Without a doubt, John Prine is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. In my books, he's on par with figures like Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, and Warren Zevon. Unfortunately, for reasons I can't understand, he's also one of the most under-appreciated songwriters, at least in my experience. Why Prine remains in relative obscurity (and I use the term loosely, as he has had a long and successful career) outside of the knowledgeable country, folk, and blues fans, is beyond me. However, I would like to do my part and help those people who are missing out by sharing my list of the top 3 John Prine Albums.
Here goes:
1. John Prine (1971)
Prine's eponymous debut album is pretty much standard fare for anyone interested in the singer-songwriter genre. From the cheeky sarcasm of "Illegal Smile" to the anthemic "Spanish Pipedream" to the poignant break-up ballad "Far-From Me," John set what, unfortunately, must be an unreachable standard for a debut. This album also features the song "Paradise" of which bluegrass founder Bill Monroe claimed "I thought that was a song we missed in the 20's." And of course, the sublime "Angel From Montgomery" which has been covered a number of times and was even featured in the recent film "Into The Wild". It would be impossible to have a top 3 album list for Prine without having this as #1.
2. Bruised Orange (1978)
Four albums after his self-titled debut, Prine released this gem. Although it's 3 predecessors had their moments of brilliance, the depth of the first album hadn't been achieved until Bruised Orange. As soon as you hear the opening song "Fish And Whistle," a whimsical trip through Prine's autobiography, you know you're in for a treat. The album also contains "That's The Way That The World Goes 'Round" which is certainly a song everyone needs to hear at some point in their lives. The other highlight for me is "Sabu visits the Twin Cities alone". I've heard a lot of songs in my time, but I can't say I've really ever heard anything quite like this one, having lyrics like: "look out ma here comes the elephant boy/ bundled all up in his corduroy". Absolutely terrific!
3. Fair and Square (2005)
While some critics have panned this post-cancer effort of Prine's, I'm of a different opinion. This album really stands out for me as a great way to introduce this legendary song-writer to a new listener. I believe the production sound is smoother and more accessible than some of the earlier albums, and, for someone who perhaps doesn't have quite the right ears for John's tunes just yet, this could make a big difference in fan conversion rates. If you press play and the person hearing the album for the first time doesn't like "Glory of True Love", then you may as well never talk to them about music ever again. The other standout tracks on this record are "The Moon Is Down" (listen to the masterfully eloquent phrasing and spare yet powerful guitar work) and "She Is My Everything" (one of the most fun songs I've ever heard).
Honorable Mention: Although an anthology doesn't quite count as an album, I would recommend that everyone should own a copy of the two-disc: "Great Days" for a great collection of John Prine's cumulative works.
Matt Lowen
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