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.

Often Is a Word I Seldom Use
John Prine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know that you're sad
I know that you're lonely
You lie awake 'till way past when
I want you to know

That I'm leaving you only
'Cause I might not get the chance again.

[Chorus:]
I'm cold and I'm tired
And I can't stop coughing
Long enough to tell you all of the news
I'd like to tell you
That I'll see you more often
But often is a word I seldom use
Often is a word I seldom use.

Tell me, where did the weekend go?
Tell me, where did the weekend go?
Went like thunder, felt like snow.
Went like thunder, felt like snow.

You must think my life's a circus
Watching me laughing
And slapping my thighs
How'd ya like to die

In the house of mirrors
With nobody around to close your eyes.

[Chorus]

Going down to the Greyhound station
Going back home
And get what's mine
Got me a date

With the ten o'clock special
Gonna be there at a quarter to nine.

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

John Prine's song "Often Is a Word I Seldom Use" is a melancholic ballad about leaving someone you care about with the hope of seeing them more often in the future. The opening lines, "I know that you're sad, I know that you're lonely, you lie awake 'till way past when," reveal that the singer is aware of their lover's feelings but still decides to leave them. The following lines, "I'm leaving you only 'cause I might not get the chance again," suggest that the singer is leaving because they don't know if they'll have another opportunity to do so. This could mean that the singer is leaving for good or just for a long time.

The chorus, "I'm cold and I'm tired, and I can't stop coughing long enough to tell you all of the news," describes the singer's physical condition, suggesting that they are not feeling well. The line "often is a word I seldom use" emphasizes the singer's lack of certainty about seeing their lover again. The repetition of this line throughout the song highlights the theme of uncertainty and the fear that the singer may not see their lover again.

The third verse introduces a new perspective, describing the singer's life from an outsider's view. The line "you must think my life's a circus, watching me laughing and slapping my thighs" suggests that the singer's lover might not understand their reasons for leaving. The subsequent lines, "how'd ya like to die in the house of mirrors, with nobody around to close your eyes?" confirm that the singer's life is not as joyful as it may seem.

In conclusion, "Often Is a Word I Seldom Use" is a bittersweet song about uncertainty, missed opportunities, and the fear of losing someone you care about. The repetition of the line "often is a word I seldom use" reinforces the song's theme of uncertainty and emphasizes the importance of cherishing the time we have with the people we love.

Line by Line Meaning

I know that you're sad
I understand that you feel unhappy.

I know that you're lonely
I acknowledge that you feel alone.

You lie awake 'till way past when
You stay up late into the night, unable to sleep.

I want you to know
I need you to understand.

That I'm leaving you only
I'm only leaving you for a short while.

'Cause I might not get the chance again.
Because it's possible that I won't be able to do this again.

I'm cold and I'm tired
I'm feeling physically uncomfortable.

And I can't stop coughing
I'm having frequent coughing fits.

Long enough to tell you all of the news
I'm unable to speak for a prolonged period to share all the news.

I'd like to tell you
I wish I could share with you.

That I'll see you more often
I would like to meet you more regularly.