Kris Kristofferson said once of John Prine, “He’s 22 but he writes like he’s 222.”
One of his songs has been rolling ’round my head these last days. It fits into the current stream here, the Sonia story, the video series and the “Chart Reading For Lovers” class.
He writes in his song, “Sam Stone”: “Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios…”
Sonia had a sweet song playing but it could not last. It’s a vivid illustration of the limits of synastry. I don’t care how many Moons trine how many Suns if you can’t function in relationship, then you can’t function in relationship.
John Prine is Libra with Mercury conjunct Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio. Having Mars conjunct Mercury in Jupiter’s house, we have something in common and I was amused to learn he wrote this song on his mail route.
John Prine was a mailman for years . I was drove a route for Frito Lay for years and I know what he’s talking about when he says he wrote the song on his route and could not wait to get home and see if it worked on the guitar the way he thought it would. These days I get on a cross trainer (Mars Mercury with Jupiter has to move to think) and have all kinds of ideas and then come home and see if they work on the page.
Anyway, I was introduced to John Prine when I was 13 years old by a Pisces who one of my stepbrothers (literally) rescued from a cave. She was being held captive in a cave, along with her baby when he found her… naked. He brought her home and eventually they married and had another baby. I used to babysit these kids and listen to John Prine all day who was touted as “the new Bob Dylan” at the time.
Anyway, I met the soldier when I was seventeen. John Prine> was our favorite… by far. This was odd in the disco era but we used to listen to his music all the time and dance around.
One more thing… there is a line in this song, “There’s a hole in daddy’s arm, where all the money goes…” Such an eloquent way to acknowledge an energy sink. Very sad if you have one of these in your life. And notice how he tells (Mercury) a story (Jupiter) about a soldier (Mars). Jeez, I don’t know anything about that…
It really moves me to read about music that touches people, and why.
In 1977, I was an exchange student (from Italy) in St Paul, Minnesota, and my host father had a John Prine record, which I immediately found astounding. Still listening to him 32 years later – he is one of my favorite artists and I know most of his songs by heart. Last year I missed his London concert ’cause I was offloaded from the plane. His music makes me smile and makes me cry. Twenty years ago or so, one night – pissed as a wild boar – I wrote a letter to John Prine. It was a letter of friendship and love, spiritual love, between a man and another man, with the visionary truth that gigantic drunkness sometimes (rarely, in fact), brings. In the morning I re-read it and, embarassed, threw it away.
So sometimes I think of the unsent letter to John Prine. Perhaps I should have sent it, I think he would have appreciated it.
Greetings and good wishes from Rome / Mauro
I saw John Prine in a concert at a small theater in Michigan in 1992. There was a snow storm raging at the time and he played an extra hour because no one could get out. It was magical.
Hi Mauro – welcome. 🙂
I saw him with Bonnie Raitt back before she was famous and she was really bluesy. She is a Scorpio and they are very good friends.
Anyway, I was with the Aquarian in the pig story and his wife who was a HUGE Bonnie Raitt fan and she had very few back then, I’m telling you.
Anyway, they hated him. They just didn’t get him at all and it was another day I missed the soldier… and it was Bonnie’s audience there that day. But you know they sing Angel from Montgomery together and they did that night…
WOW
Best recording of the son ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St9RvdtvLeE
Nothing like hearing prine sing, “I am old woman…”
Oh, and I see another chance to make this point…
telling me not to write stories about the soldier is like telling me so betray my own soul. Writing these stories are in my chart… they are in my dna.
Why oh why can’t people just leave people to comb their own hair?
that is soooooooooooooooooooooooo great. love bonnie!
….to believe in this livin’ is just a hard thing to do. …but listening to john and bonnie for the last hour after seeing your links…balm to my soul, i’ve forgotten the world…thanks,thanks…and keep your stories flowing, elsa
…..from double pisces in beirut
Hi Lindsey, I’m glad you liked that… 🙂
Elsa- Thanks! I love that song! I am very intrigued about your stepbrother rescuing his future bride where she and her baby were being held captive in a cave. Haven’t heard this story before. It sounds like there might be several chapters involved. Did you relate this story on blogs of old?
No randamandar, but it’s a fact. It’s really not my story to tell but she was a society gal and wound up naked in a cave all right. She was a very interesting woman. Captivating and definitely introduced me to my musical tastes… regardless of how this sounds she was fine in every sense of the word… as was her daughter and eventually her son.
Well thanks. It’s an interesting vignette
That was a fantastic song, E! Balm for the soul, indeed.
John Prine is hospitalized and in critical condition, with the coronavirus. (His wife also has it.)
I thought of you immediately, Elsa.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/9345824/john-prine-coronavirus-hospitalized