John Prine — Sam Stone
Album: John PrineAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 147
Length: 4:32
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Sam Stone came home
To the wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas
And the time that he served
Had shattered all his nerves
And left a little shrapnel in his knee
But the morphine eased the pain
And the grass grew 'round his brain
And gave him all the confidence he lacked
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime
And Sammy took to stealin'
When he got that empty feelin'
For a hundred dollar habit, without overtime
And the gold rolled through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose
While the kids ran around wearin' other people's clothes
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
Sam stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair
Well he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air
But life had lost it's fun
And there was nothin' to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the GI bill
For a flag draped casket on the local hero's hill
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
To the wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas
And the time that he served
Had shattered all his nerves
And left a little shrapnel in his knee
But the morphine eased the pain
And the grass grew 'round his brain
And gave him all the confidence he lacked
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime
And Sammy took to stealin'
When he got that empty feelin'
For a hundred dollar habit, without overtime
And the gold rolled through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose
While the kids ran around wearin' other people's clothes
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
Sam stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair
Well he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air
But life had lost it's fun
And there was nothin' to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the GI bill
For a flag draped casket on the local hero's hill
There's a hole in daddy's arm
Where all the money goes
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
Comments (12)add comment
This version is not the one on the album.
There are a lot of sad songs out there, but this one stands alone.
Godspeed, Mr. Prine.
c.
Godspeed, Mr. Prine.
c.
timatmit wrote:
He probably witnessed it. I know I did as a kid with some of the vets in my neighborhood.
How does a 25 year old kid write something like this? We won't see another songwriter like John Prine for a long time. Pure gold!
He probably witnessed it. I know I did as a kid with some of the vets in my neighborhood.
On_The_Beach wrote:
Yeah...but the "Come on Home" song, noting that was one of his last, and he probably knew he was dying...that one song is a real zinger for appreciating his greatness.
Probably my fave John Prine tune, and that's saying a lot.
Well, this or "Hello in There".
Yeah...but the "Come on Home" song, noting that was one of his last, and he probably knew he was dying...that one song is a real zinger for appreciating his greatness.
How does a 25 year old kid write something like this? We won't see another songwriter like John Prine for a long time. Pure gold!
Probably my fave John Prine tune, and that's saying a lot.
Well, this or "Hello in There".
Well, this or "Hello in There".
I was just thinking about this out of the blue as being the saddest song I know. 
A poignant and painful, truthful and well-observed song, the way only Prine can deliver it.
I 2nd the 3 before comments for this song.
Still never played? Maybe now is the time...
A 10 if there ever was.
9.6 rating and never been played. Here's hoping Bill get's my request to give it a spin.