A John Prine Christmas

Amazon.com
Featuring a crack backup band that includes Spooner Oldham, Benmont Tench, and Chris Etheridge, John Prine Christmas is positively electric and rocking coming from a guy known for his rustic charm. Prine recorded this eight-song EP with a vague Christmas theme as a stopgap between his "comeback" album, 1991's The Missing Years and 1995's Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings. The live cuts (including collaboration with the Cowboy Junkies on "If I Were the Woman and You Were the Man") are charged with Prine's good stage sense and relaxed delivery. All exhibit his excellent wordplay and great musical sense. --Rob O'Connor

Tracks:

Everything Is Cool
All The Best
Silent Night All Day Long
If You Were The Woman And I Was The Man
Silver Bells
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Christmas In Prison
A John Prine Christmas

Amazon.com

Featuring a crack backup band that includes Spooner Oldham, Benmont Tench, and Chris Etheridge, John Prine Christmas is positively electric and rocking coming from a guy known for his rustic charm. Prine recorded this eight-song EP with a vague Christmas theme as a stopgap between his "comeback" album, 1991's The Missing Years and 1995's Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings. The live cuts (including collaboration with the Cowboy Junkies on "If I Were the Woman and You Were the Man") are charged with Prine's good stage sense and relaxed delivery. All exhibit his excellent wordplay and great musical sense. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

For completists only.......2007-01-09

As much as I love John Prine, this one is for completists only: live versions of a few originals and a couple of holiday tunes. Short, too: EP length

Bring Out The "PrineCones" - It's Christmas!.......2005-11-28

"A John Prine Chirstmas" . . . yes, it IS a Christmas album . . . but yes, i listen to this album "year 'round". It is classic John Prine, and the seasonal holiday leaning of it's themes in no way stand in the way of all year listening and enjoyment of these great songs and great "Prine performances".

From the very first note of the very first track, "Everything Is Cool" . . . you just know that for the duration of this album's play, everything IS cool. (and it is one of the best songs John Prine has ever written at that.)

"All The Best" is a slightly comic look at a "broken relationship" and wishing the other "all the best" nonetheless. One can't picture John Prine with any other ciew on life, even when life doesn't go the way we'd have liked it to go.

"Silent Night All Day long" is a christmas card in music and lyric . . . it just paints a beautiful nostalgic holiday card picture of two lovers memories of christmas together. a little melancholy, a little tinge of sadness of the past, and a lot of beauty - another og John's best.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" will just break you up in a smile and then into outright laughter -- "i saw mommy kissing Santa Clause . . .ON THE LIPS!" John laughs in mock shock!

"Christmas In Prison" is a live version of an early John Prine song. It describes the isolation and loneliness of celebrating Christmas for those locked behind prison walls and bars. Like the late great Johnny Cash, John Prine seems to catch hold of a glimpse of a soul's thoughts and feelings in such isolated circumstances. This is a truly great song by john Prine.

John Ends this Christmas tour de force with a story of "A John Prine Christmas" . . . suffice it to say that he concludes this account with an acordion solo of "The Lichtenstein Polka"! ha! . . . a tribute to his childhood memories of Christmases past no doubt.

Even if you don't have the "Christmas Spirit", get this album . . you'll love it . .and enjoy it all through the year . . and it WILL be Christmas All Year Long!

Thank you John Prine for all the great songs and smiles you have brought to us . . and we always look forward to many more . . . and this "A John Prine Christmas" cd will bring me smiles for a long long time to come. :)

Yes, it's a Christmas album; just go with it.......2003-01-15

OK, so at least one song has nothing to do with Christmas ("If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man), although it's a beautiful song. And in one, he mentions Christmas in the intro only ("All the Best"). And one mentions Christmas in the song, but is arguably not a Christmas song ("Everything is Cool"). And there are only eight total tracks on the whole thing. But this is taking it's place very close to "Phil Spector's Christmas Album" as my all-time favorite.

John Prine is also very close to Bob Dylan in my eyes for title of all-time best songwriter. His quirky use of making us look at the meanings of words a little differently has always mesmerized me. A good example is in the best original Christmas song here "Silent Night All Day Long". Just looking at the title is a good example of this. It is the closing line of a very moving chorus of a song that would be a modern classic if radio programmers had any sense.

He also throws in a few traditional songs, "Silver Bells" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", the latter being done with a rollicking saloon piano in the background. Of course we get his immortal "Chrismas in Prison", and who thought THAT song would ever appear on a Christmas album? The closing monologue is touching, and has a surprise ending that, once again, may not be traditionally Christmas, but somehow fits and leaves you with a good feeling.

This album gets more likeable each time you listen to it.

and 1\2 com"YULE"ation Cleric : Treetop Angle Treats.......2002-09-25

I've struggled with this critical citation much longer than most, over the last few months this disc has turned thru at least a couple dozen times, and I'm still on the fence for words. I suppose the artist shared simular sensations while songsmithing his seasonal sleigh ride, a unquie sincerity is reflected throughout. I suppose EVERYTHING IS COOL,in this small package there's instru-tinsel, YULEridGEMality, liveness, curious narration & banter, twists-n-tweaks,and merry-medley maneuvering.~~~Merrily Mix~~~ 1$1\2, 2$, 3#1\2, 6#1\2, 7#, and 8#1\2 ~~~Post Script: If the artist is new to you, seek YULEtide elsewhere first. Yet if you're fondly familar, take the purchase plunge and click this disc into the chart, hey man it's Christmas and its' From John To you. ***buyit,saveit*sharemost*givetofans*** YULEridGEMality Factor = 5 1\2

Of Course John Prine Rocks.......2001-02-01

I recently saw John Prine in a small club in Berlin Germany with Todd Schneider opening up. It had been years since the last time I saw him and never had had the good fortune to see him in such a small setting. He is one of the few great American song writers. You know one of those who writes songs that you really have to listen to, to appreciate. Then there is the musicianship. No synthesizers, scratching records, light shows, or other gimmicks, just good music that takes you back to the America of the 50's, 60's, 70's..... and wherever else he wants to take you. After seeing his performance in this small club with two other backing musicians, I am not surprised to hear someone use the adjective "rockin" in connection with John Prine. If you've never seen him or heard him you're really missing something. I can only say, I hope to see him in Quasimodo again real soon, because like a good bottle of wine, John Prine keeps getting better with age.

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