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.
I Just Want To Dance With You
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be too shy, wait too late
I don't care what they say other lovers do
I just want to dance with you
I got a feeling that you have a heart like mine,
So let it show, let it shine
Oh, if we have change to make one heart of two
[Chorus:]
I want to dance with you
Twirl you all around the floor
That's what they invented dancing for,
I just want to dance with you
I want to dance with you
Hold you in my arms once more
That's what they invented dancing for,
I just want to dance with you
I caught you lookin' at me when I looked at you
Yes, I did, ain't that true
You won't get embarrassed by the things I do
I just want to dance with you
Oh, the boys are playing softly and the girls are too
So am I, and so are you
If this was a movie then we're right on cue
I just want to dance with you
[Chorus x 2]
I just want to dance with you [Repeat x 3]
The song “I Just Want To Dance With You” by John Prine, is a sweet and simple declaration of love. The song addresses the fear of hesitation in the beginning of the song but by the chorus, the singer is all-in. They do not care about what other lovers do or what society thinks is the norm. The singer has a feeling that the person they want to dance with has a heart similar to theirs and the singer wants to unite their hearts by dancing together. The song’s title is repeated throughout the song, showing that the singer desires to dance with their love so deeply.
In the second verse, the song further emphasizes that both the singer and the person they want to dance with have parts to play in making their hearts become one. They should let their hearts show and shine, and if they manage to bring their two hearts together, there will be nothing more beautiful than that. In the following verse, the singer tells their love interest that they caught them looking at them, and they acknowledge that they do not want them to be embarrassed by the singer’s actions. The song concludes with a beautiful image of the two dancing to the music in perfect synchronization, as if in a movie.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are simple and direct, expressing the beauty of love and dance in the most beautiful way possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be the kind to hesitate
I don't want to hold back from taking a chance
Be too shy, wait too late
I don't want to be shy or wait too long to take action
I don't care what they say other lovers do
I'm not concerned with following the norms of other couples
I just want to dance with you
I only want to dance with you
I got a feeling that you have a heart like mine,
I sense that you have a similar heart to mine
So let it show, let it shine
Let your heart be visible and radiant
Oh, if we have change to make one heart of two
If we can become one heart together
Then I just want to dance with you
I only want to dance with you if we can be one heart together
I want to dance with you
I desire to dance with you
Twirl you all around the floor
Spin you around as we dance on the floor
That's what they invented dancing for,
Dancing was invented for this reason
I want to dance with you
I still want to dance with you
Hold you in my arms once more
Embrace you in my arms again
That's what they invented dancing for,
Dancing was created for moments like these
I caught you lookin' at me when I looked at you
I noticed you were gazing at me when I gazed at you
Yes, I did, ain't that true
It's true, I really did see you looking at me
You won't get embarrassed by the things I do
You won't feel ashamed of me or my actions
I just want to dance with you
I solely desire to dance with you
Oh, the boys are playing softly and the girls are too
The boys and girls are dancing to soft music
So am I, and so are you
We are also dancing to the music
If this was a movie then we're right on cue
If our life was a movie, this moment would be perfectly timed
I just want to dance with you
All I want is to dance with you
I just want to dance with you
I only want to dance with you
I just want to dance with you
All I want is to dance with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: John Prine, Roger Frederick Cook
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paulanation283
I’ve listened to John for over 40 years. He’s timeless. Amazing man, amazing words. Going to miss you sir. Rest in Paradise #covid19sucks
@ronturner5560
mankind owes John for his contribution to our world of melodic music, RIP John!
@christinedureau3467
I had no idea that he wrote this! Love the song, beautiful performance
@friendlybanjoatheist5464
JP died today. And I learned this song tonight. Singing it a crying. Thank you JP.
@mariehardyman1342
Married my husband in 97. This was our song.
@jimbanda
Johns great friend Philip Donnelly playing those little guitar licks, they passed within months of each other. RIP Both ❤
@bjloveschicago
So romantic. Didn’t know his music much before he passed but all the tributes & love have opened my eyes —heart, too! A really authentic guy he was!
@tomjones2202
I've learned SO much about John, Steve Goodman and many others who have written great songs that we think the singing artist wrote but didn't. Just think if Arlo Guthrie had never sang City of New Orleans that Steve Goodman wrote. Johnny Cash turned that one down lol,, Gone but never to be forgotten,!
@tomjones2202
Wow, the things we learn AFTER they are gone :(, So many major artist owe so much to writers like John Prine,, Steve Goodman, and so many others,, They sing the songs and WE think, What a great song they just sang and NEVER realizing,, they didn't write it,, someone else did... RIP all you song writers who are NEVER recognized and Thank you!
@shanesealey8398
Five months after losing JP, I still feel the emence loss. RIP and dance off the stage once again!