John Prine, who passed away in April, was one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters of his generation and recipient of the 2020 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Considered a true folk-singer, Prine was known for his raspy voice and equally admired for his unique songwriting ability. His career spanned over five decades, during which he created witty and sincere country-folk music that drew from his Midwestern American roots and incorporated sounds from rockabilly, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll.
Rhino remembers the man that Rolling Stone once called “The Mark Twain of American songwriting” with a newly remastered seven-CD boxed set that includes the first seven studio albums of his career, recorded with Atlantic Records and Asylum Records. CROOKED PIECE OF TIME: THE ATLANTIC & ASYLUM ALBUMS (1971-1980) will be available as a limited edition on October 23.
The set includes the following albums presented in mini-LP replica sleeves: John Prine (1971), Diamonds In The Rough (1972), Sweet Revenge (1973), Common Sense (1975), Bruised Orange (1978), Pink Cadillac (1979) and Storm Windows (1980). The clamshell box also contains poster inserts and a 20-page booklet with new liner notes written by acclaimed music journalist David Fricke. The cover art, commissioned especially for the set, is a painting by artist Joshua Petker that’s based on a photo of Prine taken by Jim Shea.
CROOKED PIECE OF TIME – which takes its name from a song on Bruised Orange – represents an essential and timeless American songbook and includes tracks that have become modern-day folk and country standards like: “Hello In There,” “Sam Stone,” “Illegal Smile,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Paradise” and “That’s The Way The World Goes Round.” The expansive collection also contains favorites like: “Far From Me,” “Dear Abby,” “Christmas In Prison,” “Fish and Whistle” and “Automobile.”
In addition to earning the Lifetime Achievement Award this year, Prine also won Grammy Awards for The Missing Years (1991) and Fair and Square (2005). His songs have been recorded by a long list of well-respected artists, including Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Carly Simon, George Strait, Norah Jones, John Denver, Miranda Lambert, The Everly Brothers, Bette Midler, Paul Westerberg, Tammy Wynette and Dwight Yoakam.
CROOKED PIECE OF TIME: THE ATLANTIC & ASYLUM ALBUMS (1971-1980)
Track Listing:
John Prine
- “Illegal Smile”
- “Spanish Pipedream”
- “Hello In There”
- “Sam Stone”
- “Paradise”
- “Pretty Good”
- “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”
- “Far From Me”
- “Angel From Montgomery”
- “Quiet Man”
- “Donald and Lydia”
- “Six O’Clock News”
- “Flashback Blues”
Diamonds In The Rough
- “Everybody”
- “The Torch Singer”
- “Souvenirs”
- “The Late John Garfield Blues”
- “Sour Grapes”
- “Billy the Bum”
- “The Frying Pan”
- “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You”
- “Take The Star Out Of The Window”
- “The Great Compromise”
- “Clocks And Spoons”
- “Rocky Mountain Time”
- “Diamonds In The Rough”
Sweet Revenge
- “Sweet Revenge”
- “Please Don’t Bury Me”
- “Christmas In Prison”
- “Dear Abby”
- “Blue Umbrella”
- “Often Is A Word I Seldom Use”
- “Onomatopoeia”
- “Grandpa Was A Carpenter”
- “The Accident (Things Could Be Worse)”
- “Mexican Home”
- “A Good Time”
- “Nine Pound Hammer”
Common Sense
- “Middle Man”
- “Common Sense”
- “Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard”
- “Wedding Day In Funeralville”
- “Way Down”
- “My Own Best Friend”
- “Forbidden Jimmy”
- “Saddle In The Rain”
- “That Close To You”
- “He Was In Heaven Before He Died”
- “You Never Can Tell”
Bruised Orange
- “Fish And Whistle”
- “There She Goes”
- “If You Don’t Want My Love”
- “That’s The Way That The World Goes ’round”
- “Bruised Orange (Chain Of Sorrow)”
- “Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone”
- “Aw Heck”
- “Crooked Piece Of Time”
- “Iron Ore Betty”
- “The Hobo Song”
Pink Cadillac
- “Chinatown”
- “Automobile”
- “Killing The Blues”
- “No Name Girl”
- “Saigon”
- “Cold War (This Cold War With You)”
- “Baby Let’s Play House”
- “Down By The Side Of The Road”
- “How Lucky”
- “Ubangi Stomp”
Storm Windows
- “Shop Talk”
- “Living In The Future”
- “It’s Happening To You”
- “Sleepy Eyed Boy”
- “All Night Blue”
- “Just Wanna Be With You”
- “Storm Windows”
- “Baby Ruth”
- “One Red Rose”
- “I Had A Dream”
