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John Prine — Living In The Future
Album: Storm Windows
Avg rating:
6.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 538









Released: 0
Length: 3:22
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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Jehosaphat the mongrel cat
Jumped off the roof today
Some would say he fell but I could tell
He did himself away
His eyes weren't bright like they were the night
We played checkers on the train
God Bless his soul he was a tootsie roll
But he's a dead cat just the same

We are living in the future
I'll tell you how I know
I read it in the paper
Fifteen years ago
We're all driving rocket ships
And talking with our minds
And wearing turquoise jewelry
And standing in soup lines
We are standing in soup lines

Jake the barber's lonely daughter
Went down to her daddy's shop
She plugged herself to a barber pole
And took a little off the top
Pressure on the left. Pressure on the right
Pressure in the middle of the hole
I'm goin' to Maine on a forty foot crane
I'm gonna use it for a fishin' pole

We are living in the future
I'll tell you how I know
I read it in the paper
Fifteen years ago
We're all driving rocket ships
And talking with our minds
And wearing turquoise jewelry
And standing in soup lines
We are standing in soup lines

Old Sarah Brown sells tickets down
At the all night picture show
Where they grind out sex
And they rate it with an "X"
Just to make a young man's pants grow
No tops no bottoms just hands and feet
Screaming the posters out on the street
Strangling the curious and the weak
We give 'em what they want to see - O

We are living in the future
I'll tell you how I know
I read it in the paper
Fifteen years ago
We're all driving rocket ships
And talking with our minds
And wearing turquoise jewelry
And standing in soup lines
We are standing in soup lines
Comments (68)add comment
I love that this is playing straight after  In The Year 2525. 
Posted 2 months ago by hellsgardener    [ Reply ]
Upbeat song, but the lyrics are brutal. Nobody can match JP.
c.
Posted 4 months ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
never enough John Prine, William could play 80% of his catalog. Just LOVE this, the word play is just pure Proustian existentialism.
Posted 1 year ago by eyke    [ Reply ]
 westslope wrote:

I reckon that a whole generation of young Canadian musicians grew up listening to and enjoying John Prine.

Maybe you had to have lived through the Vietnam War and the use of chemical agents against Vietnamese civilians, I dunno.


 
None of that was lost on Canadians. But we often think it would be great if you knew something about us.
Posted 3 years ago by tinypriest    [ Reply ]
 jocelynsart wrote:
It's so bad it's good, funny! 
 
You're so blind, you believe what you see.
Posted 3 years ago by itsme_bygolly    [ Reply ]
I had the good fortune to see him a few years ago, in a high school auditorium I think - a small venue. Must have been around 2014, after his lung cancer. I was worried he wouldn't have any gas left in the tank. I was wrong.

Godspeed, Mr. Prine.
c.
Posted 4 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
We're wearing turquoise jewelry and standing in soup lines....yep kinda sums up the current future.

thanks for everything, John, rest in peace.
Posted 4 years ago by eyke    [ Reply ]
Gave this a nine so miss john prine
Posted 4 years ago by jp33442    [ Reply ]
Man, for a second there I thought Bob Dylan had lost it.
Posted 4 years ago by acolt    [ Reply ]
Man... John Prine!  What a singer/song writer/storyteller man... Man he was a next generation following Pete Seegar and Woody Guthrie along with Arlo and Dylan.  Makes me smile for the most part.  
Posted 4 years ago by deadheadmark    [ Reply ]
Thanks. More John Prine, please! How about a 2 hour tribute of back-to-back Prine music?
Posted 4 years ago by Ipse_Dixit    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
Funny, I've never seen a photo of John Prine, and when I listen to him sing ,I think of him as a skinny old backwoods cabin living guy, with summer teeth and overalls.
 
Yeah, he looks like he should be looking for the six fingered man that killed his father.
Posted 4 years ago by forthbrdge    [ Reply ]
Keep playing John!!

RIP John and thank you so much for your music and personality.
Posted 4 years ago by pa508701    [ Reply ]
It's so bad it's good, funny! 
Posted 4 years ago by jocelynsart    [ Reply ]
Funny, I've never seen a photo of John Prine, and when I listen to him sing ,I think of him as a skinny old backwoods cabin living guy, with summer teeth and overalls.
Posted 4 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
 jim1964 wrote:

yeah, makes want to blow up the tv and eat a lot of peaches.
 
...and I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve.
Posted 4 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 cc_rider wrote:

That song, plus 'Muhlenburg County', sealed the deal for me: John Prine is great.

 

"Paradise" is the song that refers to Muhlenburg County; "Sam Stone" is the song about the hole in Daddy's arm.
Posted 4 years ago by CosmicDon    [ Reply ]
 peacockangel wrote:
Dylan, Robert Hunter, Leonard Cohen, & John Prine .
 
& John Hiatt.
Posted 5 years ago by h8rhater    [ Reply ]
Here's some  of his classic stuff: 


On a dusty pew in a vestibule
Sits the Devil playing pocket pool
He's waiting for the next poor fool
Who forgot that it was Sunday
Posted 5 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
Jumpin' Jehosophat! What a voice! Holy auto-mutes, Batman!
Posted 13 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 John, come on back to Sandpoint. . . we miss you!
Posted 14 years ago by That_SOB    [ Reply ]
 peacockangel wrote:
Dylan, Robert Hunter, Leonard Cohen, & John Prine .
 
Amazing how you can rattle up my 1-5 rating group in one fel swoop.

Posted 14 years ago by Jared    [ Reply ]
thefoodoflove wrote:
If he is the greatest American lyricist of all time you guys are in big trouble!
You've come a gutser, thefoodoflove - once you've learned USican lingo it will all make sense.

Posted 14 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
Dylan, Robert Hunter, Leonard Cohen, & John Prine .
Posted 14 years ago by peacockangel    [ Reply ]
 catrip wrote:
.... John Prine has a line on American ethos like nobody else, and a wicked clever way to show it. Full disclosure: I'm Canadian, but have been with the 'merkins for about 10 year now. So I'm kinda catching on to them.
.....

 

I reckon that a whole generation of young Canadian musicians grew up listening to and enjoying John Prine.

Maybe you had to have lived through the Vietnam War and the use of chemical agents against Vietnamese civilians, I dunno.


Posted 14 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
 themotion wrote:

Drop your panties, Sir William; I cannot wait until lunchtime!
 
My nipples explode with delight!
Posted 14 years ago by miahfost    [ Reply ]

fredriley,

True, the voice isn't great.  But you have to give John Prine a few listens.  Especially some of his earlier stuff.  For the genre, Prine deserves Sainthood.

I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that hundreds of musicians in North America would take a bullet for John Prine.


Posted 14 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
A voice like Bob Dylan's. Only worse. Ah, the blessed relief of the mute button...
Posted 14 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
More JP pleez!

Posted 14 years ago by macadavy    [ Reply ]
 Porgie_Tirebiter wrote:
I dunno - but mine's fulla EELS !
 
Drop your panties, Sir William; I cannot wait until lunchtime!
Posted 14 years ago by themotion    [ Reply ]
 Deronius wrote:
Another fine product of the Old Town School of Folk Music.
 
{#Yes}

Posted 15 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
 cc_rider wrote:

That song, plus 'Muhlenburg County', sealed the deal for me: John Prine is great.
 
yeah, makes want to blow up the tv and eat a lot of peaches.
Posted 15 years ago by jim1964    [ Reply ]
 Deronius wrote:
"There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes" Those are the first lyrics from John Prine that smacked me in the face and made me pay attention. I've been a fan ever since. Another fine product of the Old Town School of Folk Music.
 
That song, plus 'Muhlenburg County', sealed the deal for me: John Prine is great.

Posted 15 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
You gotta know when to hold em. Oh wait...wrong song, same melody.
Posted 15 years ago by aquinas    [ Reply ]
from the guy "left of CHI,  and up:"

great  great!!! comment / crack!  Oh yeah: 

Wearing turquoise jewelry to stand in the soup line. That's this flucked town they call ALL butt QUEER ki (ki means feces in Thai)..

not to worry I ain't here permanent -like. 

 
Posted 15 years ago by paulpaar    [ Reply ]
"There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes" Those are the first lyrics from John Prine that smacked me in the face and made me pay attention. I've been a fan ever since. Another fine product of the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Posted 17 years ago by Deronius    [ Reply ]
John always puts a smile on this girls face.
Posted 17 years ago by CCinSB    [ Reply ]
hippiechick wrote:
Where's my hovercraft!!?:
I dunno - but mine's fulla EELS !
Posted 17 years ago by Porgie_Tirebiter    [ Reply ]
Odyzzeuz wrote:
He's gonna be in Austin in a week and I got tickets, yay!
genius like this with a 6.9 rating shame on you Rp listeners.....I tell there is accounting for taste in this list sometimes. 10 10 10 10 10
Posted 17 years ago by wally42    [ Reply ]
go_ski_mully wrote:
who? who? who? I ask you? who? can make ya smile! like Johnny Prine!
Posted 17 years ago by Fiji5555    [ Reply ]
He's gonna be in Austin in a week and I got tickets, yay!
Posted 17 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
who? who? who? I ask you? who? can make ya smile! like Johnny Prine!
Posted 17 years ago by go_ski_mully    [ Reply ]
all a bunch 'a storytellers.. heeehaaw!! standing in soooupline!!
Posted 17 years ago by sixxstrings    [ Reply ]
kazuma wrote:
That chorus cracks me up. I'm especially disappointed that I still don't drive a rocket ship as Popular Science insisted in 1968 we all would by now.
Where's my hovercraft!!?:
Posted 17 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
I could stand to hear a LOT more of this guy! What an image:
"Wearing turquoise jewelry to stand in the soup line"
Posted 17 years ago by laozilover    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by jah_blessed    [ Reply ]
That chorus cracks me up. I'm especially disappointed that I still don't drive a rocket ship as Popular Science insisted in 1968 we all would by now.
Posted 18 years ago by kazuma    [ Reply ]
I'll rate this a point higher just to hear more Prine on RP. Most excellent.
Posted 18 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
Top notch!!!
Posted 18 years ago by Rocking-M    [ Reply ]
Love that fiddle!
Posted 18 years ago by slowhand    [ Reply ]
Love JP. He's great. Fun and funny. After throat cancer his singing voice dropped an octave, but he's working again and has a recent album, another winner.
Posted 18 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
hippiechick wrote:
The best singing mailman in the world!
You got that right! And as far as others on par with Mr. Prine, you've got Townes VanZandt, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt! ...although I have logged more hours with Mr Prine than the other three.
Posted 18 years ago by go_ski_mully    [ Reply ]
quite peppy for a song about suicides and pornography.
Posted 18 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
Makes me think of Firefly...
Posted 18 years ago by Cruithne3753    [ Reply ]
The best singing mailman in the world!
Posted 18 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
thefoodoflove wrote:
If he is the greatest American lyricist of all time you guys are in big trouble!
If your post is based just on this song, do yourself a favor -- check out some more of his work and come back to us. Try: Angel of Montgomery Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone Hello in There Speed of the Sound of Loneliness Dear Abbey (oh c'mon, at the very least it's clever) Blue Umbrella Chain of Sorrow and the list goes on. John Prine has a line on American ethos like nobody else, and a wicked clever way to show it. Full disclosure: I'm Canadian, but have been with the 'merkins for about 10 year now. So I'm kinda catching on to them. The only other contemporary American songwriter I'd put on the same level as John Prine would be Greg Brown. Paul Simon (re post below) is good, but doesn't quite hit it on the head as consistently as these two do.
Posted 18 years ago by catrip    [ Reply ]
Had to look twice - thought the KPIG stream might have come back up. Nice to hear Prine on RP!
Posted 18 years ago by GregX59    [ Reply ]
geotrash wrote:
I love John Prine!!! Perhaps the greatest American lyricist of all time.
Paul Simon says hello.
Posted 18 years ago by Blackjack    [ Reply ]
thefoodoflove wrote:
If he is the greatest American lyricist of all time you guys are in big trouble!
Eat it "FoodOLuv"!! I got an illegal smile.....
Posted 18 years ago by Farquwaar    [ Reply ]
geotrash wrote:
I love John Prine!!! Perhaps the greatest American lyricist of all time. This isn't his best tune IMHO, but it's great to hear his music on Radio Paradise. Thanks!
If he is the greatest American lyricist of all time you guys are in big trouble!
Posted 18 years ago by thefoodoflove    [ Reply ]
Angel from Montgomery - with JP & Bonnie Raitt is a wonderment.
Posted 18 years ago by birdland    [ Reply ]
Thank you for playing John Prine - just went to his concert here in Fairbanks, what an entertainer!
Posted 21 years ago by marycrichards    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by geotrash: I love John Prine!!! Perhaps the greatest American lyricist of all time. This isn't his best tune IMHO, but it's great to hear his music on Radio Paradise. Thanks!
Here! Here! I agree completely!
Posted 21 years ago by oufason    [ Reply ]
No more hillbillies please!
Posted 21 years ago by tfast    [ Reply ]
I never expected to hear Prine on RP. Thanks for the suprise...
Posted 21 years ago by micman2b    [ Reply ]
I love John Prine!!! Perhaps the greatest American lyricist of all time. This isn\'t his best tune IMHO, but it\'s great to hear his music on Radio Paradise. Thanks!
Posted 22 years ago by geotrash    [ Reply ]