Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

It’s a doggy dog world.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

Sadly, media malpractice has become standard practice.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

I’m just a talker, trying to find a channel!

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

So many bastards, so little time.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Mostly Sort Of Respite

Mostly Sort Of Respite

by | 57 Comments

This post is in: 

I just came across this version of one of greatest songs created in this contradictory nation:

 

It’s a lovely, wholly earned tribute to a man whose music y’all know I revere (as many of you do too, of course). And Bonnie Raitt owns any mix in which she appears.

If you’d prefer your music from the source, here’s the man himself telling stories and singing the same piece.

 

And why is this only sort of a respite?

Partly because the soulless destruction that Prine sang about is the official platform of the currently ruling party in these barely United States…

But really because the election that could change that is not a slam dunk despite the fact that the party in charge, and its grotesquely unfit grifter in chief have so thoroughly failed in the face of a crisis that has left close to 300,00 dead*—including the hero of this post, John Prine, taken from us too soon.

Let’s wash that bitter memory out of our mouth with John’s help, with a song that was on point when he wrote it, and sadly, is a bespoke fit for the flag humping monsters to be evicted two weeks hence:

 

 This thread.  It is open.

*That’s the tally with excess deaths figured in. Current confirmed deaths are running “only” around 220,000.

Reader Interactions

57Comments

  2. 2.

    A Ghost to Most

    Trump killed John Prine. That alone is an unforgivable sin against the American people.

  3. 3.

    wenchacha

    I have loved John Prine for such a long time. I must have caught him on public television, when he was playing at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, circa 1974? It was hard to lose him.

  4. 4.

    Rusty

    Thank you for both versions, they each standing beautifully on their own. We are in a fight for the soul of the country. In one version, ideas matter (ideology), and things (property and money), but not people. In the other version, people matter, every person matters. Everyone.

  5. 5.

    Catherine D.

    Wow, a wonderful collection of artists combined so well on the technical front.

    And I love the flag pin song so much.

  6. 6.

    MagdaInBlack

    Thank You, Tom. We discovered him when we were in high school. ” Illegal Smile” of course. =-

    Eta: “Paradise” was my husbands favorite.

  7. 7.

    JMG

    Just a related music post and if it has been noted in an earlier thread I apologize. At age 92. Tom Lehrer has moved to place all his lyrics and sheet music in the public domain before he dies (not sick, he just knows every day’s a blessing at his age). What a marvelous gesture.

  8. 8.

    Matt McIrvin

    Back when I was working on smartphones, once I had to test some bug that required the memory of the thing to be entirely filled with music files, and I did it by filling the device entirely with copies of my friend Jake Haller‘s cover of “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore.”

  9. 9.

    Raven

    I’ve probably posted this before but it is Prine explaining the story behind Whistle and Fish. Skips was in Maywood at 1st and North and a notorious hot rod place where they blocked off the street and raced on weekends. It really famous among gear heads and real scene right out of American Graffiti. \\ https://youtu.be/JeCYgOLNxDs

  10. 10.

    Mike in NC

    If I’m out driving and John Prine comes on the radio, I always have to sing along. The only time my wife hears me sing!

  11. 11.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Raven: I know that corner. I lived in a 2-flat on the corner of 18th and Norwood in Melrose Park for about 6 years. Skips long gone at that time, tho.

  12. 12.

    prostratedragon

    From pianist Jessica Williams (not affected by covid to my knowledge, just something related to the themes here, that we could use more of, especially in high places):

    “Empathy”

  13. 13.

    Catherine D.

    @JMG:

    At age 92. Tom Lehrer has moved to place all his lyrics and sheet music in the public domain before he dies.

    Genuflect, genuflect!

  14. 14.

    A Ghost to Most

    In Westword.com’s quest to find the worst excuse for not wearing a mask, comes this entry from What Ridge CO:

    After I spotted the pair, I turned a corner and saw an elderly Brass Armadillo employee. I casually told her that there were two people without masks the next aisle over, and moved on. A few minutes later, I encountered the staffer again, and she told me wearily, “They say they have a health exemption from the President.”

  16. 16.

    Old Dan and Little Ann

    Such a good song. Huzzah. I wish I knew how to play the guitar. Props to those that can.

  19. 19.

    joel hanes

    In further remembrance of John Prine, who I saw perform live in the lounge of the Grinnell College student union in fall 1971, I believe that you may see me tonight with an illegal now-legal smile.

    Been a while. Seems as if it might be the right time.

  20. 20.

    mrmoshpotato

    Is iceberg lettuce stupidly expensive for anyone else lately?

    $2.69 a head at my local store in Chicago yesterday.

    ETA – just saw a great Biden ad about love of country.

  22. 22.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Raven: Kiddieland was still there when I lived there. Had a friend from Bellwood whose father was a bookie. She was fun to go to the track with =-)

  23. 23.

    joel hanes

    @MagdaInBlack:

    “Paradise” was my husbands favorite

    So many good ones.

    I can sing “Flag Decal”  and “Illegal Smile” acceptably myself …

    and who could argue with   “Angel From Montgomery” …  (Bonnie made it her own, like Aretha with “Natural Woman”)

    and then there’s  “Sam Stone” …

    No.

    “Hello In There”  is the Platonic ideal of a John Prine song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF9eIWIk70o

  26. 26.

    MagdaInBlack

    I’m off on youtube John Prine-ing.  “Paradise” made me all weepy.  FFS =-(

    ” Christmas In Prison” …another good one.

  29. 29.

    Suzanne

    This was awesome. Thank you so much for sharing.

    So one of my favorite things about Pittsburgh so far is WYEP. What an amazing independent radio station. They have compiled a list of 600 best songs of the last 30 years. You can have fun with the list.

  31. 31.

    seefleur

    First listened to Prine’s songs beginning in 1975 at Philmont Scout Ranch while on staff – a lot of the staff were musically inclined and Prine was a favorite. Husband and I had our first post-baby date nearly 8 years later at the Rainbow Theater in the Denver area – went to a Prine concert. We were in the second row directly in front of Prine – he sat down on the stage apron floor and chatted with the audience. A talented musician and lovely human. Thanks for the videos. In these times, listening to talent, smarts and sanity is a welcome break from all the shit that is randomly roaming around and causing so much misery.

  33. 33.

    MoCA Ace

    How is “That’s How Every Empire Falls” not in the discussion for most relevant Prine song? It came up on the random shuffle of my music library the other day and I thought it must have been written it for the Trump administration.

  37. 37.

    J R in WV

    Well, Bonnie Raitt is amazing; her rendition of Angel from Montgomery is amazing. We saw her in the mid ’70s when she opened for Little Feat. We left after a couple of Little Feat songs, Bonnie made them look like simple amateurs. John Prine is a great musician and writer of music.

    Having spent some time in Muhlenberg County, KY, it is really flattened out from Mr. Peabody’s coal business. His song has made Muhlenberg County immortal.

  38. 38.

    L85NJGT

    Muhlenberg County, Kentucky was not named after Frederick Muhlenberg, the first Speaker of the House, but for his brother General Peter Muhlenberg, who was also a PA representative in the 1st Congress.

  39. 39.

    burnspbesq

    @J R in WV: 

    Little Feat had good nights and bad nights, depending on how drugged-up Lowell George was. On a good night (as in the Lisner Auditorium shows captured on “Waiting for Columbus”) they were as good as rock’n’roll ever got.

  40. 40.

    trollhattan

    @JMG: 
    Is there a better way to learn the periodic table?
    Narrator: There is not.

    The man is a treasure. My bro went to MIT when he taught there and because he’s a loser, did not take a class from Tom Lehrer. I have never forgiven him.

  41. 41.

    sherparick

    I entered high school just outside Chicago in 1969 and eleven years later graduated from law school in 1980 and moved to Germany in 1981. Many a night listening to John Prine & Steve Goodman on WFMT’s Midnight Special, and catching them playing in venues in Old Town. Believe it or not Chicago was just bursting with creativity and just fun in those years. His and Steve’s memory is a blessing.

    This is both brilliant and fun!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMiLqHTvbKE

  44. 44.

    OldDave

    Was introduced to John Prine in 1971/72 – a friend had the eponymous album and it got played a lot. There’s not a bad song on it, and most of them are treasures. Saw John in concert at least four times, including when he opened for the Cowboy Junkies in 1992; the last time was in late 2015. Always thought there’s be another opportunity. As it turns out, no.

  47. 47.

    Don K

    @joel hanes: 

    After I clicked on “Paradise” I just had to play “Angel From Montgomery”. You’re right, Bonnie owns that song. As with lots of people here, my first encounter with John was hearing “Illegal Smile” on the radio when I was in college. “Paradise” was the theme song of annual camping trips to Mammoth Cave NP (y’all know there’s a park above the cave, right?) in the 80s.

  48. 48.

    satby

    @sherparick: 

    Many a night listening to John Prine & Steve Goodman on WFMT’s Midnight Special, and catching them playing in venues in Old Town. Believe it or not Chicago was just bursting with creativity and just fun in those years. His and Steve’s memory is a blessing.

    We were hanging around Earl’s and the other Old Town joints at the same time. It was a fantastic time in the live music scene there, even before Prine and Goodman hit it big.

  51. 51.

    Tim Posh-looking in a mask

    Respite, hell. The plague took him from me. Grew up with hippie brothers and bros in law who turned me on to his music. Christ I’m so mixed up and lonely, can’t even make friends with my brain. Fuck everything. Good night, and God bless.

  53. 53.

    sxjames

    To me, John Prine’s “The Great Compromise” is the absolute best summation of what it is to love America, but hate what is done in our name.

    And, befitting the man, it’s told for the POV of the solder (at least, that is how I listen to it).

  55. 55.

    Raven Onthill

    ?And history has eyes history has ears
    History finds secrets that are buried for years
    Exploded explained exposed and explicit
    History will judge us either stupid or complicit
    And we know we are not stupid
    Ask questions? – Jack Hardy, Ask Questions

    Best folksinger almost no-one has heard of.

    Croak!

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