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"There's a hole in daddy's arm" is a line in John Prine's song "Sam Stone"

Since this lyric post is not very active, I though I would post an analysis of an established lyric. I want to talk about John Prine's "Sam Stone". I have listened to this song for a couple of years, and yesterday I decided to learn it. I'll play it Monday night at open mic. I am a performer so I like to do covers. Doing covers is essential to my song-writing because I need to play great material so that I know what it feels like to sing a great song. I do not know how someone can write a song and not at least listen to other great music but there are folks who boast of that very thing.

John Prine is not everybody's cup of tea but let's take a look at this song-if you haven't heard it, trust me, the prosody is perfect.

Sam Stone came home,
To his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas. (wisely didn't say what war- making this song potentially timeless)
And the time that he served,
Had shattered all his nerves, (honesty- this is what war does)
And left a little shrapnel in his knee. (a concrete image)
But the morphine eased the pain, (foreshadows a problem)
And the grass grew round his brain, (uniquely John Prine)
And gave him all the confidence he lacked, (problem confirmed)
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back. (brilliantly ironic- the hero's image and the drug addicts image in one line)

Chorus:
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes, (some songwriter's will never have one line that good in years of writing)
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose. (sacrilegious or profound?- I vote for profound)
Little pitchers have big ears, (I don't know but he can take me anywhere now)
Don't stop to count the years, (again, I'm in his territory now and happy to be on this train)
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios. (very impressionistic but the meaning is clear- daddy is broken and his reception is bad because of the habit)
Mmm....

Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long. (honesty again- he is not a hero, he is just a man)
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime (government give you a little time to adjust but eventually you are on your own)
And Sammy took to stealing
When he got that empty feeling
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime. (factual- honest)
And the gold rolled through his veins ( another unique Prine line that some would kill for)
Like a thousand railroad trains, (what a great way to describe the rush of a users sensation)
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose, (he is self absorbed)
While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes...(poignant factual consequence of his action)

Repeat Chorus:

Sam Stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon (Is this John Prine or what- the guy is one of a kind)
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair (irony squared!)
Well, he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air (he didn't have to say it so plainly but John does, ultimately, want to communicate)
But life had lost its fun (Prine is sometimes just this simple)
And there was nothing to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the G, I. Bill
For a flag draped casket on a local heroes' hill (completes the irony set up in the first verse- a purple heart and a monkey on his back. You can look at this like a companion line (much like a rhyme) He is connecting all the way back to the first verse- That tells you that he understands his craft perfectly- His theme is straight down the track- his focus does not vary.
Repeat Chorus

It helps me to be a better writer, I feel, when I can analyze good lyrics. You may have heard it said. "practice makes perfect" Well that is not entirely true- practice makes permanent. Practice of perfection makes perfect.

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' Nowhere Man '. I'd spent 5 hours that morning trying to write a song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave up and lay down. Then, ' Nowhere Man ' came, words and music, the whole damn thing, as I lay down.
john lennon

[This message has been edited by nashvillecat (edited 06-15-2006).]

Hey Nashvillecat

I think this is a great song too. Thanks for your review. : ) jm

Hi Nashvillecat,

Wow. Great song and great evaluation.

I do understand the little pitchers ears. They don't hear the sweet song for long because of the broken radio. Sad.

The line I think is weakest (yet stronger than most writers ever achieve ) is
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose
It works, says what it needs to, but I am thinking
He dressed his mind in the colors that he chose
While the kids ran round wearin' other people's clothes.

I, grin, am not familiar with John Prine, but you have convinced me to look him up.

Thanks,
Vondelle

Hey, Nashvillecat, you would like Mike Naydock's lyric What a Difference a Year Makes. He has a good start and great creativity. He just needs to focus it. His lyric is over on Lyric Forum 1 if you want to check it out. I don't think we give sufficient credit on these boards for creativity.

[This message has been edited by Vondelle (edited 06-16-2006).]

[This message has been edited by Vondelle (edited 06-16-2006).]

Good look at a classic Prine tune.

The first line of the chorus is indeed as good as it gets.
Last line isn't shabby itself......

Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.

The Jesus line is, to me, just John's way of saying "it's a damn shame". A clever way around a cliche. A strong line imo.


Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios

The whole chorus is about how Sam's addiction affects the kids.
"Great, Daddy's home, but............."

Again, great choice, and analysis.
It's a good choice for an open mic cover for sure.

What a great song!

The lyric, of course, is very strong, but it's stronger when sung. And, it is even stronger when sung by Prine.

Never failing to add my irritating name dropping, I attended guitar classes with Prine back at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and have been honored to pick with him a few times. The Old Town School, where I ended up as a faculty chairman, taught a specific fingerpick guitar style, based loosely on the Travis style and influenced by the songwriting accompaniment of folks like Tom Paxton. Prine picked up this picking and, with his lyrics, turned it into gold.

He's since become an extremely successful singer-songwriter with some mainstream country hits. He used to do package shows with Bonnie Raitt opening for him, she always thanks him for helping her career and sings his song "Angel From Montgomery" in her shows.

My favorite Prine songs include this one, "Hello In There," "Dear Abby," "That's the Way the World Goes Round" and "Paradise."


You could hardly find a better songwriter to study.




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You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music

I love listening to John Prine - his songs are so well crafted. The lines about "little pitchers have big ears" - to me it means that kids are aware of what goes on around them, even if you think you are hiding a secret. "don't stop to count the years" has a double meaning that Sam Stone didn't want to admit how long he had been addicted, and his kids grew up knowing about his habit.
My favorite John Prine song is "Grandpa Was A Carpenter", and I love the line about attending church "A hearing aid in every pew". That just gives a great picture image!

This gives me flashbacks to college and to that album - I had it and Bonnie Rait's - I think it was "been too long at the fair" which I loved and pure prarie league on a reel to reel tape in the early 70's. I've always thought Prine was the greatest - lyrics wise - his voice is like scotch - you have to acquire a taste for it - but I did. Someone broke in a stole my sterio system - and that was the end of that - you aren't listening to that song on a reel to reel are you . The first lyric I ever wrote was for a skit at work - I re-wrote Prine's dear abbey - and roasted all the management people - I didn't work there for very long after that.

Nashvillecat,

Thanks so much for posting this and encouraging people to study great songs. I totally agree that this type of analysis can truly help writers to recognize lyrics that are timeless, simple, profound and also commercial. It's a terrific exercise in understanding the meaning and structure of great songs!

I happen to LOVE the music and lyrics of John Prine. "Hello in There" is also one of my favorites

Emily
http://emilysanders.net

Prine has a great sense of humor in Dear Abby and "Please Don't Bury Me" as well. Serious, humorous, poignant...all this and more ...yup Cat, the man's a genius and a treasure and people will be singing his classics long after he's gone....what greater tribute to your accomplishents is there?

Emily, the first time I heard "Hello in there", I knew the guy must have a huge heart. And like most genius's, he sees things that others either don't see or ignore. After listening to his songs, I feel more human, which is both humbling and enriching. And John V, if the songwriting books are right about how important it is to "hook" the listener right out the gate, how good is the line:

Woke up this morning
Put on my slippers
Walked in the kitchen and died