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.
Fish and Whistle
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About the people I meet
The carwash on the corner
And the hole in the street
The way my ankles hurt
With shoes on my feet
And I'm wondering
If I'm gonna see tomorrow.
Father forgive us
For what we must do
You forgive us
We'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other
Till we both turn blue
Then we'll whistle and go fishing
In heaven.
I was in the army
But I never dug a trench
I used to bust my knuckles
On a monkey wrench
Then I'd go to town and drink
And give the girls a pinch
But I don't think
They ever even noticed me.
Fish and whistle
Whistle and fish
Eat everything
That they put on your dish
And when we get through
We'll make a big wish
That we never have
To do this again
Again? again????
On my very first job
I said thank you and please
They made me scrub a parking lot
Down on my knees
Then I got fired
For being scared of bees
And they only give me
Fifty cents an hour.
In Fish and Whistle, John Prine questions the existence of tomorrow and contemplates the people he has come across in life. He mentions the carwash and "the hole in the street" as a reflection of the issues present in society. He also talks about the uncomfortable feeling of shoes on his feet and how it makes his ankles hurt, which seems to be a metaphor for living in an uneasy world that can be physically and emotionally painful at times. In the chorus, he asks for forgiveness, willing to forgive others and make peace with them. The video then shifts to Prine in his army years, revealing that he was perhaps not into violent jobs like digging trenches. Instead, he talks about his frustrations with a monkey wrench and the release he got from drinking and flirting with girls. Then he repeats his chorus, which seems to be a call to live life to the fullest and not worry about the consequences, at least not for now.
Line by Line Meaning
I been thinking lately
I have been contemplating about certain things recently and evaluating my life.
About the people I meet
I have been considering the individuals I come across in my daily life.
The carwash on the corner
I have been observing the carwash present on the street corner.
And the hole in the street
I noticed the pothole present in the street.
The way my ankles hurt
I feel pain in my ankles.
With shoes on my feet
Even when I wear shoes.
And I'm wondering
It makes me ponder.
If I'm gonna see tomorrow.
If I will be alive to see the next day.
Father forgive us
Requesting for God's mercy.
For what we must do
For the actions that we are going to take.
You forgive us
Asking for God's forgiveness.
We'll forgive you
We will pardon your mistakes.
We'll forgive each other
Agreeing to overlook each other's flaws.
Till we both turn blue
Continuing until we exhaust all our forgiveness.
Then we'll whistle and go fishing
We will relax, enjoy ourselves and engage in leisure activities.
In heaven.
In the afterlife.
I was in the army
I served in the military.
But I never dug a trench
I never did hard manual labor.
I used to bust my knuckles
I injured my knuckles.
On a monkey wrench
While handling a tool, monkey wrench.
Then I'd go to town and drink
After work, I would relax and consume alcohol.
And give the girls a pinch
I would pinch girls playfully.
But I don't think
I don't believe.
They ever even noticed me.
They never paid attention to me and my actions.
Fish and whistle
Engaging in recreational activities, fishing, and whistling.
Whistle and fish
Whistling while fishing.
Eat everything
To consume everything.
That they put on your dish
Refers to being content with what one has or receives.
And when we get through
At the end of our adventure.
We'll make a big wish
Having aspirations.
That we never have
That we will never.
To do this again
Engage in these activities again.
Again? again????
Expressing disbelief by questioning the repetition of the pattern.
On my very first job
During my initial work experience.
I said thank you and please
I used politeness to make an impression in my workplace.
They made me scrub a parking lot
Assigned me the task of cleaning a parking space.
Down on my knees
Making me perform the task with humility.
Then I got fired
I was terminated from my job.
For being scared of bees
My fear of bees allegedly resulted in my dismissal.
And they only give me
They probably paid me.
Fifty cents an hour.
A very low hourly wage.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN E. PRINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tony Roberts
Father forgive us for what we must do
You forgive us; we'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven.
I don't know what John Prine believed in his heart. No doubt there are countless Christians who would cry "Blasphemer" at the notion that God would need our forgiveness. This Christian doesn't see it that way. I think God is delighted to go fishing with someone who can both receive pardon and bear no grudges.
I wonder if the fish are biting in heaven right now?
Jerame Puffenbarger
This was 1 of my dad's favorite songs. It has been 1 year to the day since he has moved on to the heavens. Miss and love you dad
Office Today
Thanks John Prine , I was having bad night at end I just put your song all depressed and drunk realizing with your song there’s another day.
Thanks John,
Sincerely,
🇵🇱🇺🇸❤
Wisdom Seeker
Love this! Simple Truth, of Man and our Walk!
HuskerGram
The world lost someone special today. You will be missed. So thankful I got to see you just a few short months ago. You will live on in the hearts of many. Your music will live forever. Go with God, John.
Ligia Lewis
John Prine is a true master songwriter and singer . His spirit is SONG . And in every one he takes us along for a good ride . Thanks, John . GL,Sr
erebus
wtf are you talking about?
DeepQuake9
Amen to that
michael mckeever
I was at Kris Kristofferson concert in about 1972 and he was praising John Prine. I later saw the first album and bought it and many others through the years. He was like no one else. A great unique songwriter and equally good guitar player. He will he missed.
Richard Taylor
Anything John Prine is music to my soul. Thank you for this wonderful video and music. If your ever feeling down and need a smile on your face ,listen to John and you will be okay. Sounds like a song in the making. God bless all your souls. My favorite memory of my father was when he would take me fishing and I know he his catching the biggest bass up there. I can not wait to hear his tall stories about fishing in heaven. AMEN.
Andrew Gott
I first became aware of John Prine's music when I was on a road trip with my mom and uncle to Oregon. I was 13 and kept asking her to put the cd back in. I've been a fan ever since and was lucky to see him live twice. I've always felt he was one of the more underrated songwriters in music. He will be missed by so many. Rest in Peace, John Prine. Now you can go fishin' and whistlin' in heaven.