John Prine - Hello In There (Live From Sessions at West 54th)

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Last edited Sat Apr 11, 2020, 12:01 AM - Edit history (1)

I first heard John Prine way back in 1975 when PBS broadcast "The Philadelphia Folk Festival". Most of songs he played where a little on the goofy side, "Dear Abby" and "The Accident". Then he got real serious and played this one.

Joan Baez covered this tune soon after on her album "Diamonds and Rust".

This and "Dear Abby" were the two songs by him I learned to play on the guitar.

RIP John we'll miss you.

[JeaneRaye]

1. Another John Prine story...

I was first introduced to John Prine in the early 70's. I had his first albums, "John Prine", "Common Sense", "Sweet Revenge" and continued following him up through his latest. I've seen him in concert, first at Center College in Danville, Ky in the 70's up until the 2000's in Reno, NV. He used to play in a night club in Lexington, KY on Friday and Saturday nights in the 80's. Although, I lived there I never saw him there but was told that if I did, I should see his first show of the night because he was usually pretty drunk by the second show and he couldn't remember his lyrics. Anyway, by 1986, I had moved to Reno, NV and don't remember seeing him again until around the late 90's. By that time, he had had his first bout of cancer, I think, throat cancer, and had given up drinking and smoking. I saw him several times, at least 4 or 5 times, in Reno or San Francisco's "Hardly, Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival". "Paradise" holds a special place in my heart since it was a protest song against the coal companies, who have decimated Kentucky, where I am from. Thank-you for posting this video. Although, this song is on one of the albums I got early, I first remember hearing it in a Community Health Nursing class I had to take on my way to becoming a nurse and the instructor, who's name escapes me, showed a ton of slides of poverty-stricken, old people in eastern Kentucky while playing this song. I was probably only about 18 or 19 yrs old but I recognized his voice, even though I didn't at the time know the song. He had health issues, for sure, but I just have to say: Fuck you, Donald Trump! His mismanagement of this healthcare crisis has contributed to the loss of so many lives. May he go to Hell.