The 500 - #452 - John Prine - Debut

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan (amended). 

• 1 record per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation of diverse forms of music.

Album # 452

Album Title: Self Titled
Artist: John Prine
Released: June, 1971
My age at release: 5
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Sam Stone (Suggested by Rob Hodson 
Great Lyric:
"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"

My students often overuse the word "hate". In 2010 many of the girls in my classroom had a singular obsession with Justin Bieber. His debut album My World 2.0 and the song, Baby, dominated our classroom playlist that year.

Meanwhile, the boys in my class would venomously announce that they "hated Justin Bieber". If allowed, they would have banned Bieber and played mid-2000s Gangsta Rap daily. 

Educators, particularly those teaching elementary school, are well aware of their role. We are expected to be paragons of virtue. Consequently, we must address any use of derogatory language. My typical "go-to" statement was (and is) as follows...

"C'mon now, hate is an awfully strong word. We should only use it for things that we truly despise, like racism. Why not say, "I'm not a fan of Justin Bieber." or "He's not for me." I don't think we should hate someone for creating music...right?"

Admittedly, there was hypocrisy hidden in those words. I recognized the voice of my youth in the vitriol of those male students. Sadly, I was an outspoken hater of many things between the ages of 13 and 21 - particularly musicians. Maturity has broadened my tastes and there is a tinge of chagrin as I accept my past as a brash, bitter contrarian. 

Such is the case with John Prine. In my youth, the words "I hate folk music - country-folk music doubly-so" certainly spilled from my lips. I believe my description was..."simple, hokey and dull". In my mind, John Prine was just another Bob Dylan: a terrible singer who writes mawkish songs for old, boring hippies still angry about the Vietnam War.

This past week, a lot of John Prine's music has played on my speakers and in my headphones. I graciously admit that I was wrong. His self-titled debut record is fantastic and the themes resonate as loudly in today's political climate as they must have in 1971. He creates a world of drama and humour inhabited by well-crafted memorable characters who range from the silly to the tragic.

I reached out to a good friend and teaching colleague of mine, Rob Hodson. I knew he was a fan and had seen Prine live in concert many times. I asked if he would pick the song for my Spotify 500 Playlist and, if he had time, share a few words to participate as my second guest blogger. I'll close this writing with the words he texted back:

What can I say about John Prine's  first album?

There is enough humanity, humour, heartbreak and intelligent observation that I feel I'm talking about a great novel instead of an album. SAM STONE showed the true consequences and destruction of war. PARADISE illustrates the powerlessness of the common person against the corporate destruction of our homes and lives. The first song I ever heard that said "I am talking about you, yes you", was DONALD AND LYDIA. All my adolescent awkwardness and angst in one heartbreaking poem. But, let's look at the very first song on the album, ILLEGAL SMILE. At the ripe old age of 24 Prine insisted that the opening track, a bouncy little piece about marijuana, be what people first heard. From the heart of the Bible Belt, at the height of social disruption in the west, the first thing he says is,
 
"Please tell the Man I didn't kill anyone, I'm just trying to have me some fun."

You have to hear these fun rhymes for yourselves. What an incredibly gutsy thing to do. But also, so nice, so humane, so Prine. The first song tells the listener, "This is where I'm coming from so, if you're not interested, I won't waste any more of your time." Funny, absolutely human, forgiving and utterly fearless.

Next: #451 - Amy Winehouse Back to Black