John Prine sang about many things, but several of his songs focused on one topic: war. Prine, a veteran himself, often spoke on the heartbreaking reality of conflict and the bitter taste it can leave in the mouth of a patriot. Revisit three of Prine’s greatest protest songs, which summarize his opinions and beliefs, below.
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“Sam Stone”
“Sam Stone” is one of the most heartbreaking tracks in Prine’s catalog. He became the narrator of a story about a drug-addicted veteran who received almost no help at all making the transition back into civilian life. Though Sam Stone is fictional, the struggles in his story are not. Prine likely knew many veterans who didn’t come back the same. Prine eulogized them with this protest song.
Sam Stone came home to his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas
And the time that he’d served had shattered all his nerves
And left a little shrapnel in his knees
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
“Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”
Prine put his frustrations about blind nationalism in “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”. Featured on his debut album, this protest song helped to establish Prine and his opinions on wartime. Few protests songs are as sarcastic and jovial. But, that’s what Prine did best. He snuck in hard truths underneath dry humor.
And if I could see ol’ Betsy Ross
I’d tell her how good I feel
But your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
They’re already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don’t like killin’, no matter what the reason’s for
And your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
“The Great Compromise”
“The Great Compromise” is one of Prine’s most expertly written protest songs. Prine tells one story while really meaning to tell another…It’s a brain teaser of sorts–one that requires many listens to fully untangle. Prine sings about the muddled line between national pride and disillusionment. He likens America to a woman you can’t live with or without. Though written in code, it’s one of the most clear takedowns of patriotism in music history.
[RELATED: 3 of the Best Opening Lines in John Prine Songs]
I knew a girl who was almost a lady
She had a way with all the men in her life
Every inch of her blossomed in beauty
She was born on the fourth of July
Well, she lived in an aluminum house trailer
And she worked in a juke box saloon
And she spent all the money that I gave her
Just to see the old man in the moon
(Photo by Tom Hill/Getty Images)
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