John Prine - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness - German Afternoons

John Prine singing "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" off of his 1986 album, "German Afternoons"

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Lyrics:
You come home late and you come home early
You come on big when you're feeling small
You come home straight and you come home curly
Sometimes you don't come home at all
So what in the world's come over you
And what in heaven's name have you done
You've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You're out there running just to be on the run
Well I got a heart that burns with a fever
And I got a worried and a jealous mind
How can a love that'll last forever
Get left so far behind
It's crossed the evil line today
Well, how can you ask about tomorrow
We ain't got one word to say
You're out there running just to be on the run
You're out there running just to be on the run

Singer. Songwriter. Poet. Icon.
John Prine was an artist’s artist with a list of admirers and collaborators that cut across musical genres and generations - names like Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Brandi Carlile, George Strait, Kurt Vile, Miranda Lambert, The Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, among others.

Though he was born in Maywood, Illinois, in 1946, John declared himself “pure Kentuckian” throughout his life. His parents, Willian and Verna, were natives of Paradise, Kentucky. The family would spend summers there in Muhlenberg County, where John listened to bluegrass music and studied the guitar styles of country music heroes Doc Watson and Merle Travis with his older brother, Dave.

In Maywood, he worked as a postman before being drafted into the army in 1966. It was as a postman that John began to write the songs that would connect with so many. He sang at Chicago folk clubs, where he was introduced to singer-songwriter Kris Kristopherson, who invited John to open for him in New York. It was there that Jerry Wexler, president of Atlantic Records, first heard Prine and offered him a recording contract. His self-titled debut album was released in 1971 and featured a list of songs now regarded as classics, including “Paradise,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Illegal Smile,” Hello in There,” and “Sam Stone.” Prine received the first of his 13 Grammy nominations in 1972 for Best New Artist. He would record three more albums for Atlantic and another three with Asylum.

His profound impact on American music was amplified in 1981 when John co-founded Oh Boy Records, and independent label where he released most of his subsequent work and which gave voice and respect to so many fellow singers and songwriters.

In his distinguished career, John won four Grammys and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2020). He was a three-time recipient of the Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, which also honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. He won the Pen/New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award (2016) and was enshrined in the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2019). In addition, John was named Honorary Poet Laureate of Illinois (2020).

John Prine passed away on April 7, 2020 due to complications from Covid-19. The outpouring of grief and love from his fan community was staggering. Over 500,000 viewers participated in an online memorial and tribute that raised more than half a million dollars for Covid-related community causes. In 2021, the Prine family created the Hello In There Foundation to honor John’s spirit of generosity towards those in need. Fiona Prine and her sons continue to operate and expand the reach of John’s independent record label, Oh Boy Records.

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