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.
Nine Pound Hammer
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a little too heavy
Buddy for my size
Buddy for my size
So I'm going on the mountain
Just to see my baby
And I ain't coming back
Roll on, buddy
Don't you roll so slow
Well, tell me how can I roll
When the wheels won't go
Roll on, buddy
Pull your load of coal
Tell me how can I pull
When the wheels won't roll
It's a long way to Harlan
It's a long way to Hazard
Just to get a little brew
Just to get a little brew
And when I'm long gone
You can make my tombstone
Out of number nine coal
Out of number nine coal
Roll on, buddy
Don't you roll so slow
Well, tell me how can I roll
When the wheels won't go
Roll on, buddy
Pull your load of coal
Tell me how can I pull
When the wheels won't roll
The lyrics of "Nine Pound Hammer" by John Prine describe a physical struggle to work with a tool that is too big to handle. This hammer becomes a metaphor for life's hardships, making it a classic American folk song. The main character of the song expresses that he is not suited for this way of life and decides to climb a mountain to see his beloved. This line shows the character is questioning his life's path and yearning for more than just working tirelessly each day. He has made up his mind that he is not returning and has decided to leave the life of hard labor behind.
The next verse discusses the transportation struggles in getting to Harlan and Hazard to get some brew. Perhaps, to escape the struggle of life and find some rest, our protagonist is looking for a way out. By the time he comes back, he will have passed on, and he desires to be memorialized with a tombstone made of premium coal, which was a rare and expensive commodity in the Appalachian region.
Line by Line Meaning
This nine pound hammer
The hammer being referred to weighs nine pounds.
Is a little too heavy
The hammer is too heavy for the singer to use comfortably.
Buddy for my size
The heaviness of the hammer is not suitable for someone of his size.
So I'm going on the mountain
The artist is going up the mountain.
Just to see my baby
The purpose of the artist's trip up the mountain is to visit his loved one.
And I ain't coming back
The singer has no intention of returning from his trip.
Roll on, buddy
The singer is addressing or talking to a buddy.
Don't you roll so slow
The artist is advising his buddy to roll faster than he currently is.
Well, tell me how can I roll
The buddy is questioning how he can roll faster given the circumstances.
When the wheels won't go
The wheels are not functioning correctly, hindering their ability to roll fast.
Roll on, buddy
The singer is again urging his buddy to roll faster.
Pull your load of coal
The buddy is being asked to pull his load of coal.
Tell me how can I pull
The buddy is questioning how he can pull the load of coal given the circumstances.
When the wheels won't roll
The wheels are not functioning correctly, making it difficult for the buddy to pull his load of coal.
It's a long way to Harlan
Harlan is a far distance away.
It's a long way to Hazard
Hazard is also a far distance away.
Just to get a little brew
The artist is willing to go the distance to get his alcoholic beverage of choice.
And when I'm long gone
When the singer dies.
You can make my tombstone
The singer is giving instructions for his tombstone.
Out of number nine coal
The artist wants his tombstone made from number nine coal.
Roll on, buddy
The artist is still encouraging his buddy to move faster.
Don't you roll so slow
The artist is still urging his buddy to roll faster.
Well, tell me how can I roll
The buddy is still questioning how he can roll faster given their situation.
When the wheels won't go
The wheels are still not functioning correctly, making it difficult for them to roll faster.
Roll on, buddy
The singer is still encouraging his buddy to move faster.
Pull your load of coal
The singer is still asking his buddy to pull his load of coal.
Tell me how can I pull
The buddy is once again questioning how he can pull the coal given the circumstances.
When the wheels won't roll
The wheels are still not functioning properly, making it difficult for the buddy to pull his load of coal.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MERLE TRAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind