JOHN PRINE

April 18, 2003

Reeda Buresh - jpshrine.org

"I'm about half....way there"

"That's all right by me"

I Ain't Hurtin' Nobody

14: Space Monkey - mid tune he asks "Let me know when you get too much truth"
15: The Other Side Of Town - this used to be 'the new song'.. I have heard it several times now, wondering WHY the one line never sounded quite right.drove me crazy. and tonight I saw why, he really played up the lines: "
  My body's in this room with you just catchin' hell
  While my soul is drinking beer down the road a spell
  You might think I'm listening to your grocery list
  But I'm leaning on the jukebox and I'm about half....way there (emphasis on the half, slight pause and he finishes with 'way there") I always thought the line should have been "half pissed" - and with that pause and look from Prine, I'm relieved to understand that I was right. (I'm grinning because I really thought he goofed when wrote it)

John shared a story about being 14 years old and watching his older brother Dave playing Elizabeth Cotton, Mississippi John Hurt and Carter family tunes for their dad and how he was so inspired and asked his brother to show him how to play.. That is where it all started folks. Let's all give big brother Dave Prine (an accomplished musician in his own right) a big thank you for not punching out his little brother and ignoring him.

And if wonders will never cease, we are blessed with yet another new song, in it's own neatly wrapped package, satin bows and still no tag - I think we have narrowed it down to calling it:
16: That's All Right By Me or Mixed Emotions

So starts the "chairdancing" part of the Prine show. the part that makes me want to get out of my chair and shake a leg. I just love this part of the show, a mix of blues, folk-grass, and rockabilly:
17: Ain't Hurtin' Nobody
18: Great Rain