John Edward Prine (October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer… Read Full Bio ↴John Edward Prine (October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He was known for an often humorous style of original music that has elements of protest and social commentary.

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 Want To Be With You Always
John Prine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I lose my blues
Only when I'm with you
No one else can do
You're in my heart to stay
And when I'm gone and I'm all alone
I'll be singing this song
I want to be with you always

I'd be happy dear
If you could only be here
And always be near you
Forever and a day
Then we'd travel far to some big shining star
Just you and my guitar
And stay there sweetheart for always

I hope you feel the same
You really want my name
You'll be the one who's to blame
If it works out wrong that day
'Cause my love is true, my love's only for you
I would never be blue
If I can be with you always
Then we'd travel far to some big shining star

Just you and my guitar
And stay there sweetheart for always

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Prine's song I Want To Be With You Always express the idea of unconditional love and the desire to always be with the person he loves. The opening line of the song "I lose my blues, only when I'm with you" sets the tone for the rest of the song as he expresses how being with this person brings him joy and happiness. The next line "No one else can do, you're in my heart to stay" suggests that this person is special to him and irreplaceable.

The chorus of the song "I want to be with you always" is a simple but powerful message of his love and commitment to this person. The second verse of the song speaks of his longing to be with this person and how being near them would make him happy. The line "Then we'd travel far to some big shining star, just you and my guitar" suggests that the love between the two is pure and simple and that they could find happiness anywhere as long as they are together.

Lastly, the final verse of the song emphasizes the true love he feels for this person, assuring them that his love is genuine and that it will never fade.

Line by Line Meaning

I lose my blues
I feel down and unhappy most of the time.

Only when I'm with you
Except when I am with you, I feel better and happier.

No one else can do
You are the only one who can make me feel happy and content.

You're in my heart to stay
You hold a special place in my heart and I will always cherish you.

And when I'm gone and I'm all alone
When I am away from you and I am by myself.

I'll be singing this song
I will sing this song to remind myself of you and to feel close to you.

I want to be with you always
I desire to spend every moment with you, forever and always.

I'd be happy dear
I would be overjoyed, my love.

If you could only be here
If you were only here with me, my happiness would be complete.

And always be near you
I want to be close to you all the time.

Forever and a day
For all eternity and beyond.

Then we'd travel far to some big shining star
We would journey together to a distant, bright destination.

Just you and my guitar
It would just be you and me and my guitar, my love.

And stay there sweetheart for always
And we would remain in that magical place together forever and always.

I hope you feel the same
I trust that you share my feelings, my love.

You really want my name
You truly desire to be with me and have me belong to you.

You'll be the one who's to blame
If things go wrong, you will be responsible for it.

'Cause my love is true, my love's only for you
Because I know that my love for you is genuine and exclusive.

I would never be blue
I would never be sad or unhappy.

If I can be with you always
If only I can have you always by my side.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIM BECK, LEFTY FRIZZEL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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