I miss John Prine.
Hearing his voice on a new piece of work, although a cover, just feels so nostalgic.
Prine is featured on the stellar new John Anderson tribute album, Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson, covering “1959.”
John Anderson originally recorded the song in 1980, and it was the fifth single off his debut, self-titled debut album. The song charged to number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and was one of the first chart-topping hits for Anderson.
“1959” by John Anderson
I was thrilled when the track list came out for this album, and I saw John Prine featured on it for two reasons.
One, it shows how long the project has been in the words that the late and great Prine was able to record this before his passing. Two, I could not think of a better song for Prine to be covering.
The storyline and the lyrics match perfectly with what Prine would have written during his career. The song takes you through a man who was drafted into the military. When he returns home, he sees his first love was married. He reflects on the fond memories he made with this love through a letter she wrote him in 1959.
Prine makes the song his own on this recording. If you don’t know John Anderson, you could easily think this was an original song. The composition and the vocals match his signature style flawlessly.
This song keeps Prine’s legacy alive and shows the countless contributions and impact he made and left on the country music and songwriting industry.
God, I miss John Prine.
