When I get to heaven, I'm gonna shake God's hand
Thank him for more blessings than one man can stand
Then I'm gonna get a guitar and start a rock-n-roll band
Check into a swell hotel; ain't the afterlife grand?
And then I'm gonna get a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah, I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
'Cause this old man is goin' to town
Then as God as my witness, I'm gettin' back into showbusiness
I'm gonna open up a nightclub called "The Tree of Forgiveness"
And forgive everybody ever done me any harm
Well, I might even invite a few choice critics, those syph'litic parasitics
Buy 'em a pint of and smother 'em with my charm
'Cause then I'm gonna get a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
Yeah when I get to heaven, I'm gonna take that wristwatch off my arm
What are you gonna do with time after you've bought the farm?
And them I'm gonna go find my mom and dad, and good old brother Doug
Well I bet him and cousin Jackie are still cuttin' up a rug
I wanna see all my mama's sisters, 'cause that's where all the love starts
I miss 'em all like crazy, bless their little hearts
And I always will remember these words my daddy said
He said, "Buddy, when you're dead, you're a dead pecker-head"
I hope to prove him wrong, that is, when I get to heaven
'Cause I'm gonna have a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
he had to know (on some level) that that was the last track on the last album he’d ever release. Trying to make us feel better. It’s almost impossible to overstate the positive qualities of Prine: joy, humility, wisdom, intrigue, sardonicism, reverence. There’s a big hole in the world without him here.
he had to know (on some level) that that was the last track on the last album he’d ever release. Trying to make us feel better. It’s almost impossible to overstate the positive qualities of Prine: joy, humility, wisdom, intrigue, sardonicism, reverence. There’s a big hole in the world without him here.
Yup, absolutely. He closed with that last time he was in Philly and I believe most shows on that tour. And it was a really long tour! Something like 50 shows over 9 months at 71 years old. Definitely felt like a farewell.
He occupies the same space in my mind as someone like Vonnegut. Just an infinite ability to make me smile and ponder the human condition.
I agree with this completely: “He occupies the same space in my mind as someone like Vonnegut. Just an infinite ability to make me smile and ponder the human condition.” Which is part of the reason this hits so hard. It takes a special artist to be able to make you laugh one moment and cry the next. I’m listening to “Diamonds in the Rough” right now, and I’m profoundly sad, but also strangely hopeful.
Affects me a lot more than I expected. Hard not to be sad about it. Enjoy your 9 mile cigarette and know that you were never a pecker-head Mr Prine. You were a national legend as far as I'm concerned
But Ive lost touch with Mr. Prine through the years. Meant a lot to me in the 80's 90's - As an example when I was getting a divorce with my now ex-wife she hurled a hurt at me saying "And Ive Never liked John Prine!"
Forgive me but this is the song I keep hearing in my head:
But please don't bury me
Down in that cold, cold ground
I'd rather have them cut me up
And pass me all around
Throw my brain in a hurricane
The blind can have my eyes
And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size, oh man!
Give my feet to the footloose
Careless, fancy free
And give my knees to the needy
Don't pull that stuff on me
Hand me down my walking cane
It's a sin to tell a lie
Send my mouth way down south
And kiss my ass goodbye
by total chance, the first ever review of Prine was by Roger Ebert
Through no wisdom of my own but out of sheer blind luck, I walked into the Fifth Peg, a folk club on West Armitage, one night in 1970 and heard a mailman from Westchester singing. This was John Prine.
He sang his own songs. That night I heard "Sam Stone," one of the great songs of the century. And "Angel from Montgomery." And others. I wasn't the music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, but I went to the office and wrote an article. And that, as fate decreed, was the first review Prine ever received.
every band, duo, trio, whatever that I've played in since the '70s has done at least one John Prine song and usually had two or three of his songs on the setlist.
In the 70's we used to listen to WPLR (radio station). Every night starting at about 6:00 pm the DJ (Stoneman) used to play about an hour to an hour and 1/2 of classic rock. It was always all music from the same band. 90 minutes of the Beatles on Friday, 60 minutes of the Stones on Saturday, etc .... At the end of everyone of his shows ...
"If you see me tonight with an illegal smile it don't cost very much but, it lasts a long while. Won't you please tell the man I didn't want to hurt anyone ... I just wanted to have me some fun"
RIP to one of America's better songwriters.
RIP to one of America's better songwriters.
R.I.P.
Early 2000’s Sessions at West 54th concert - ( New Window )
Thank him for more blessings than one man can stand
Then I'm gonna get a guitar and start a rock-n-roll band
Check into a swell hotel; ain't the afterlife grand?
And then I'm gonna get a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah, I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
'Cause this old man is goin' to town
Then as God as my witness, I'm gettin' back into showbusiness
I'm gonna open up a nightclub called "The Tree of Forgiveness"
And forgive everybody ever done me any harm
Well, I might even invite a few choice critics, those syph'litic parasitics
Buy 'em a pint of and smother 'em with my charm
'Cause then I'm gonna get a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
Yeah when I get to heaven, I'm gonna take that wristwatch off my arm
What are you gonna do with time after you've bought the farm?
And them I'm gonna go find my mom and dad, and good old brother Doug
Well I bet him and cousin Jackie are still cuttin' up a rug
I wanna see all my mama's sisters, 'cause that's where all the love starts
I miss 'em all like crazy, bless their little hearts
And I always will remember these words my daddy said
He said, "Buddy, when you're dead, you're a dead pecker-head"
I hope to prove him wrong, that is, when I get to heaven
'Cause I'm gonna have a cocktail: vodka and ginger ale
Yeah I'm gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long
I'm gonna kiss that pretty girl on the tilt-a-whirl
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
Yeah this old man is goin' to town
Yup, absolutely. He closed with that last time he was in Philly and I believe most shows on that tour. And it was a really long tour! Something like 50 shows over 9 months at 71 years old. Definitely felt like a farewell.
He occupies the same space in my mind as someone like Vonnegut. Just an infinite ability to make me smile and ponder the human condition.
Forgive me but this is the song I keep hearing in my head:
But please don't bury me
Down in that cold, cold ground
I'd rather have them cut me up
And pass me all around
Throw my brain in a hurricane
The blind can have my eyes
And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size, oh man!
Give my feet to the footloose
Careless, fancy free
And give my knees to the needy
Don't pull that stuff on me
Hand me down my walking cane
It's a sin to tell a lie
Send my mouth way down south
And kiss my ass goodbye
He sang his own songs. That night I heard "Sam Stone," one of the great songs of the century. And "Angel from Montgomery." And others. I wasn't the music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, but I went to the office and wrote an article. And that, as fate decreed, was the first review Prine ever received.
https://www.rogerebert.com/features/john-prine-american-legend - ( New Window )
In the 70's we used to listen to WPLR (radio station). Every night starting at about 6:00 pm the DJ (Stoneman) used to play about an hour to an hour and 1/2 of classic rock. It was always all music from the same band. 90 minutes of the Beatles on Friday, 60 minutes of the Stones on Saturday, etc .... At the end of everyone of his shows ...
"If you see me tonight with an illegal smile it don't cost very much but, it lasts a long while. Won't you please tell the man I didn't want to hurt anyone ... I just wanted to have me some fun"
Never knew who sang that song until recently.
RIP John Prine.