passings
John Prine, singer, songwriter, October 10, 1946–April 7, 2020
Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about “Sam Stone” the soldier junky daddy and “Donald and Lydia,” where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that. If I had to pick one song of his, it might be “Lake Marie.” I don’t remember what album that’s on.
—Bob Dylan, 2009 interview
“Lake Marie” (J. Prine), live (TV show), New York, 2000
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
what’s new
John Prine, “Summer’s End” (J. Prine), 2/8/18
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lagniappe
reading table
This road—
no one goes down it,
autumn evening.—Matsuo Basho, 1644-1694 (translated from Japanese by Robert Hass)