgomery” would get me pretty close to four stars. But there’s a lot more. And Prine’s quirky vocals absolutely suit the material.

8/10 Very good. Lyrically, it's Dylan-esque, with a slightly human edge. Musically, it's country - maybe a bit too much at times to make this a Great album

Loved this the first time I listened to it not long ago.

John Prine is prime folk music. Great when you're in a specific mood for it. One live performance that I wish I fully appreciated more when I saw him.

These songs made me think of all the elementary school teachers I had in the early 80’s who would fill our choir repertoires with the folk music they’d lived 10 years earlier. Every one of these songs could have fit easily into those duotangs. Even the ones about drugs.

For the songs others have covered, I usually like their versions better than John Prine's version, but his songs are incredible.

A high, nasal voice (but can really hold a note); deceptively simple folk-style guitar arrangements; beautiful, poetic, sometimes funny lyrics about ordinary people, political satire, and emotional experience - I feel like the person Bob Dylan fans seem to describe when they rave about him has actually been John Prine all along. Unlike Dylan, Prine can really sing (though his voice is still a bit of an acquired taste). I kind of loved this, though the style is not something I'd reach for to listen to regularly

can’t really handle country, but this was on the good side

Lyrics normally just kinda bounce off my head without landing but these were an incredible work of art

Definitely need to do a deep dive into John Prine. I only know a few of his songs. Crazy to think I've never any of his songs on the radio.

Really good album. Witty and poignant, Prine's debut is a classic. "Illegal Smile" and "Flag" are favorites if mine and the whole album is worth listening to. 4/5 Will listen again

[Chorus] But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore

The great thing about John Prine's lyrics are that you can take them at face value and they're great as-is, but if you dig a little deeper and deeper, they start revealing something greater. The accompanying music provides a great beat and rhythm, nothing revelatory musically though. But the biting cynicism in his lyrics were always the focus of his songs. Most of his lyrics have proven to be timeless, both fortunately and unfortunately, but also, not every song is completely and totally on point. Regardless, he was a phenomenal lyricist and knew how to get to the point he wanted.

Good album

Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore.

The voice and lyrical quality of Bob Dylan but slightly boring music. 3.6 stars

It's just casual country songs, theyre ok. He really likes talking about Jesus or how like no one he's met is like Jesus, which like, go off man lmao. 7/10

i like country

Loved the lyrics! So clever, funny, poignant, thought provoking,. Kept waiting for the next song just because he was so much fun as well as emotional to listen too. 4/5 (Didn't Love the voice)

Have a little fun, hot dog bun, my sisters a nun. That topless lady had something up her sleeve. Blow up your TV- throw away your paper... I'm not 10 minutes into this album and I've been hit with so many gems I feel like a jewelry maker. You can tell some artists just have a closer connection with the muse than ordinary people.

‘While digesting Reader’s Digest in the background of the dirty bookstore…’ ‘I’m just trying to have me some fun, well done, hot dog bun, my sister’s a nun.’ There’s also a line about a topless dancer with a trick up her sleeve somewhere in this. With lines like these, even haters of country have to crack a corny smile. Prine is a wholesome charmer from a time and milieu very particular to those of us who grew up in the Midwest. This guy could’ve been my uncle or my baseball coach. I’m not sure if this exact sort of personality type exists anymore, since ‘the kind and simple homesteader’ in middle America has been replaced by the ‘unstudied yet seethingly aggressive political conspiracy theorist,’ thanks to social media. But, listening to Prine takes me back to those better days, and reminds me that ‘simple’ is a deception. One can find ample poetry, feeling, and protest in these songs. I do speculate that Dylan had so many kind words to say due to the blatant influence Prine shows from Dylan’s work. He was flattered. I’m sure it made Dylan feel as though this was evidence in the flesh that he was shaping the course and sound of folk music. Would we still listen to Prine without Dylan’s endorsement? It’s difficult to say, but despite the obvious baton-taking, this is probably the third time I’ve listened through this John Prine album, and I’m always pleased all the way through and after.

I'm not a big country fan, which if I'm being honest about my criticism is probably the main thing keeping this from 5 stars. Because if I do choose to listen to country, this is the type of stuff I want to hear. Prine's lyrics are especially interesting and at times quite quirky and funny. This really wasn't what I expected, and even though I don't see myself returning to it often (or even at all), I'm glad I listened to it.

huge range of emotions on here, very classic

If you’d have told me this was Bob Dylan I would’ve believed you. Simpsons: No

4.5

This Prine was fine. I liked the time changes on the opening track. The clear standout to me was “Paradise”. Overall a really nice listen. Rounding up. 3.5/5

Always been a Prine fan. This one really survives based on the very clever, witty and pertinent lyrics. He’s really an excellent story teller with each song spanning a gamut of emotions. Good stuff that is still very relevant today.

Hard not to find beauty in the simplicity of this. Can get down with this almost anytime

Love me some John Prine. I did his cheeky lyrics. Tempted to go full stars on this one, but not sure it reaches that level. Good stuff. 4/5

One of the best country albums I've had the pleasure of hearing. It's a shame that John Prine is unknown in the UK. The first few songs on "Self-Titled" are perfect. There's nothing else I can say about this album. I hope I get an album that's just as good or better, 4 stars for "Self-Titled".

Never listened to John Prine before, loved that he’s based and wholesome Raffi for adults, per me.

when john prine said "hotdog bun, my sister's a nun" i really felt that. a few years ago, i got really big into sierra ferrell, which meant i wasn't far from discovering prine. in truth, i had no idea who he was until i began my foray into a genre i thought i hated; pretty quickly, i understood what all the fuss was about. when it comes to folk, i of course knew bob dylan and joan baez, and maybe a few more if someone had mentioned a name aloud. i can't believe i had been missing out on john prine! it's folk, blues, country-- everything all together. so nice. what i love about john prine's approach is that it's extremely accessible poetry. nothing about the instrumentation is technically impressive or difficult, and it doesn't need to be. it sounds as reasonable as anything else from its era. it's just easy. but his lyrics are punchy and raw, telling important and politically charged stories that were indeed braver than many of his contemporaries. tonally, it's obvious he wasn't concerned with any blowback, and i love that about him. his complete affability in his songs makes me laugh. can you imagine all the red-faced conservatives angry about antiwar lyrics from their singer-songwriters during america's conquest against the atheistic communism? come on now. learn your roots, fellas. while there's certainly a quality of similitude between most of these songs, it didn't make the album less of a joy to listen to. also, i hate to let my rating be influenced *too* much by legacy, but seriously, prine is the reason artists like sierra ferrell (and others) get to be as well-beloved as they are in 2025. plus, people are still covering "Paradise" and probably will be forever. love that.

Like an audiobook set to music. An entertaining listen, not sure I’d come back to it, but defintely worth the time.

Godfuckingdamnit this is how it's done. Up there with the likes of The Byrds, Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons as far as being forebears of what we would now call alt country, John Prine is the embodiment of what hackish music journos would call a "songwriter's songwriter." He might not have been the biggest mainstream star, but pretty much anyone in the country/folk/Americana sphere with any sort of cultural cache will sing his praises endlessly. Bob Dylan once compared him to Proust—a stark contrast to that one time Bob Dylan got angry at me in 2019 (But at least he thought about me. ) Anyway, what John Prine is best at (and maybe is, in fact, THE best at), is crafting entire worlds within the span of a 3-4 minute song. There's so many songs out there that purport to "tell stories" but are effectively meaningless until you've been told what they're about and they become retroactively clever. But John Prine's songs don’t require explanation or close reading. They are effectively full on studies of characters who feel real, fleshed out, rounded, without needing to engage in too much interpretation. By the time Sam Stone dies of that overdose, you know him. There’s an image in your mind. You know things about this man that the song never tells you. But you know him. Excluding choruses, "Angel from Montgomery" is 3 verses, 12 lines. And yet, again, you can envision the subject and understand basically everything about her just from that sparse description. I've always interpreted "Hello In There" as a companion song, the perspective of the husband/old man/child that’s grown old/cowboy from "Angel from Montgomery"... just two sad people whose lives didn't go how they always thought they would. I’m not smart enough to read Proust but I can definitely apply some of that Hemingway iceberg shit to these songs. And the older I get, the more I can relate to some of these ideas. "Blow up your iPhone" doesn't sound as good as "blow up your TV" but the sentiment is the same. Just unplugging and living a real life. I dig that more and more every day. Growing up in an area that has basically been demolished by coal mining, "Paradise" is really personal to me.. I also used to play against Muhlenberg County's Quiz Bowl team and they were nice people. When I’m president, “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” will be the national anthem. I love John Prine. I love this album.

I’ve only half-listened to John Prine in the background, reducing it to just some twangy folksy stuff that was only ok. Like bourbon, I thought Prine was something I was expected to enjoy because I’m from Kentucky. And like bourbon, if you give Prine a chance and acquire the taste, it’s an absolute delight. On this album, he spins tales of war, drugs, exploiting earth, and death that have the burn of a barrel proof bourbon. The sliding guitars, vibrato of Prine’s voice, and sweet chords make you feel the warmth of a toasted oak whiskey. Overall it’s a rich experience that pairs perfectly with Woodford Reserve Double-Oaked 45.2% alcohol by volume. GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.

Prine classic!

Kjekt å oppdage! Veldig mykje som minnar veldig om Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited

I see Bob Dylan really liked this and I can see it. It is a bit of a hick Bob Dylan, not that that's a bad thing. I don't think it has quite that same legacy aura, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Surprisingly entertaining and funny clever lyrics

bon c'è your flag decal ecc.. anche oggi mi andrà bene :)

ok. 4/5 for the quirky uniqueness.

I loved the chill vibes with this one!

Man, country music used to be good. We had songs actually about the working class, anti war songs, ones mocking superficial patriotism. RIP to John Prine, a songwriting legend

Simple, delightful storytelling. An easy, listenable voice.

Amongst all of the other terrible aspects of COVID-19, it took John Prine from us. This wonderful, thoughtful, beautiful folk debut album is a must listen for singer/songwriter and country fans. Favorite track: Sam Stone

Brilliant songwriting, and I think this guy's voice is suited to the genre. I should give this album five stars, but somehow, despite some of the songs being intelligently comedic, listening to the album leaves me with a profound sadness that I can't explain, and I don't like that feeling, so I'm downgrading to four stars on that basis... Because while I would listen to it again, it's not an album I would want in my collection.

I didn’t listen to lyrics but I enjoyed the folky country twang

Exceptional writing

This is what people pretend Bob Dylan was, but much better. Beautiful, witty writing paired with a sweet and modest voice. It’s 4.5 if I could give one.

This would be a 2.5 at the most if it wasn't for the completely unhinged lyrics. This guy's nuts. Love it. Hot dog bun.

Sympathique et candide. Certains accompagnements d’orgue et de guitare électrique sont datés, mais rien qui ne dépare l’ensemble

Prime, Dylan, and Springsteen all were played a ton in my house growing up as it’s what my dad likes, so they always have a bit of a soft spot for me. I don’t always dig the sound on this album but you just don’t get much better storytelling than this. Incredibly moving tracks like Sam Stone and Pretty Good are the highlights for me.

Favorite tracks: Spanish Pipedream, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore I've never been a country fan so when I heard that twang in his voice I wasn't particularly looking forward to this album. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to it (even if it's one I likely won't revisit). The lyrics are punchy and unapologetic, and getting a reprieve from the Christian nationalism of a lot of today's country songs was refreshing (looking at you, Flag Decal). This album taught me that I can get behind country if the lyrics are actually meaningful, well done John Prine 👏🏼

This was in general more country than I typically like, but I recognize the quality of the songwriting, and there were a few songs that I thought were excellent: Hello in There and Angel From Montgomery were a couple of standouts. A very strong three. Actually, no, I think the songwriting sneaks it into four.

mi è piaciuto tanto ascoltarlo e molti testi sono davvero belli. è esattamente quell’album che ti senti in macchina facendo un road trip in america ma è stato anche bello ascoltarlo mentre facevo colazione nel chill

Un bell’album tra folk e country. Ascoltandolo sembra di stare in mezzo alle praterie sconfinate dell’america vera (🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸). Una piacevole scoperta

Yeeeeehaw! Let's go! This guy sounds like a twangy Dylan who actually took a singing lesson or two. Illegal Smile is a low-key hilarious ode to drug use. In part because I've never heard such a thing over folk country twang. But equally for the hilarious lyrics: "fortunately I have have the key to escape reality;" "hot dog bun, my sister's a nun." While Illegal Smile might tout the harmless side of drugs, Sam Stone hits harder to the reality of the situation telling a tale of an addict who only works to stoke his habit while his kids run around without clothes on. Such a sad refrain: "there's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes; Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose." Absolutely love Pretty Good. Nice sway to it and its a bit harder leaning with the distorted guitar and organs. Also love Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore as an anti-war anthem. This was a damned solid folk country album that covered a lot of territory. Some songs were very twangy, while others dipped into blues and psychedelia. Touched on some serious subject matter (anti-war, drugs, civil rights), but did so with almost a black humor to it. I'll say this isn't one I'll listen to a bunch, but it was nice this morning. Soft 4.

Always have heard of this John Prine fella but never have given him a listen. That was some very good country and the type of country that I really enjoy listening too. Kristen Stewart and and Emile sing Angel from Montgomery in Into the Wild I am glad I was able to pull that form my brain when I heard it. Great movie, great song. Solid 4 for being a top tier country album

Hot dog bun my sisters a nun. RIP! I have a very soft spot for John Prine. My Dad pretty much raised me on some of his albums, and while I'm not a huge country person he scratches a certain itch. Sam Stone is an absolute classic. I randomly sing the chorus to myself here and there. Same with Angel From Montgomery. Enjoyable stuff all around. Glad we got a Prine album on here

When I woke up this morning, things were lookin' bad Seem like total silence was the only friend I had Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won And it was twelve o'clock before I realized that I was havin', no fun Very relatable.

It pains me a little to give this beautiful album just four stars, but while I thoroughly enjoyed re-listening to it and John Prine is clearly one of the greatest songwriters, I feel like the album itself is more of a collection of very good to great songs, and not really an album, with a specific arc or a “story” told through the songs. Maybe that’s an unreasonable request, but was unfortunately somewhat limiting to my enjoyment of the listening experience. Alas, I still love you John. You are one of the greatest.

John Prine is a legendary songwriter and I'd really like to spend more time digging into his discography. Where better to start than his debut? Angel from Montgomery is a hell of a song to have on your first album. I'm so glad to finally have listened to one of his albums and be as enamored with his storytelling as I was sure I would be. Excited to discover more.

Good country/folk album. The lyrics have a Dylan-esque quality to them; I could see going back to a few tracks on here.

John Prine John Prine John Prine John Prine. AmaJohn Prine. The big haystack himself. Bill Hicks impersonator extraordinaire. We’re back after a long weekend (not long enough am I right fellas????) and ready for the year music leaked according to this list Illegal Smile - That’s right everybody, the libs are trying to make smiling illegal. Wait wouldn’t that side be excited about that. Who knows. Buddy lost a stare down with a bowl of oatmeal. Liked that line. The words are very interesting, but unfortunately, it sounds like Raffi for adults. Spanish Pipedream - American man goes to Montreal. This song is better. Small amount of grit has been acquired and the lyrics remain a foray into deep left-field. Hello in There - This is what it’s like to be John Prine’s pet and live in a small cage as he tunes his guitar. Hello in there. This isn’t the beautiful song he thinks it is, but it’s not as bad as I thought it might get. A decent exploration of monotony and changes that accompany the passage of time. Sam Stone - Now that’s a good song. Dark track about drug abuse and the post-war perils faced by veterans of war. The lyrics are very creative; non pretentious, yet extremely creative. Two thumbs up. Paradise - Hell yeah. Gettin’ real folk-y. Up in them hills type beat. There is a lot to be said about our personal attachments to places. I get a lot out of this. Pretty Good - YEAH! This rips. Sad and blunt with a beautifully catchy chorus. Such an attitude on this one. Love it. Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore - BASED. Listen up dorks. Talk about being attached to a place, but this time in a negative light. All these doofus nationalistic christians who blindly support genocides, both foreign and domestic in the name of their god or country need to sit and listen to this song until they develop some level of sentience. Might be awhile. Far From Me - Heartbreaking. A little more repetitive than the previous tracks, but maintains the lonely charm I’ve come to enjoy. Angel from Montgomery - All lyrics here. Song itself is bleh, but the words have me on the edge of my seat. I’m not going to be able to pen a dissertation here about what exactly each phrase means to me, but hey, each word tends to grab me and at least lurch my brain out of idle. That’s a victory. Quiet Man - News for me? Well here’s some news for you, pal, I’ve got nothing for you. This is a banger. Donald and Lydia - Buddy loves talking about the days of the week. “It felt just like Sunday on Saturday afternoon.” That line left a smouldering crater where it landed here with me. Some lines just speak to you directly and that one was phrased so well. Music itself is once again just fine, but the lyricism continues to blow me away. Six O’Clock News - Ugh man. This one devastated me as well. Never been happier to be depressed. Atta boy Prine man. Flashback Blues - Verging towards the riverboat. A boring close. Should’ve let it linger in the devastation of the previous track. What I would give to be able to write like John Prine can write. He’s like Bob Dylan without the performative pretension. The way he doesn’t over explain, but still tells a coherent story is truly masterful. The lyrics on this record have carved a path in my mind. I will be revisiting this work as the music was competent and I cannot say enough about the prose. This record made a big impact with me. Time may increase its value even further. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Spanish Pipedream, Sam Stone, Sam Stone, Pretty Good, Quiet Man, Six O’Clock News

Easy listening country

Okay, it's possible I should have been listening to John Prine a lot sooner.

Only John Prine could have a happy song about illegally smoking pot and the most devastating song you've ever heard about illegally doing heroin two songs apart and get away with it so effortlessly.

I also ways appreciate John Prine's ability to be so sarcastically sincere.

I wish this is what country music sounded like today. I really enjoyed the social commentary of the time instead of hearing about how great Friday night in a field is. Just the right amount of folk influence as well. Overall a great listen I’ll come back to again. Well done, hot dog bun, my sister’s a nun.

John Prine is such an icon. Great songwriting. Great story telling. Pretty underrated in the scheme of music. 4/5

Country-folk with clever lyrics and songwriting

Pretty nice country folk album. I enjoyed it.

bob dylan if he was more country and funny. can’t recall ever actually laughing at music.

Starts with the wrong song. "Illegal Smile" is goofy and nowhere near as good as the tracks which follow it. The album is full of great songwriting stuffed with witticisms, criticisms, and soul. It's worth giving a chance to because it really does improve.

Haunting buy great

Fin country med mye vibber

John Prine isn't the greatest singer in the world, but it gives this album a bit of realness to it which works really well for it.

Classic

Another melancholy, heart-tugging album. Sigh <3

Prine somehow is able to combine the contemporary and folksy country in both themes and music. The songwriting cuts deeper than you initially think because it is simple yet insightful. Wonderful album.

Dit is één van de minst vervelende country albums op deze lijst. Tuurlijk gaat ook deze kerel weer knauwend allerlei levensverhalen zingen, maar we gaan rappers er ook niet op aanvallen dat ze het n-woord gebruiken en het hebben over het leven van de straat, toch? Toch?? Ik vond deze wel prima wegluisteren. Niet te lang. 3,5 en ach kom, ik maak er een keer een 4 van. Ik ben een gulle jongen.

Absolutely devastating lyrics

Man, I'm blown away by how much I enjoyed this album. I'm not a huge fan of the genre (Americana/Singer Songwriter/Country-ish) but the lyrics and the simplicity of it all really resonate. The songs all feel very personal and the stories told still hold true in 2025. Well done and I'll have to come back to this one for sure.

John Prine was an American treasure and a great songwriter. I get how someone might not love a whole album of folk music, but this isn't "Johnny Cracked Corn". These are American stories, what John Prine was best at telling. Particularly amused by "Illegal Smile" and moved by "Sam Stone".

real enjoyment.

A real surprise. I have always heard the name and Clay Pigeons but only first time I've sat with an album. Loved it. 4.5 for sure. Every song is a story that means your full attention

Don’t really usually like country but this was a cool listen, really good lyrics and nice vocals. 4 stars

Good old John — a lot of sweet lovely songs that can be sad at the same time. A distinctive vocal style that is all his own and very pleasing. A fine debut. Heartily recommend Prime Prime, a greatest hits album from 1976, with 4 tracks from this album.

Fierce dreary - 4 stars for me, 5 for my dad!

8/10

Not sure why I’m so late to the game on this guy, but his songwriting really pulled me in.

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I'm not a big fan of country music, but once I got over the twang, I started to really enjoy the album's mellow and peaceful vibe. The standout element of this album is the lyrics. Every song told a story, sent a message, or criticized something in a creative and cheeky way. fav tracks: "Illegal Smile", "Spanish Pipedream", "Hello In There", "Paradise", "Quiet Man" 4/5

good ole boy music

Not generally my taste, but really well made. I enjoyed the lyrics especially.

I’d heard of John Prine but had never listened to an album let alone could name a song of his. I came away from this album with a legit respect. His songwriting is rootsy & intimate. Had I not followed along reading the lyrics I would not have appreciated this as much. Driving through the back roads of rural Pennsylvania while listening to this was a treat. After the first two tracks I thought I was going to hate this. I initially.thought how could this twangy hick music be appealing? I went back and listened to some of these tracks more than once and the more I listened the more it grew on me. Highlights are Hello In There, Sam Stone, Paradise, Pretty Good, and my favorite track is Angel from Montgomery, followed by Quiet Man. Bonnie Raitt & Susan Tedeschi each deliver stunning covers of Angel and take it to another level. His songwriting clearly influenced some of the greats.

The lyrics are unexpected and welcome! Feels Dylan-ish. My favorite is “Your Flag Decal Won’t get You into Heaven Anymore.” There are some special moments on this album.

I like country music, but with a few exceptions, not sung by male vocalists. Instead I prefer the female vocalists. I just don't like the affected tone of the male country voice. I just might add John Prine to the small list of exceptions. Lyrically this is excellent, and the songs hold your attention from the first track to the last, as each tells its story. Musically, the songs are engaging too. Four stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? Yes. Side one 1. "Illegal Smile" – 3:10 - What an excellent opener to an album and a great song title too. - 5 Stars. 2. "Spanish Pipedream" – 2:37 - 4 Stars. 3. "Hello In There" – 4:29 - 4 Stars. 4. "Sam Stone" – 4:14 - "With a Purple heart and a monkey on his back". This is a briilliant, tragic, sad song. - 5 Stars. 5. "Paradise" – 3:10 - 4 Stars. 6. "Pretty Good" – 3:36 - This is a superb song. The dry humour in conjunction with the stark subject matter. - 5 Stars. Side two 1. "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore" – 2:51 - My word this is so relevant today. - 5 Stars. 2. "Far from Me" – 3:38 - 4 Stars. 3. "Angel from Montgomery" – 3:43 - 4 Stars. 4. "Quiet Man" – 2:50 - 4 Stars. 5. "Donald and Lydia" – 4:27 - The coda to this song is beautiful. - 4 Stars. 6. "Six O'Clock News" – 2:49 - 4 Stars. 7. "Flashback Blues" – 2:33 - A little honky tonk. - 4 Stars. Total - 56 Average - 4.31

John Prine always felt like someone else’s artist. I didn’t know him growing up, And when you hear a name enough times as if I should have known him (and he should already be a favorite), it kind of feels like - welp, I missed that boat so why even try? Well I’m glad I finally was forced to listen. This is great. Super approachable, common man storytelling, Nice picking, nice slide - just comfortable music to really listen to or have in the background. 4.5.

Marvellous songs, full of the detail and grit of real people and their sufferation

This sounds just like Bob Dylan would if he didn't suck quite so bad. "Pretty Good" is an out-and-out banger. He's trying a little bit too hard with the album cover, though.

A sweet and quietly powerful debut. I hadn’t known about this unique charmer before. There’s a simplicity to his style—so understated it might be easy to overlook—but that’s part of the charm. It feels perfectly imperfect, much like the songs and the subject themselves. Minimal and honest, the album delivers lyrics that are deeply human—full of vulnerability, humor, and simply shared truths. There’s something affecting in how he weaves together brokenness and wit, all in a folky, country-tinged package. I was surprised by how much I connected to music I wouldn’t typically gravitate toward. John Prine has a way of pulling you in with his lyrics. Some lines that stood out: • “Your light is the sweetest thing.” • “Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore.” • “Beauty and silence both run deep.” • “…dreaming just comes natural… like the love hidden deep in your heart.” It would have been a treasure to witness him live—there’s an intimacy in his songs that must have felt even more special in person.

John Prine makes the kind of country/folk music I like. Authentic, honest, simple, and great storytelling. Everything on this record is delivered real easy-like, and some of it with a wink, all of which might belie the depth in the themes he explores. Playing around with language that toes the line between playful and profound seems to be his schtick; but he's so damn good at it, I have to respect it as so much more than simple wordplay. A stunning lyrical classic like "Sam Stone" is the stuff of legends. "Paradise" and "Angel From Montgomery" are also big standouts here, but "Pretty Good" is unimpeachably my favorite. The lyrics are kinda silly, but Prine finds a way to make them work and sound so earnest. It's a like a honky-tonk version of "Is That All There Is?" Finally, "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" is still relevant, 55 years later; only instead of referring to Vietnam, I dedicate it to all the Christofascist conservatives and spineless neoliberals play-fighting while the world burns. Fucking motherfuckers.

A bit like a folksy John Denver. Words a bit cheesy. Guitar playing can be intricate and deceptively simple.

Country Folk like Dylan, great tunes, lyrics

Fun and easy-listening country/folksy twang that has a very friendly and warm tone. Entertaining and heartfelt stories with a lot to enjoy and relate to. Top tracks: Sam Stone, Paradise, Six O'Clock News

Good country album, good themes, simple music good voice.

Fucking love me some John Prine

Been talking about summer camp experiences this past week. This hit just right in timing. I am fairly sure we sang most of these at camp including "illegal smile" (episcopal church camp). While the song writing is classic, I cannot give 5 stars for production.

Pretty Good and Illegal Smile are two of my favorite old folk/country songs. Much rather listen to Prine than Dylan.

Thanks sarcastic country man for reminding me that our problems aren't new, just often worse

I wrote out a big review cuz I was so blown away by this but then had to restart my phone and it didn’t save. The long and short of was don’t be fooled by that terrible album cover, or turned away by the country twang. Just really give it a listen and think about things today.

Pretty fun album to listen to. Great opening track. Great stories told through melodies.

Surprisingly this was the first time I've ever listened to John Prine album or song, but I loved it. The music was ok, and his vocals a little nasally and rough, but he had a lot to say. I ended up listening to John Prine stuff after this album ended for the a couple of hours.

Good country. A bit softer compared to other country my group has gotten, but its nice nonetheless. Solid 4 Stars.

"Sam Stone" is probably one of the most depressing songs I ever heard. Prine's vocal approach seems to be where Bruce Springsteen is going. Not that that's a terrible thing, but it makes sense considering the songs on this album seem to be similar to a lot of Bruce's sentiment in a number of songs. "Your Flag Deal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" really hits on the nose from then and even now, doesn't it. "Angel From Montgomery" was a very pretty song, I enjoyed it. In fact, I liked most of Prine's work here, even with a bit of the country twang that's in most of the songs. I don't know if I would listen to it on a regular basis, but I enjoyed it. Top songs: "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," "Angel From Montgomery," "Far From Me," "Six O'Clock News"

This is one of those albums that requires active listening, as the witty lyrics are far and away the best part. Or you could just read the lyrics on Genius, that works too. The country-folk sound isn't my favorite, but the poetry! Man oh man. Four stars just for that.

I guess I would call myself a John Prine skeptic. But maybe I’m wrong. Probably. This was really great.

This is a songwriting clinic! The music seems simple, but it has lots of unexpected twists. Prine is an amazing storyteller, and some of his lyrics are quite provocative for the time. I thought that bit about "there's a hole in my arm where all my money goes." was written decades later by Spiritualized' Jason Pierce! Liked Songs Added: Illegal Smile Angel From Montgomery

Some beautiful songs. Listened to this while walking around brooklyn.

first listen like this a lot

Solid Country music in Singer-Songwriter style

"Quiet Man" has good absurdist lyrics. Overall, though, this is pretty standard-issue.

I thought this was great. Country music with thoughtful “make love not war” lyrics. I was surprised it came out in the seventies rather than the sixties but 1971 is only just over the decade divide, I guess.

Wonderful!

I wasn't keen on his singing voice so wanted to give 3 but I do think the lyrics deserve another listen and that would probably lead to a higher score. So I give 4.

very relaxing and at the same time induces thinking

Country isn’t my preferred genre

Pure Poetic Story Telling with a twang and a steel guitar!

First album where I don’t even recognize the artist! We got a proper country boy here—I do like the typeface up top and how tiny it is, but otherwise I’d probably write this album off as not my thing at a record shop. 1 well that’s what my biases get me man, this is really great! Really charming, human folk that’s legit funny to boot— “A bowl of oatmeal stared me down / and won,” and “I called a rainbow down a one-way street / dead-end” are Mitch Hedberg esque one liners that both got an irl chuckle, and I just love the whole idea of Americana defending weed! Well paced song, I like how the chorus slows down a touch, seems to invite you to sing along. I like the instrumental generally, it’s impressively catchy given how forward the vocals are, good balance without taking the spotlight from the lyrics. I think there’s a bit of a drone or something in the third verse to accompany the more paranoid sobering thoughts, which I love, before silliness is reestablished by the totally nonsensical collection of non sequiturs that of the outro. Fantastic first impression. 2 Yo, based proto-anarchical Christian love song, erm, yes please! Okok 2/2 man this is great too, great story telling and cute as hell and I like how he says peaches and “For I knew the topless lady / had something up her sleeve” is goddamned hilarious (especially since she’s dancing the hoochie-coo lmao) and it’s all just likeable! Instrumental is fine, not quite as catchy as the first track but perfectly serviceable. Good! 3 The first two notes on the guitar are the exact same as the very first two notes of track one, probably not great for the variety of the album if we’re already repeating keys. I do like the electric guitar tone and keys on this though, so still a good sound. A bit more homey, folksy Americana on this, little less jokey— well done, though, just different. I like how the bass comes in on the chorus, really gives depth and heft. Lyrics are a bit less memorable, but still pleasant. I like all the names he uses. Ah, he gets a little quirky at the end— “a hollow ancient ass” sure is a silly way to address old people. Word to old people! 4 Keys on this have a bit of a steel guitar sound. Like the acoustic guitar panned to the right. Yo I know this song!!! I know a cover of it, but I can’t remember who, one sec. Okok I think I’ve heard the Johnny cash version. The line “There’s a hole in daddy’s money where the money goes / Jesus Christ died for nothing I suppose” is just an incredible line, and I’m bummed that cash took the latter half of that line out, kinda cheap. Strong, powerful song. Something like sitar at the end? Or a mandolin with heavy effects? Really cool. Oh, or I’ve heard it on Spiritualized’s song “Cop Shoot Cop?” Yeah wait it’s totally that, cos I remember the “hole in my head” line that follows. Cool interpolation. Anyways, fave of this album so far. Sad as fuck. Great. 5 Critique on the development over American nature, very progressive and dope. Folk and country often used to be on the forefront of what we see now as liberal thought, funny enough. Good song, even if the instrumental is not too unique— my heart breaks a little every time he says “coal train.” 6 Again, speaking to violence and the assault of women, not to mention religious unity, in a super modern way while still making a banger. Love the electric guitar fuzz, love how hard the rhythm guitar and drums are panned— kinda Blue Note. Third verse is particularly catchy, word to Allah and the Buddha at the last supper, funny but also poignant. 7 “I was digesting reader’s digest” is immediately funny, but the lyrics throughout balance wit and social critique perfectly. True cowpokes are anti war!! God man there is just not a bad song on here. 8 Huh well right after I say that, this didn’t hit like the rest of this album did. There’s a bit more nuance and observation than the average pining for a love song, and I like the glockenspiel bits and the hard panning, but something’s off. The pacing of the verse is kinda weird, or maybe it’s just a meter thing? But yeah, not quite as excellent as the rest of the record so far. 9 Hm okay meter of the verse on this one is weird again, don’t know what the drummer is doing— kinda hard to feel the picket outside of just up-beats. Lyrics are the most banal that they’ve been, I don’t care about an “old rodeo” as much as I care about the other specificities elsewhere on the album, and the use of fem pronouns is cool— probably a cover? Dope he didn’t change the words if it is, even doper if that’s just a choice he made. Still catchy enough, nice and bluesy. Just feel like we’re losing a bit of steam here. 10 See here we go, love the personification of the week days as time and information washing over the everyday, super creative. Very Bob Dylan for sure. New choice to repeat a couple lines towards the end, they’re not his best but certainly good. Liked it! 11 The steel guitar is kinda wearing on me, because it just sounds the same every time. Wish it was used a bit more sparingly so it could maintain its potency. I like the lyrics, very simple poetry in a cute way. Dreamy and kinda surreal, almost like psychedelic Americana? Prine really does have that thing that truly great vocalists have where he just says words and they sound special— “First breath from a baby” as an example. Really really liked the outro, wish that melody was used elsewhere, or otherwise just foreshadowed 12 Love the electric guitar tone. This really showcases the mixing of this album, everything is so forward and yet all sounds so good and balanced. Listen to that bass man, wow! Love that he sings about changing diapers, just something super humble and cute about it. Oh god sad sad lyrical turn in the third verse. Damn, really recontextualizes the whole thing. Lovely losing about being grateful for the small parts of a domestic life. 13 Whoa, jaunty closer! Wouldn’t have guessed that, thought we were kinda winding down— fiddle? Woo! Fun! I’m square dancing yeehaw, lil ragtime piano? Best guitar solo on the album! Damn dude great stuff just a really catchy fun song. Really really good record overall!.

Timbro della voce molto simile a Dylan, leggo che infatti piaceva molto a lui. Sarebbe da riascoltare in maniera più concetrata per le storie

Sam Stone is one of the most devastatingly sad songs of all time.

Good but has a couple boring songs.

Now this... is what country music should be like. Why isn't more country music like this?! What is it about John Prine's self-titled debut that I love so much? Well, let's talk about it. This album kind of feels like a country take on something like a Bob Dylan album, which is honestly not a bad thing. Part of this comes from the singing, which is kind of Dylan-esque in a way, but is also just kind of what country singing is like a lot of the time. Still, I think it fits the theming of the album. The instrumentation is quite enjoyable. It's definitely on the more mellow end of the genre, which I've always preferred. There aren't really any particular songs that stand out for musical reasons, but I also can't say that these songs all sound the same. The instrumentation of the songs isn't the focus here though. See, there's another reason why I and many others have compared this to a Dylan album. That, of course, is the fact that John Prine's songwriting is just excellent. There's so much to unpack here with these songs and lyrics. The storytelling of songs like "Angel from Montgomery" and "Spanish Pipedream" really shows off some considerable talent for the craft. I said that the songs don't particularly stand out for musical reasons, but the themes of each song really do the heavy lifting in regards to creating stand-out songs. You have some songs that manage to actually be pretty funny and entertaining like the opener, "Illegal Smile" balanced out by melancholic war tunes like "Sam Stone." I love it. The songs have aged remarkably well too. The fact that a song like "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" was written in 1971 is stunning to me. This song feels like a perfect embodiment of post-9/11 America, so to hear something like this 30 years prior is crazy. I love it though. It goes to show how ahead of his time John Prine was. Overall, this might just be the best country album I've heard yet. Between the solid musicianship and phenomenal songwriting, this album has stood the test of time as a classic of the country genre. High 4/5.

I really love the lyrics and the stories, but the music is not necessarily my style. Solid 3.5.

RIP Mr Prine

Nice!

Fav songs: Paradise; Pretty Good; Donald & Lydia Never heard of this artist before and thoroughly enjoyed the album's humor. If you're a fan of folk-country, you cannot go wrong here. As an aside, I already knew how to pronounce Muhlenberg before listening to Paradise due to where I grew up. Did not ever occur to me there is likely an umlaut missing over the 'U'. 😊

Songwriting and storytelling was really entertaining on this album, and I thought the production was really good. I can only take John Prine in batches, so I started to get a little tired of his voice and the similar song structures throughout the album. Still had a good time listening to the stories, though. He isn't known for his vocal melodies, but there were some pretty guitar picking and chord progressions. I'm thinking on a soft 4. Favorite songs: Illegal Smile, Hello in There, Pretty Good, and Six O'Clock News, Sam Stone

Maybe I've just been in a weird place emotionally recently but this album made me cry. Probably the best album I'm giving a 4.

While the actual music may sound like unassuming country/follk, the lyrics and subject matter are deep. Death, war, alcoholism, coal mining/environmentalism, death, and rape. Deep stuff. That fact makes this much more appealing to me.

hoooooweeeee

Väldigt 60-tal, folk, tidig singer-song writer. Dylanesque! Men raka sköna 60-tals arrangemang och stabil sång. En fyra, skulle kunna vara en femma om man gav honom chansen och verkligen djuplyssnade, tog in texterna.

This is very good. I really like this country folk style of music. The songs were excellent with great lyrics.

Actually some good country

I'd never listened to this before but it was a great find. I'm not typically into this kind of music, but these are some great lyrics and stories.

3.8 2x surprised as a solid country album with folk influence

Before 1001 Albums I knew of John Prine but really hadn't listened to him. Even though he tends to Country which isn't my gig, I have really enjoyed this album for both the song lyrics and the music on it. Standouts are "Paradise" , "Pretty Good" , "Angel from Montgomery" and "Quiet Man" although I really should include "Flashback Blues" :D.

drei bis vier Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore Six O'Clock News

A pretty sentimental and passionate "classic" country album. I know nothing about John Prine, but it's easy to tell (and hear) that he was a talented songwriter who drew inspiration from the everyday man/woman. The fact that Prine was 24 while recording all of this makes the previous sentence all the more impressive. The music itself is a bit simplistic and unremarkable, but it's the poetry that really shines here. 8/10

I wasn’t initially sold until I got to Your Flag Decal, and it clicked. I enjoy a folksy, country tune. But the biting satire of patriotism not making you a good person was a refreshing change from a genre often oversaturated in religious sentiment.

A guy from Chicago who made it with country/folk music. I recall seeing him on SNL long ago (maybe even season 1), but I don’t recall what he sang on the show. This album exceeded my expectations, and it makes me wonder whether the guy who compiled this 1001 albums list included country western artists. Maybe he doesn’t consider this one country western?

John Prine is one of those artists I've heard all the reverence for but haven't listened to his stuff much. Or at least I thought that was the case and then I listened to this album and recognized so much of it. He was the real deal.

You’ll laugh and you’ll cry listening to these observations from God’s own down to Earth Mail man

Great country music.

Well, this is very twangy and nasaly - I was all ready to set fire to this album, but then I listened to it a little closer. "There's a hole in daddy's arm, where all the money goes." Sometimes it's good to go outside of your bubble.

I'm surprise how much I enjoyed this! I do not typically listen to country music, but I like how laid back and listenable this is.

I normally dread when I get an album by a singer/songwriter as often times they feel over represented on this list. I knew a couple of his songs going in and was expecting I would enjoy those and be turned off by the other tracks on the album. I was surprised to find myself quite pleased with the whole album. I had to pause when I got to today's rating and think before ultimately choosing 4 stars as it was almost a 5.

Gute Texte auch

Bonito album de country. Un buen descubrimiento

One of my favorite bumper stickers that I’ve seen said “John Prine is pretty good”. Such a fantastic understatement. This guy told stories like no other. One of my big regrets is missing him in concert last time he came through my town since he died shortly after.

Story- songs about regular people.

Nice album, good country music

Good album. I like his story telling skills spiced with humor. I find listening to him very calming.

I like it. Not really creaveable music, but I gotta give 4 stars to my hometown boi.

The music is relatively simple, but the lyricism is great. It mixes humor with seriousness well, and has a lot of clever wordplay. I thought Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore was especially a good listen, since the message hasn't really changed in the last fifty years.

That’s how I wished Bob Dylan would sound like

John Prine is underrated as a song writer/influential artist and this is probably his best album (though I can’t claim to have listened to the whole catalog)

Love John Prine. Great album, though i do prefer his later work. This oscillates between fun songs about life to criticisms of our society and government. Repeats: Spanish pipedrram, your flag decal, far from me, angel from Montgomery

John was a national treasure

Hometown hero here. Some of the best lyrics in country rock.

Great country

John Prine’s self-titled debut has everything you’d expect from a ‘70s country/folk album — plenty of pedal steel, honest songwriting, and storytelling that hits just right. What really surprised me were the little touches, like the sitar effects sprinkled throughout. You can definitely still hear that late-’60s influence woven into the more traditional sounds, and it gives the album a cool, unexpected vibe. I’m not usually big on country, but this one’s a solid listen from start to finish. “Paradise” in particular stood out — it felt like a blueprint for a lot of the stuff I love from Old Crow Medicine Show. You can hear the DNA of their music in tracks like that. Favorite song: Sam Stone

I guess I don't pay a lot of attention to things I don't know. I saw John Prine, and was thinking some mediocre contemporary elevator-rock artist. And then the first song started and I was like, "Wait a minute... I guess I don't know who John Prine is after all." This album is the kind of music that takes me back to the country I grew up with. Thoroughly enjoyable!

What a great album! Even if you don't recognize any of the songs by their titles, they're likely to set off memories as soon as you start hearing them. Prine was a terrific songwriter, and the number of artists who covered his work in the 70s and 80s would make up a long list indeed. These performances are sometimes rougher than the covers you might have heard, but they all highlight just how terrific the songs themselves are.

Great listen. Nice cool mix of folk and country. Will definitely listen to again. 3.5/5

9/10. Very lyrically strong - almost poetic, draws you in and is about interesting subjects. Good composition as well - I especially liked the quiet yet constant acoustic chords in most of his songs that acted as a percussion the whole way though. In songs like this, typical drums can be jarring, too loud, out of place, distracting, yet a lack of percussion removes any feel of rhythm - the use of guitar and bass as rhythm is nice and bluesy, whilst still maintaining the country vibe of the songs.

The Good: John Pine likes to sit on hay The Bad: depending on the trousers one wears, hay can start to pinch right through The Ugly: can’t think of anything more ugly than the bad… So yes, a country album… and guess what? I liked it! For me this, this is the kind of country that I like, more folk than country really. Interestingly enough, and only knowledgable by me after reading the wiki page, it seems that Bob D heralds John P as one of the greatest song and you can imagine Bob D singing several of these tunes no problem. Also, with lyrics like this an album is worth a second, third, fourth spin for sure: Last Monday night I saw a fight between Wednesday and Thursday about Saturday Night. Tuesday asked me what’s going on, I said “Sunday’s in the meadow, and Friday's in the corn” Off to play the album again 4 1/2*

Pretty good for country album. That's high praise from me.

The lack of too many background instruments really emphasize the lyrics on this. Really a great story teller and I quite liked this album.

Enjoyable album, you can feel the emotion on each and every song, pleasant surprise.

John Prine is always good

Surprisingly good, very easy to listen to

Well done, hot dog bun.

Prine's debut transcends the genre's wandering tendencies with clever, cutting commentary that locks the listener's mind firmly in place.

I was assigned this album the morning that Donald Trump won his second term. It opens: “When I woke up this morning, things were lookin' bad Seem like total silence was the only friend I had Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won.” It’s a whole mood. Incidentally, John Prine died of complications from COVID-19 in April 2020.

The most striking thing about this album is the chilliness of it. I’d always thought of John Prine as this warm folksy Appalachian grandpa, with my only real exposure being his funny and warm “In Spite of Ourselves,” but this album reads as dispassionate and cynical. “Sam Stone” paints a haunting picture of addiction while punching you in the gut with its frank statement that “Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose,” and “Pretty Good” is a biting dismissal of the idea that anything really means anything. Prine weaves stories of average people suffering under a grim and disinterested universe. Even the more comical songs, like “Donald and Lydia,” tend towards a cosmic flatness, as two outcasts who seem meant for each other never actually make it happen; they’re destined only to “make love ten miles away.” The opener, an ode to marijuana in “Illegal Smile,” seems friendly, but even it’s openly about using drugs to escape the misery of everyday life. This is a DOUR album. So to me, while this album is good and Prine is clearly talented, it’s not hard to understand why he never gained the wide audience that songwriters like Bob Dylan or Neil Young or Paul Simon picked up. Dylan was often cynical, but that cynicism came from strong emotion; Young was often miserable, but he was also sentimental and had a rah-rah electric guitar side to balance it; Simon was often dispassionate, but his removed character studies are usually more charming than sad. Prine is all three of these things, and he makes no attempt to water them down or make his songs more palatable to a popular audience. That goes to the sound, too, as his dry bleat of a voice lends little color to the spare arrangements. Charitably, he’s an uncompromising sort of artist, too honest to be accepted by the general public. Uncharitably, his music is too damn boring and depressing to earn a huge fanbase. Either way, I come away impressed by his talent but not necessarily excited to hear more. Best song: Hello in There

Very classic chill country vibe.

Great lyricism, beautiful twangy voice. 🎶 There’s a hole in Daddy’s arm, where all the money goes

Never listened to John Prine before as I thought his music wouldn't really be my thing. Surprisingly, I thought this was really good. Brilliant lyrics especially given the age of the album. Fav tracks: Six O'clock News, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore

John Prine Vibes of my sad drunk uncle (complimentary) “Well done. Hot dog bun. My sisters a nun.“ Sam stone. Very sad. I loved it.

The music is a vibe, some of the lyrics are goofy but I like them

Favorite Track: Sam Stone

4/5

Great song writing but I just struggle getting past the music.

This is pretty amazing. Elegiac, working-class, junk country or something. Cutting lyrics, humane politics. Resonated with me today. Excellent. "There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes" I mean, bloody hell.

4/5. Love this, and sad how a lot of these are still very relatable to what's happening today. Direct lyrics about exactly what he is thinking and his feelings about the world. I understand that that's what folk is basically but not as clear as this and no holding back. No walking around the subject. The music itself is nice but not something to praise. And some of the later songs on the album don't hold up as much as other ones. This is definitely on rotation but not perfect. Best Song: Angel From Montgomery, Sam Stone, Paradise

Chill, and reminiscent of early James Taylor.

I really enjoyed this despite not being a country fan

For not being my fav genre, I actually really enjoyed this album. Great lyrics. Nice and mellow. Don’t know that I would listen on the reg, but I’m glad I’ve listened to it!

album feels like ur grandpa is telling you stories in his rocking chair next to the fireplace 8/10

Not bad, decent album. Go to the country, eat some peaches. 4/5

A new listen for me. Save for some Jonny Cash and Gram Parsons country music is not usually my thing but I enjoyed this. The songs are simple but not predictable. The lyrics are great vignettes of ordinary people living their extraordinary lives. Kitchen sink dramas. A fine album

Ranked 149 on Rolling Stones 2020 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time! I am intrigued! This man is a true poet. “There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes.” That’s powerful. Hang on - he wrote “Angel From Montgomery”! Ok, so we’re talking about a bonafide genius here. This isn’t quite my style of music, so I can’t give it a perfect score, but good Lord this was great. Absolutely belongs on the list of albums you must hear before you die.

One of the most interesting country albums I’ve had on the list. Feels very unconventional in its themes while still relying on the old country sound from the 70s. Could see myself coming back to it when I’m in a mood for country music! 7/10

Got a little repetitive towards the end maybe, but it's some great country. Stands out lyrically with some really personal stuff, a good deal of anti-war sentiment I caught in there. Guitar playing is lovely too and he has the perfect voice for it. Very nice.

Pretty solid

Even though he doesn't have the greatest voice, I found myself enjoying this album Loved the guitar and the songs were very catchy 4 ⭐️

Not a fan of country music but this was actually alright. Good lyrics decent music.

Just a nice country record with a bit of a political slant haha. Not amazing but far from terrible. A second listen really gave me the space and time to hear more and appreciate more.

Country is my worst genre on this list so far, but I enjoyed this one.

A rare instance of an artist I've never heard of being a great surprise. This has shades of Willie Nelson with equally fun, subversive lyrics - all delivered in a twang that reminds you country doesn't have to stay in one, populist, predictable lane.

Lyrics are very good. Music is eh though

Some of the sentences this man concots… One of those lyricists who just constantly blows me away

Always had a sweet spot for Mr. Prine, past TVZ and Lucinda Williams I always thought he was one of the best storytellers in the folk/country scene... the album is really fun and kinda zany - dude kicks ass!

Good album for day 2. Made me feel like I should be in Dubois, Wyoming sitting at a bar alone in cowboy hat, boots and spurs. Really touched my heart when John Prine said Jesus died for no reason. shit was fire.

Some great themes and lyrics on this album. Wish I had the chance to see him. Fucking covid

Interesting lyrics I like it

4.4 - Love John Prine, really liked this album. I think it can feel a little samey, but there are some really perfect songs.

"Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won" - I love the wordplay on "Illegal Smile", its such a playful and poetic counter-culture ode to weed, or whatever substance. Fave Tracks: Illegal Smile, Pretty Good 3.7/5

Solid debut from Prince, a country favorite of mine

This was nice! Good music and some fun lyrics.

really enjoyed this one! john's got a clever way of writing lyrics that really shines on this album. i definitely laughed at the lines "A bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won" and "all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen" from the first track. definitely coming back to these later. favorites: illegal smile, spanish pipedream, hello in there, paradise, your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore, angel from montgomery

Equal parts charming and depressing, loved it.

John prime’s best work and this one gets better every time I listen. There’s so much in the lyrics and the simplicity of the songs really makes this album so easy to enjoy. Not sure why this is listed as country because I would never call Prone a country artist. I would say more Folk but with this album there are some rustic themes but nothing really country. This is a great album cover to cover where his comedic lyrical style shines while also having a display of depth and sorrow that the world has as well. A fantastic album. 8.6/10

It's almost a shame that I find the production here relatively generic when it comes to this prominent country singer-songwriter style because I genuinely found John Prine to be one of the most incredible writers in this genre. He does anecdotal writing similar to Bob Dylan, telling his story through a large array of different characters - 'Pretty Good' especially reminded me a lot of Highway 61's era Dylan with its absurd imagery and rock-tinge. 'Sam Stone' is devastating and one of the many anti-war songs here. All the writing here is beautiful, existential, and surreal. I called the production generic, but it's still very fitting and enjoyable despite it being made up of your typical acoustic and steel-pedal guitar combo. There were still some interesting moments like that atmospheric sound hanging in the background of 'Six O'Clock News'. More than anything though, this is an album that I'll remember for the bleak, yet whimsical world it builds.

Enjoyed it a lot

What Bob Dylan should be. Relatable, funny, melancholic, and just a solid listen. Angel from Montgomery is an absolute classic.

If Bob Dylan made a country album. Surprisingly good, not sure why, maybe my favourite in this genre

As someone who doesn't like country, I still really vibed with this one. His voice was kind of goofy but it was just the right pace and the songs were well written and nice to just relax to

Awfully strong, if unassuming-seeming, debut. "Illegal Smile" is sweet, it a touch silly. "Hello In There" is borderline heartbreaking. The sub-par vocals (which JP seems to accentuate at moments of drawing out syllable and acting like he's leading a kids' singalong or when he seems about to break into yodeling and might undercut the more serious/heavy songs ("Sam Stone") though maybe the effect is meant to be tragicomic. In contrast, the lyrics are mostly execllent , with homespun wisdom ("blow up your TV/eat a lot of peaches") and impressive imagery both inventive (fight between Tuesday and Wednesday over Saturday night") and bleakly despairing ("hole in Daddy's arm where the money goes"). Dylan made the world safe for this sort of intentionally singing, one thinks, but he's more effective than the often flat, frequently clangy Prine. "Paradise" and "Pretty Good" are solid. One wonders if Prine was so underrated for so long that he ended up somewhat overrated at the end. One feels sort of the same way about "Angel from Montgomery."

Nice sounds need to listen to some more Prone

Pretty good, not bad, can't complain, but actually everything's just about the same. This album really grew on me after a few listens. Dylanesque - but I actually prefer this. Could return to it

Great story telling. Good jams. A slightly unpredictable lyrics. A fun listen .