In 2010, a group of industry icons including the late Justin Townes Earle, the Avett Brothers, Sara Watkins, and Drive-By Truckers compiled a collection of John Prine classics to honor the living legacy of the era-defining songwriter with the Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol.1 LP.
Following Prine’s untimely passing last March due to complications from COVID-19, a new class of studious successors will step up to the plate in continuing to honor his undeniable imprint. On March 15 Prine’s own Oh Boy Records announced Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol.2 LP slated for release Friday, October 8. Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows, Vol. 2 is part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations for Oh Boy Records, which Prine co-founded with his manager, Al Bunetta, in 1981.
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So far, we’ve heard Brandi Carlile‘s brilliant take on his final, posthumous effort “I Remember Everything,” and Sturgill Simpson cover the enduring classic, “Paradise” from his 1971 self-titled debut LP. On October 1, Tyler Childers revealed his contribution to the collaborative album — “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You.”
The B-side blues-ballad pulled from 1972’s sophomore LP, Diamonds in the Rough serves as the third single from the highly-anticipated project. Childer’s waltzing, whining rendition conjures up a solemn scene from a barren Texas barroom, where the subject sits alone, drowning his sorrows in well drinks. Evocative lyrics detail a familiar tale of heartbreak: I’d never sit down this glass / It’d take all the booze in the world / To forget you /You’ve left my heart a vacant lot / I’ll fill it with another shot.
With characteristic humor, Prine admits, And yes, I guess they oughtta name a drink after you. Further, he suggests names for the ex-lover like Bloody Mary and Tear Beer. A bass-driven interlude adds to the old-timey traditional tinge Childers aimed for in this adorned deep-cut edition before the story concludes.
A portion of proceeds from the song will be donated to The Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund, which was established by Senora May and Childers to bring awareness and financial support for philanthropic efforts in the Appalachian Region and other communities in their home state of Kentucky.
Pre-order Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows, Vol. 2, here.
