Prime John Prine: The Best of the Rest

Iris DeMent and John Prine
AP Photo / Mark Zaleski – Iris DeMent and John Prine
Iris DeMent and John Prine perform during the Americana Honors & Awards Show at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Sept. 13.
With the passing of John Prine today (April 7, 2020) at the age of 73, Pollstar is posting content from our Aug. 2018 John Prine cover story by Holly Gleason. Below are her choices for some of the great singer/songwriter’s more obscure songs. 
Everyone knows John Prine’s “Hello In There,” “Sam Stone,” “Donald & Lydia,” “Blow Up Your TV,” “Angel From Montgomery,” even the George Strait No. 1 “I Only Want to Dance With You.”  But the real connoisseurs know beyond the standards, where songs get even richer, sweeter, deeper and – on occasion – raucous. 
“Blue Umbrella” 
The Singing Mailman Delivers (demo) 
Sweet Revenge Prescience about an impending heartbreak.
“Bad Boy”
German Afternoons
A lament from the kind of man you should never fall for.
“Late John Garfield Blues”
Diamond in the Rough
Country-tinged social commentary without preaching.
“Some Humans Ain’t Human”
Fair & Square
Gorgeous acoustic lament that indicts modern politicians, lobbyists and real estate developers with irony and small details.
“Saddle In The Rain”
Common Sense
Aggressive, funky and almost accusatory. Live, a foment that snakes and whirls.
“Christmas In Prison”/ ”Silent Night All Day Long”
A John Prine Christmas
Off-kilter Christmas carols.

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