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.
Til A Tear Becomes A Rose
John Prine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows
But if you weep I'll be right here to hold you
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose
Dearest love, I know your heart been shattered
And all my words can offer no relief
But my love will heal the pain you've suffered
I deepest night when memories tend to gather
Lay with me and put your fears to sleep
Cause there's no pain no dream can put asunder
All the love that binds us you and me
Darling, I can see the clouds around you
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows
But if you weep I'll be right here to hold you
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose
The song 'Til a Tear Becomes a Rose' by John Prine feat. Fiona Prine is a beautiful ballad that speaks about being there for someone through their pain and helping them heal. The opening lines show a deep understanding of the person's inner turmoil and acknowledges the sadness that they are feeling. The use of clouds as a metaphor to describe the state of mind of the person is both poignant and insightful. The singer assures the person that he will be there to support them through their difficult times.
The chorus is where the singer promises to be the emotional support for his loved one, telling them that they will be there to hold them through their weeping and suffering. The phrase "Til each tear you cry becomes a rose" is a beautiful metaphor for the transformation of pain into something beautiful. The idea is that the tears that the person is crying will eventually become something beautiful, just like how a rose blooms after a period of darkness.
The final verse is about finding solace in being close to the person that you love. The idea that no dream, no pain can separate them is powerful and reaffirming. The song offers a hopeful message, stating that through love, healing is possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, I can see the clouds around you
My dear love, I can sense a burden weighing you down.
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows
I understand that you're carrying a lot of pain.
But if you weep I'll be right here to hold you
Whenever you feel the need to cry, I'll be here to comfort you.
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose
I'll stay with you through the sadness until your sorrow turns into something beautiful.
Dearest love, I know your heart been shattered
My beloved, I'm aware that your heart has been broken and bruised.
And all my words can offer no relief
I know that words cannot mend the pain you're feeling.
But my love will heal the pain you've suffered
However, my love will slowly help to soothe the hurt you're going through.
And I'll be here if you should turn to me
No matter what, I'll always be here as a shoulder to cry on.
I deepest night when memories tend to gather
During the late hours of the night when memories come flooding back,
Lay with me and put your fears to sleep
please share your fears with me and rest easy in my embrace.
Cause there's no pain no dream can put asunder
With our love, there is no pain that can tear us apart.
All the love that binds us you and me
Our love is what connects us together, and nothing can break that bond.
Darling, I can see the clouds around you
My dear love, I can sense a burden weighing you down.
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows
I understand that you're carrying a lot of pain.
But if you weep I'll be right here to hold you
Whenever you feel the need to cry, I'll be here to comfort you.
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose
I'll stay with you through the sadness until your sorrow turns into something beautiful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Wilbur S. Rice, Sharon Mary Vaughn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dand4692
Darling I can see the clouds around you,
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows,
But if you weep I'll be right there to hold you
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose.
Dearest love, I know your heart is shattered,
And all my words can offer no release,
But my love will heal the pain you suffered,
And I'll be here if you should turn to me.
Darling I can see the clouds around you,
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows,
But if you weep I'll be right there to hold you
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose.
In deepest nights when memories stand together,
Lay with me and put your fears to sleep,
Cause there's no pain; no dream can put us under,
All the love that binds you to me.
Darling I can see the clouds around you,
And in your heart I know a sorrow grows,
But if you weep I'll be right there to hold you
'Til each tear you cry becomes a rose.
@frankburton320
Wonderful. Just Wonderful. John you were a true Legend. RIP John. Gone but never forgotten. Thanks for this wonderful upload. Regards Frank
@roxannetoth5026
What a beautiful tune and the sentiment is so relatable to those if us who have struggled w/these feelings of love and suffering and loss plus a little hope, w/ our loved ones. When this album came out was in a disaster w/ death that went on for yrs. I can enjoy it now while I'm on a lifelong road to my own as we all are. Suffering can gey u grace, remember that when bitterness eats u up. God bless u John, Fiona and ur fam, as well I hope u feel the love from those who care so much...
@edicamon8486
If tears become roses I would have a garden on my face.
@gregrose5233
INCREDIBLE! RIP John. Loving Kindness to you dear Fiona...
@deborahthompson9279
😢So very 🌹Beautiful 😢 We surely will never understand the plans of God, for his thoughts & ways are much higher than ours. I do know many prayed for Johns miracle & still are deeply heartbroken that he didn’t come home to us........My next thought is ✨He shook God’s Hand ... before we did ❤️
@sharonramsey715
That’s so sad but so beautiful. Thank you.
@AW-ni4ij
Close to 2 years now and it still really hurts.
@halb37
. . . and then he smoked a cigarette that's nine miles long . . .
@user-ir3ob9nk2e
John was just a beautiful, wonderful human being. I have been a fan for over half a century, I thank the universe that we shared planet earth at the same time.
@100perdido
"Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop and count the years
Sweet songs never last too long
On a broken radios"
Say a prayer for John and Fiona