Born and raised in Maywood, Illinois, Prine learned to play the guitar at age 14. He attended classes at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. After serving in West Germany with the U.S. Army, he returned to Chicago in the late 1960s, where he worked as a mailman, writing and singing songs first as a hobby and then as a club performer.
A member of Chicago's folk revival, a laudatory review by critic Roger Ebert built Prine's popularity. Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson heard Prine at Steve Goodman's insistence, and Kristofferson invited Prine to be his opening act, leading to Prine's eponymous debut album with Atlantic Records in 1971. The acclaim Prine earned from his first LP led to three more albums for Atlantic. He then recorded three albums with Asylum Records. In 1981, he co-founded Oh Boy Records, an independent label where he released most of his subsequent albums.
Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, as well as serious songs with social commentary and songs that recollect sometimes melancholy tales from his life.
Prine was the son of William Mason Prine, a tool-and-die maker, and Verna Valentine (Hamm), a homemaker, both originally from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He was born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Maywood. In summers, they would go back to visit family near Paradise, Kentucky. Prine started playing guitar at age 14, taught by his brother, David. He attended classes at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, and graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois. He was a U.S. Postal Service mailman for five years and was drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War era, serving as a vehicle mechanic in West Germany before beginning his musical career in Chicago.
Prine is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation. He has been referred to as "the Mark Twain of songwriting".
Johnny Cash, in his autobiography Cash, wrote, "I don't listen to music much at the farm, unless I'm going into songwriting mode and looking for inspiration. Then I'll put on something by the writers I've admired and used for years—Rodney Crowell, John Prine, Guy Clark, and the late Steve Goodman are my Big Four ..."
Roger Waters, when asked by Word Magazine in 2008 if he heard Pink Floyd's influence in newer British bands such as Radiohead, replied, "I don't really listen to Radiohead. I listened to the albums and they just didn't move me in the way, say, John Prine does. His is just extraordinarily eloquent music—and he lives on that plane with Neil [Young] and [John] Lennon." He later named Prine as among the five most important songwriters.
Prine's influence is seen in the work of younger artists, whom he often mentored, including Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Tyler Childers, and Robin Pecknold.
The last song Prine recorded before he died was "I Remember Everything", released on June 12, 2020, alongside a music video. It was released following the two-hour special tribute show, A Tribute Celebrating John Prine aired on June 11, 2020, which featured Sturgill Simpson, Vince Gill, Jason Isbell, Kacey Musgraves, Bonnie Raitt, Rita Wilson, Eric Church, Brandi Carlile and many other country artists and friends.[45] On the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Prine singing "I Remember Everything" was the soundtrack to the COVID-19 memorial video.
Daddy
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can tell by the way you roll
You must be daddy's little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
Why it's quarter past eleven
And you're sleeping on the bedroom floor
I can see the fire burning
I can see the fire burning
Burning right behind your eyes
You must of swallowed a candle
Or some other kind of surprise
I'm going down to Memphis
I got three hundred dollars in cash
I'm going down to Memphis
I got three hundred dollars in cash
All the women in Memphis
Want to see how long my money will last
I'm going downtown
I'm gonna to rattle somebody's cage
I'm going downtown
I'm gonna rattle somebody's cage
I'm gonna beat on my guitar
And strut all around the stage
If you see my baby coming
Don't tell her that her daddy's in jail
If you see my baby coming
Don't you tell her that her daddy's in jail
She'd sell her little pumpkin just to raise
Her sweet daddy's bail
You must be daddy's little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
You must be daddy's little pumpkin
I can tell by the way you roll
You never do nothing
To save your doggone soul.
In John Prine's song "Daddy's Little Pumpkin", he sings about a young girl who he believes is her father's favorite, or his "little pumpkin". Prine describes her as carefree and unbothered by anything, even the fact that it's late at night and she's sleeping on the floor. He notes the fire in her eyes, maybe from some sort of excitement or trouble she's gotten into, and surmises that maybe she's ingested something to cause it. As Prine himself is heading to Memphis with cash to spend and women to entertain, he warns anyone not to tell his girlfriend that he's in jail. He ends the song by repeating that the young girl is her daddy's little pumpkin, but that she isn't doing anything to save herself, maybe implying that she's living dangerously and may end up in trouble like him.
The song was released on John Prine's 14th studio album, "The Missing Years," after a five-year break from recording music. It was produced by Howie Epstein, who was known for producing records for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, among others. "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" was written by John Prine and Pat McLaughlin, who co-wrote several other songs on the album. The album "The Missing Years" also won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1992.
Line by Line Meaning
You must be daddy's little pumpkin
The way you behave and carry yourself gives away that you are your dad's favorite little girl.
I can tell by the way you roll
Your behavior is so much like your dad's that it is evident that you are his favorite.
Why it's quarter past eleven
It is very late at night beyond usual bedtime hours, yet you are not in bed.
And you're sleeping on the bedroom floor
You are too tired to go to bed and ended up dozing off on the floor of your room.
I can see the fire burning
I can see that you are very energized and excited about something.
Burning right behind your eyes
Your eyes are so lively that they give away your excitement and energy.
You must of swallowed a candle
You are so excited that it seems like you have swallowed a candle, and it's burning inside you.
Or some other kind of surprise
You are very excited, and it seems like something incredible has happened to you.
I'm going down to Memphis
I'm planning to go to Memphis.
I got three hundred dollars in cash
I have three hundred dollars with me, in cash.
All the women in Memphis
All the ladies in Memphis are interested in me.
Want to see how long my money will last
They are curious to see how long my money would last.
I'm going downtown
I am heading toward the city center
I'm gonna to rattle somebody's cage
I need to confront someone and call them out for their actions or words.
I'm gonna beat on my guitar
I am going to play my guitar very energetically.
And strut all around the stage
I will walk confidently and proudly around the stage.
If you see my baby coming
If you come across my girl,
Don't tell her that her daddy's in jail
Please do not inform her that her father is in jail.
She'd sell her little pumpkin just to raise
She would do anything, even sell her dearest possessions, to bail her father out of jail.
Her sweet daddy's bail
She will eagerly wait and long for her beloved father's return from jail.
You never do nothing
You don't do anything productive.
To save your doggone soul.
You don't take any actions to make your life better, which is a pity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN E. PRINE, PAT MCLAUGHLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AK.kje11
Such a great singer/songwriter. Wish I could still go see him as we all do!
@willowlaurel1
My husband Mark rip sweetheart. He played this for me when he ask me to marry him. Love this song. Thank you John💜💜💜💜
@mccypr
Awesome stuff! Thanks! 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
@blueskye6372
Am near 70 and Nana says Im still her little pumpkin. She's 94. 👌🙂
@trishthegachagirllol5066
I still am daddys little pumpkin at 31 yrs old because of you ❤. Rest in heaven Mr.Prine please tell my daddy i love him 🙏
@jeannieprice3874
Hey Mr.John Prine you probably will never see this but I love you and your music may God wrap his arms around you and keep you safe God bless you and your family
@MrMotoiz
Sure do miss the good ones when they are gone thanks for everything John
@rickc777
RIP, Ol' Johnny. We're gonna miss you.
@debbiehocking8047
God you have him in your arms, and we will miss him here on earth!
@yourmom-cr4dy
We lost a treasure. Never be anybody like John.