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.
Quiet Man
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't talk much I'm a quiet man
Beauty and silence both run deep
And I'm running like crazy while you are asleep
You got news for me, I got nothing for you
Don't pin your blues on me
Just go ahead and do whatever you wish to
Last Monday night I saw a fight
Between Wednesday and Thursday over Saturday night
Tuesday asked me what was going on I said
"Sunday's in the meadow and Friday's in the corn"
You got news for me, I got nothing for you
Don't pin your blues on me
Just go ahead and do whatever you wish to
Hocus-pocus, Maladjusted
Don't you think my tears get rusted
Steady losing means you ain't using
What you really think is right
You got news for me, I got nothing for you
Don't pin your blues on me
Just go ahead and do whatever you wish to
Oodles of light what a beautiful sight
Both of God's eyes are shining tonight
Rays and beams of incredible dreams
And I am a quiet man
Oodles of light what a beautiful sight
Both of God's eyes are shining tonight
Rays and beams of incredible dreams
And I am a quiet man
Oodles of light what a beautiful sight
Both of God's eyes are shining tonight
Rays and beams of incredible dreams
And I am a quiet man
In John Prine's song "Quiet Man," he sings about being a quiet and introspective person who finds beauty in silence. The first verse sees him strolling down the highway with his shoes in hand, emphasizing his carefree and unassuming nature. He states that beauty and silence are intertwined and that he feels like he's running wild while others are asleep. The second verse takes a more comedic turn as he tells the story of a fight that takes place between the days of the week, with Tuesday asking him for an explanation of what's happening. He once again emphasises his quietness by saying he has nothing to add or say about it.
The chorus repeats the phrase "you got news for me, I got nothing for you," emphasizing the divide between himself and those who try to engage with him. He tells them not to "pin their blues "on him, perhaps suggesting that others are projecting their problems onto him. The third verse is more reflective and poetic, with Prine using the juxtaposition of "Hocus-pocus, Maladjusted" to describe feeling lost and hurt. He encourages listeners to not give up and to keep trying to do what is right. The repetition of "oodles of light" and "Both of God's eyes are shining tonight" at the end of the song suggests that despite feeling different and isolated, Prine finds solace in nature and spirituality.
Line by Line Meaning
Strolling down the highway with my shoes in my hand
I am walking aimlessly, without a specific destination in mind.
I don't talk much I'm a quiet man
I am not one to engage in conversation.
Beauty and silence both run deep
There is a lot of depth in the beauty of silence.
And I'm running like crazy while you are asleep
I am on the move and constantly busy.
You got news for me, I got nothing for you
I do not have any information or updates to share.
Don't pin your blues on me
Please do not try to bring me down with your problems.
Just go ahead and do whatever you wish to
Feel free to do what you want.
Last Monday night I saw a fight
I witnessed a dispute on Monday.
Between Wednesday and Thursday over Saturday night
The dispute was about what happened on Saturday between Wednesday and Thursday.
Tuesday asked me what was going on I said
On Tuesday, someone asked me about the situation and I replied with the following:
"Sunday's in the meadow and Friday's in the corn"
I responded with a nonsensical answer.
Hocus-pocus, Maladjusted
This is gibberish or a phrase without meaning.
Don't you think my tears get rusted
My emotions have been stagnated for a while.
Steady losing means you ain't using
If you are consistently losing, it means you are not making use of your potential.
What you really think is right
You should follow your own beliefs and intuition.
Oodles of light what a beautiful sight
There is a stunning display of light.
Both of God's eyes are shining tonight
The stars in the sky are beautiful and bright.
Rays and beams of incredible dreams
There are profound and fantastic things in this world.
And I am a quiet man
As always, I am a reserved and introverted person.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Prine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Annoth Schnitzer
LOVE the line "don't pin your blues on me" thank you song writer man. I pray you have peace..
susan hawkes
No more projection of Petty's defects on to me. She can do whatever she wishes to.
Thank you once again Mr. Prine.
Rest in peace, dear man.
Will Baska
Rest in Peace to an American legend.
jivan bansi
Planetary Treasure!
rain intheface
Wow , more than 40 year and this song still does it for me. Great song.
LalaNicky
Ditto!
LalaNicky
Gosh darn it!!!!! I’m afraid we will never have a poetic creator like this again. In my lifetime anyway. Thankful for all he created and left us to enjoy.
mr childgrownold
👍 well said
real news
one of the best song writers ever!
rain intheface
First heard this song way back in '71-72 . Still one of my favorites .