THE JOHN PRINE TRIBUTE PROJECT - May 2020
April 2020: a friend challenged me to write a song using John Prine song titles. She got the idea from the song I wrote called Heaven By Water (track #2 on my CD When I'm An Angel) which is written using 27 book titles with only 20 of my own words. What better way for a songwriter to pass the time while in covid lockdown?!
Goofing around with John Prine song titles is just one way to have a good time while paying homage to a great American songwriter.
Thing is, after I found a comprehensive list of Prine's songs and wrote one song, I challenged myself to write songs using his titles until I'd used all of them! They don't really make any sense. But some of the lines tap into my subconscious and things that are happening in my life right now. And after I made videos of them, I found that I was often singing them while buzzing around during the day. Turns out that it doesn't really matter, the meaning of a song, only that it's fun to hear and sing!
Here are 6 songs using 233 John Prine Titles. Lyrics included. Which one is your favorite and why?
April 2020: a friend challenged me to write a song using John Prine song titles. She got the idea from the song I wrote called Heaven By Water (track #2 on my CD When I'm An Angel) which is written using 27 book titles with only 20 of my own words. What better way for a songwriter to pass the time while in covid lockdown?!
Goofing around with John Prine song titles is just one way to have a good time while paying homage to a great American songwriter.
Thing is, after I found a comprehensive list of Prine's songs and wrote one song, I challenged myself to write songs using his titles until I'd used all of them! They don't really make any sense. But some of the lines tap into my subconscious and things that are happening in my life right now. And after I made videos of them, I found that I was often singing them while buzzing around during the day. Turns out that it doesn't really matter, the meaning of a song, only that it's fun to hear and sing!
Here are 6 songs using 233 John Prine Titles. Lyrics included. Which one is your favorite and why?
THE MISSING YEARS (34 Song Titles)
When I Get To Heaven with an Angel From Montgomery
and an Illegal Smile a Spanish Pipe Dream
Paradise will find me with a Pink Umbrella
and Fish & Whistle Souvenirs by the waters of Lake Marie
Hello in There Its Happening To You
In Spite of Ourselves and The Sins of Mephisto
Sometimes Humans Aren’t Humans they make a Chain of Sorrows
at The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
oh Jesus the Missing Years
It’s a Big Ole Goofy World on The 6 O’clock News
All the Best Unwed Fathers say Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawiian
when The Moon is Down at Summers End It’s Christmas in Prison
That’s the Way the World Goes Round For the Glory of Love
There’s a Hole in Daddy’s Arm Where All the Money Goes
GLet’s Invite Them Over
When Two Worlds Collide
Til aTear Becomes a Rose
In a Town This Size
She’s My Everything
and I Hate it When This Happens to Me
oh Jesus the Missing Years
When I Get To Heaven with an Angel From Montgomery
and an Illegal Smile a Spanish Pipe Dream
Paradise will find me with a Pink Umbrella
and Fish & Whistle Souvenirs by the waters of Lake Marie
Hello in There Its Happening To You
In Spite of Ourselves and The Sins of Mephisto
Sometimes Humans Aren’t Humans they make a Chain of Sorrows
at The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
oh Jesus the Missing Years
It’s a Big Ole Goofy World on The 6 O’clock News
All the Best Unwed Fathers say Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawiian
when The Moon is Down at Summers End It’s Christmas in Prison
That’s the Way the World Goes Round For the Glory of Love
There’s a Hole in Daddy’s Arm Where All the Money Goes
GLet’s Invite Them Over
When Two Worlds Collide
Til aTear Becomes a Rose
In a Town This Size
She’s My Everything
and I Hate it When This Happens to Me
oh Jesus the Missing Years
DANCE WITH YOU (40 song titles)
Look At Us Living In at the Future
Taking A Walk On A Slow Boat To China
Fifteen Years Ago We’ll Be Falling In Love Again
In A Backstreet Affair and I Just Want To Dance With You
Everything Is Cool I’m Just Getting By
We’re Diamonds In The Rough Won’t You Be My Friend Tonight
When The Day Is Done Just This Side Of Nowhere
You Mean So Much To Me And I Just Want To Dance With you
How Lucky I am Crazy As A Loon
in This Crooked Piece Of Time
collecting clocks and spoons
We’ll be Killing The Blues In Saginaw Michigan
Somewhere Someone’s Falling In Love
Though You Never Even Call Me By My Name
It's my big compromise
Me Myself & I Just want to Dance With You
Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
where The Blue Of The Night is so Far From Me
I Love You Because I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Often is a word I Seldom Use and I Just Want To dance With You
your Cold Cold Heart must be The Color Of The Blues
I Love You So Much It Hurts I’m Telling You
Sailin Around Dreamin My Dreams In Rocky Mountain Time
Love is On A Roll & I just Want To Dance With You
Look At Us Living In at the Future
Taking A Walk On A Slow Boat To China
Fifteen Years Ago We’ll Be Falling In Love Again
In A Backstreet Affair and I Just Want To Dance With You
Everything Is Cool I’m Just Getting By
We’re Diamonds In The Rough Won’t You Be My Friend Tonight
When The Day Is Done Just This Side Of Nowhere
You Mean So Much To Me And I Just Want To Dance With you
How Lucky I am Crazy As A Loon
in This Crooked Piece Of Time
collecting clocks and spoons
We’ll be Killing The Blues In Saginaw Michigan
Somewhere Someone’s Falling In Love
Though You Never Even Call Me By My Name
It's my big compromise
Me Myself & I Just want to Dance With You
Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
where The Blue Of The Night is so Far From Me
I Love You Because I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Often is a word I Seldom Use and I Just Want To dance With You
your Cold Cold Heart must be The Color Of The Blues
I Love You So Much It Hurts I’m Telling You
Sailin Around Dreamin My Dreams In Rocky Mountain Time
Love is On A Roll & I just Want To Dance With You
EMPIRE FALLS (33 Song Titles)
If you were the woman and I was the man
in My old Kentucky home Goodnight
Blue side of lonesome the Cold war with you
That's How Every Empire Falls
Aw heck Old dogs and children and watermelon wine
Silent night all day long
Take a look at my heart The bottomless lake
That's how every empire falls
The third of July All night blue One red rose
Way back then That's alright by me
Onamatapoeia German afternoons
That's how every empire falls
My happiness Nine pound hammer
Loose talk on The other side of town
Clay pigeons I know one You never can Tell
That's how every empire falls
Iron ore Betty In Chinatown
Humidity built the snowman
Great society conflict veterans blues
That's how every empire falls
We are the lonely This Guitar's for sale
They'll never take her love form me
Pistol packin mama, People putting people down
That's how every empire falls
If you were the woman and I was the man
in My old Kentucky home Goodnight
Blue side of lonesome the Cold war with you
That's How Every Empire Falls
Aw heck Old dogs and children and watermelon wine
Silent night all day long
Take a look at my heart The bottomless lake
That's how every empire falls
The third of July All night blue One red rose
Way back then That's alright by me
Onamatapoeia German afternoons
That's how every empire falls
My happiness Nine pound hammer
Loose talk on The other side of town
Clay pigeons I know one You never can Tell
That's how every empire falls
Iron ore Betty In Chinatown
Humidity built the snowman
Great society conflict veterans blues
That's how every empire falls
We are the lonely This Guitar's for sale
They'll never take her love form me
Pistol packin mama, People putting people down
That's how every empire falls
BEST FRIEND (30 Song Titles)
Dear John Day is done It's a cheating situation Leave the lights on
Everybody wants to feel like you Don't be afraid of your age
Ain't hurting nobody with Aimless love
If I could stick a needle in my eye
Love Love Love
I 'll be My own best friend in The Frying Pan
Please don't bury me, Take the star out of the window
Storms never last We must have been out of our minds
Yes I guess they oughta name a drink after you He forgot it was Sunday Baby
Let's play house In the Garden with Jackie O
If you don't want my love or A good time
Down by the side of the road on the Carousel of love
It'll be Wedding day in funeralville Who's gonna take the garbage out
The twentieth century is almost over Quit hollerin at me
Dear John Day is done It's a cheating situation Leave the lights on
Everybody wants to feel like you Don't be afraid of your age
Ain't hurting nobody with Aimless love
If I could stick a needle in my eye
Love Love Love
I 'll be My own best friend in The Frying Pan
Please don't bury me, Take the star out of the window
Storms never last We must have been out of our minds
Yes I guess they oughta name a drink after you He forgot it was Sunday Baby
Let's play house In the Garden with Jackie O
If you don't want my love or A good time
Down by the side of the road on the Carousel of love
It'll be Wedding day in funeralville Who's gonna take the garbage out
The twentieth century is almost over Quit hollerin at me
JIMMY BLUE (59 Song Titles)
Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna BeauregardI
Want to Be with You Alway Bad Boy Baby Ruth Forbidden Jimmy Blue Eyed Elaine
Safety Joe Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be Maureen, Maureen Loretta Sweet Suzanne No Name Girl
The Oldest Baby in The World The Torch Singer Sleepy Eyed Boy
Sam Stone Wonderful 99 Wedding Bells / Let's Turn Back The Years
There She Goes Unlonely You Got Gold This Love is Real Lulu Walls
Sour Grapes Old Rugged Cross Space Monkey So Sad Morning Train
Dear Abby Daddy's Little Pumpkin How Much Tequila Flashback Blues
A Good Time Automobile Bruised Orange All The Way with You
Just Waitin' If I Could for the Death Of Floyd Collins
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Grandpa Was a Carpenter
Beautiful World Bear Creek Donald and Lydia Kokomo
The Late John Garfiled Blues Milwaukee Here I Come Sweet Revenge
Long Monday Mental Cruelty (We're Not) The Jet Set Ubangi Stomp
Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone
Way Down We Could
Remember Me Pretty Good
Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna BeauregardI
Want to Be with You Alway Bad Boy Baby Ruth Forbidden Jimmy Blue Eyed Elaine
Safety Joe Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be Maureen, Maureen Loretta Sweet Suzanne No Name Girl
The Oldest Baby in The World The Torch Singer Sleepy Eyed Boy
Sam Stone Wonderful 99 Wedding Bells / Let's Turn Back The Years
There She Goes Unlonely You Got Gold This Love is Real Lulu Walls
Sour Grapes Old Rugged Cross Space Monkey So Sad Morning Train
Dear Abby Daddy's Little Pumpkin How Much Tequila Flashback Blues
A Good Time Automobile Bruised Orange All The Way with You
Just Waitin' If I Could for the Death Of Floyd Collins
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Grandpa Was a Carpenter
Beautiful World Bear Creek Donald and Lydia Kokomo
The Late John Garfiled Blues Milwaukee Here I Come Sweet Revenge
Long Monday Mental Cruelty (We're Not) The Jet Set Ubangi Stomp
Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone
Way Down We Could
Remember Me Pretty Good
A GOOD TIME - (37 song titles)
A John Prine Christmas Big fat love Big old goofy man
Common sense made Billy the bum Blow up the tv
The accident The sleepy eyed boy So sad That close to you
If she were you Everybody would have A good time on the New train
Dim lights thick smoke in our Mexican home Dual custody in a Hobo song
He was in heaven before he died That’s the glory of true love
Only love in My darlin home town Same thing happened to me
If she were you Everybody would Have a good time on The new train
I had a dream Just waiting on a Saddle in the rain
Storm Windows Shop talk Out of love Saigon Linda goes to mars
A star a jewel a hoax My dear Just wanna be with you
This is the Quiet man’s Letter to the penthouse forum Great rain
A John Prine Christmas Big fat love Big old goofy man
Common sense made Billy the bum Blow up the tv
The accident The sleepy eyed boy So sad That close to you
If she were you Everybody would have A good time on the New train
Dim lights thick smoke in our Mexican home Dual custody in a Hobo song
He was in heaven before he died That’s the glory of true love
Only love in My darlin home town Same thing happened to me
If she were you Everybody would Have a good time on The new train
I had a dream Just waiting on a Saddle in the rain
Storm Windows Shop talk Out of love Saigon Linda goes to mars
A star a jewel a hoax My dear Just wanna be with you
This is the Quiet man’s Letter to the penthouse forum Great rain
