10.16.2004
John Prine at 4 Rivers Theater
I attended John Prine concert in Paducah, Kentucky, last evening. He walked on stage, decked in black, to rapturous applause. The legendary performer, accompanied by Jason Wilbur and David Jaques, belted out many of his greatest anthems to an appreciative audience. With a gravelly voice and inimitable style, he delivered such stalwarts as ‘Sam Stone,’ ‘Dear Abby,’ ‘Hello in There,’ ‘Memphisto,’ and ‘Paradise’. The audience was exceptionally vocal in its adulation for the singer, who performed non-stop for 150 minutes.
My sister, a self-acknowledged Prine groupie, said she’d heard him do anti-Bush material in the recent past, but she predicted he wouldn’t do the same in Paducah, since the demographics weren’t the same as in Nashville or Memphis. I was comforted by the thought Prine would ‘just be an entertainer’ instead of also using the stage as a political pulpit. Sister, you were wrong!
Mid-way through his set, he said this: I’ve pulled this one off the shelf and dusted it off at the request of the president. It wasn’t a formal request, but believe me, he’s askin’ for it." Peels of delighted applause and affirmation erupted from the crowd, as he sang the old anti-Vietnam ‘Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore.’ I felt slapped in the face...but it was my own fault.
Minimal research reveals John ain’t no stranger to protest. On 6 October, he performed in a Vote For Change concert at the Des Moines Civic Center with Bonnie Raitt and the Canadian southern man-basher Neil Young (where, incidentally, he used the same ‘dust-off’ line).
His encore set included the new song ‘Some Humans ain’t Human’. There is a verse in it which refers to ‘a hot shot Texan who started a dirtly little war in Iraq’. When he belted that one out, the house came down. I was shocked at the confirmation I was in a house of lefties. But...I should have known...appearance isn’t everything, but it goes a long way in my experience. Still, the fact that such an otherwise insightful performer like Prine would accuse W of being inhuman just escapes my comprehension...
I love John Prine no less, but I learned just whose camp he’s in...the emotional one, principally devoid of reason (and thus lacking the true compassion which is requisite for a lasting peace). That said, there's nothing he could have said that could change my belief in the strength, the ethics, or character of W.
I attended John Prine concert in Paducah, Kentucky, last evening. He walked on stage, decked in black, to rapturous applause. The legendary performer, accompanied by Jason Wilbur and David Jaques, belted out many of his greatest anthems to an appreciative audience. With a gravelly voice and inimitable style, he delivered such stalwarts as ‘Sam Stone,’ ‘Dear Abby,’ ‘Hello in There,’ ‘Memphisto,’ and ‘Paradise’. The audience was exceptionally vocal in its adulation for the singer, who performed non-stop for 150 minutes.
My sister, a self-acknowledged Prine groupie, said she’d heard him do anti-Bush material in the recent past, but she predicted he wouldn’t do the same in Paducah, since the demographics weren’t the same as in Nashville or Memphis. I was comforted by the thought Prine would ‘just be an entertainer’ instead of also using the stage as a political pulpit. Sister, you were wrong!
Mid-way through his set, he said this: I’ve pulled this one off the shelf and dusted it off at the request of the president. It wasn’t a formal request, but believe me, he’s askin’ for it." Peels of delighted applause and affirmation erupted from the crowd, as he sang the old anti-Vietnam ‘Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore.’ I felt slapped in the face...but it was my own fault.
Minimal research reveals John ain’t no stranger to protest. On 6 October, he performed in a Vote For Change concert at the Des Moines Civic Center with Bonnie Raitt and the Canadian southern man-basher Neil Young (where, incidentally, he used the same ‘dust-off’ line).
His encore set included the new song ‘Some Humans ain’t Human’. There is a verse in it which refers to ‘a hot shot Texan who started a dirtly little war in Iraq’. When he belted that one out, the house came down. I was shocked at the confirmation I was in a house of lefties. But...I should have known...appearance isn’t everything, but it goes a long way in my experience. Still, the fact that such an otherwise insightful performer like Prine would accuse W of being inhuman just escapes my comprehension...
I love John Prine no less, but I learned just whose camp he’s in...the emotional one, principally devoid of reason (and thus lacking the true compassion which is requisite for a lasting peace). That said, there's nothing he could have said that could change my belief in the strength, the ethics, or character of W.
// posted by HunterByrd @ 11:39 AM 
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Just happened by your little blog and thought I would add my two cents' worth:
I know how you feel. I am always struck by the multilayered emotions generated when I am watching a performance by someone whose work I really enjoy and respect, and that performance is then shattered when the performer gratuitously inserts a political statement that I adamantly disagree with.
I am always instantly resentful, because the experience of simply enjoying a great performance is blasted to smithereens in an instant, and suddenly I have to return to the real world of politics, elections, etc. Geez, that's usually the reason I go to
concerts in the first place -- to escape for a couple of hours.
After the resentment stage, I get annoyed by the sheer arrogance of the notion that, just because someone writes nice lyrics or has a pleasing way with a song, he or she takes on some sort of authority as a political thinker. All the while, I'm about 99.9% sure that I know a lot more about the issues that that doofus on stage.
Next comes the resignation stage. This occurs after I've taken a couple of deep breaths and considered that (1) back years ago when I became a fan of this guy's work, I agreed with his politics -- the difference is that I've grown up and he hasn't, and (2) as reflected in your post, most of the clowns attending these concerts agree with these types of political statements and get all gleeful and giggly when they hear them, which only shows that they, too, have failed to grow up and modify the simple-minded and naive opinions they held 25 or 30 years ago.
This last thought comes with a kicker -- that re-examining the lyrics of all those old songs I loved 30 years ago (at least the political ones) reveals the unbelievable childishness and silly innocence upon which they are based. This leads me to not like them so much anymore, and then I conclude that I really don't care for the performer anymore, now that I really think about it.
By going to the concert, I was only trying to recapture some of that feeling I used to get when I heard these songs performed. But the person who heard the songs back then is gone -- and it's me here now. Because you can't go back to being a child unless you're really willing to go back to being a child, and I'm not willing. What's that Bible verse about how, when I was a child, I thought as a child, but now I have put away childish things? That sums it up pretty well.
So, anyway, that's why I don't go to concerts much anymore.
By the way, nice weblog.
I know how you feel. I am always struck by the multilayered emotions generated when I am watching a performance by someone whose work I really enjoy and respect, and that performance is then shattered when the performer gratuitously inserts a political statement that I adamantly disagree with.
I am always instantly resentful, because the experience of simply enjoying a great performance is blasted to smithereens in an instant, and suddenly I have to return to the real world of politics, elections, etc. Geez, that's usually the reason I go to
concerts in the first place -- to escape for a couple of hours.
After the resentment stage, I get annoyed by the sheer arrogance of the notion that, just because someone writes nice lyrics or has a pleasing way with a song, he or she takes on some sort of authority as a political thinker. All the while, I'm about 99.9% sure that I know a lot more about the issues that that doofus on stage.
Next comes the resignation stage. This occurs after I've taken a couple of deep breaths and considered that (1) back years ago when I became a fan of this guy's work, I agreed with his politics -- the difference is that I've grown up and he hasn't, and (2) as reflected in your post, most of the clowns attending these concerts agree with these types of political statements and get all gleeful and giggly when they hear them, which only shows that they, too, have failed to grow up and modify the simple-minded and naive opinions they held 25 or 30 years ago.
This last thought comes with a kicker -- that re-examining the lyrics of all those old songs I loved 30 years ago (at least the political ones) reveals the unbelievable childishness and silly innocence upon which they are based. This leads me to not like them so much anymore, and then I conclude that I really don't care for the performer anymore, now that I really think about it.
By going to the concert, I was only trying to recapture some of that feeling I used to get when I heard these songs performed. But the person who heard the songs back then is gone -- and it's me here now. Because you can't go back to being a child unless you're really willing to go back to being a child, and I'm not willing. What's that Bible verse about how, when I was a child, I thought as a child, but now I have put away childish things? That sums it up pretty well.
So, anyway, that's why I don't go to concerts much anymore.
By the way, nice weblog.
# posted by 
: 2:27 PM
: 2:27 PM
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the concert anyway. I guess I was wrong, because I thought Mr. Prine would just sing in rural KY. I guess he just has the politics fever now.
As I may have told you, I didn't become a fan of John Prine until the early 1990's when a friend introduced me to his music. My friend made a tape to get me ready for a concert. I instantly took to his witty lyrics and catchy tunes. I've always caught the anti-war sentiment of songs such as "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Any More," "Sam Stone" and "Hello In There" ("we lost Sammy in the Korean War and we still don't know what for"). They were just songs though from before my time of paying attention to the news or forming an opinion. I went to a J.P. concert in Memphis earlier this year, but he didn't play the new song you say he played in his encore. If I were at a concert, it probably would strike a dischord with me. But like you, I'd stay a fan.
I guess it's just par for the course these days. I went to a Dixie Chicks concert last year knowing Natalie Maines would make some comment. She did, and the crowd went crazy. At that moment, I didn't want to be part of the collective group. Similarly, I went to a concert in L.A. in July in which Steve Earle was a performer. I figured he would make some kind of statement, because he does so any chance he can get. He did, and he was the only person who did. It was L.A., so there was a response from the crowd. This Friday, I'm going to see R.E.M., one of my favorite bands. I pretty much expect some statement from Peter Buck or Michael Stipe since R.E.M. was part of the Vote for Change tour. I guess I'll just stand mute once again. I only hope that it is limited to a single remark to introduce a song. I guess that's where I draw the line. If the performer will limit his remarks, I'll take the chance on the concert. If the concert is any sort of political rally, I'll skip it. I've done that recently with several performers here in Nashville whose music I admire, including Emmylou Harris and Maura O'Connell. JUDY BEAN
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As I may have told you, I didn't become a fan of John Prine until the early 1990's when a friend introduced me to his music. My friend made a tape to get me ready for a concert. I instantly took to his witty lyrics and catchy tunes. I've always caught the anti-war sentiment of songs such as "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Any More," "Sam Stone" and "Hello In There" ("we lost Sammy in the Korean War and we still don't know what for"). They were just songs though from before my time of paying attention to the news or forming an opinion. I went to a J.P. concert in Memphis earlier this year, but he didn't play the new song you say he played in his encore. If I were at a concert, it probably would strike a dischord with me. But like you, I'd stay a fan.
I guess it's just par for the course these days. I went to a Dixie Chicks concert last year knowing Natalie Maines would make some comment. She did, and the crowd went crazy. At that moment, I didn't want to be part of the collective group. Similarly, I went to a concert in L.A. in July in which Steve Earle was a performer. I figured he would make some kind of statement, because he does so any chance he can get. He did, and he was the only person who did. It was L.A., so there was a response from the crowd. This Friday, I'm going to see R.E.M., one of my favorite bands. I pretty much expect some statement from Peter Buck or Michael Stipe since R.E.M. was part of the Vote for Change tour. I guess I'll just stand mute once again. I only hope that it is limited to a single remark to introduce a song. I guess that's where I draw the line. If the performer will limit his remarks, I'll take the chance on the concert. If the concert is any sort of political rally, I'll skip it. I've done that recently with several performers here in Nashville whose music I admire, including Emmylou Harris and Maura O'Connell. JUDY BEAN
# posted by : 5:29 PM
: 5:29 PM << Home
