REACTION to JOHN PRINE - SAM STONE | The 94 Club

[@GWizJackson]

My favorite song writer period. Nobody could do it like John Prine :)

[@bert0522]

John and Steve Goodman are among my top. Jim

[@alrightdriver79]

"Monkey on his back" refers to addiction. Morphine, and heroin being the subjects in this particular case.

[@scottsayre9830]

A purple heart is a medal awarded to someone wounded in the line of duty

[@thelastremaininglogicallib9320]

And the "hole in daddy's arm" is the result of a heroin habit. Many of our young men who were sent to fight in Vietnam fell prey to this addiction. So many young men around the age of 18 were drafted, as opposed to those who voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. military. Often times they weren't the "warrior" type. Many grew up with ZERO aspirations of being a soldier. So a kid like that, 18 years old, not aggressive by nature, plucked from his home and dropped in the jungle of southeast Asia with a rifle and flashlight, often took any opportunity he found to check out of reality and numb the pain of fear, loss, loneliness, and terror of the unknown. Heroin was cheap and more importantly, IT WORKED. So yeah, Sam Stone came home addicted and suffering from ptsd. And when his $100 a day habit was too expensive, he stole. Everyone suffered bc of it. Kids wearing handed down clothes, etc.. and then he died of an overdose.

[@jameskiv9866]

One of the saddest songs written. John has such a knack for delivering the simplest lines that have so much depth and meaning. He was truly one of the best writers and poets. The song is actually about a war vet using heroin to cope with the pain, both physical and mental. A Purple Heart is the highest honor an American soldier can receive and the monkey on the back line is a reference to addiction. John's catalog is a reaction channel all on its own. Good video, sir 👍

[@jnagarya519]

The "Purple Heart" is awarded for being wounded. The highest award is the "Medal of Honor".

[@lowriebean8140]

He was in his early to mid-twenties when he wrote it - such a talented storyteller.

[@timshelley8635]

Awesome video! Thanks for doing John and this song! Please do more of his. One of my favorite songwriters! Miss him! RIP John Prine

[@jamesantkeegan83]

Climbing walls while sitting in a chair is him in heroin withdrawal!

[@DaisyMae0929]

This song and another called "Hello In There'' were two of the first songs ever recorded by John Prine. If you want to hear something more upbeat by him try a duet he did with Iris Dement called "In Spite of Ourselves". John wrote some of the best songs ever and was admired by songwriters everywhere including Bob Dylan to name just one.

[@colline4]

Love all these suggestions. Also Illegal Smile , Spanish Pipedream, and Angel From Montgomery.

[@larryclemens1850]

Dear Abby, Talk Dirty in Hawaiian are also great counterpoints to Sam Stone and Hello in There.

[@wakeskater5525]

Please do more John Prine reactions. You will not be disappointed. Paradise, hello in there, fish and whistle, when I get to heaven, etc.

[@blanejrump]

Last song John ever recorded is I Remember Everything. Beautiful and so powerful knowing it was shortly before his death.

[@acombustiblelife5224]

Hole in daddy's arm is a reference to heroine. All the money goes into his drug habit... well, that's what I think... love the video

[@thelastremaininglogicallib9320]

This song makes me teary-eyed at the strangest times. Not every time I hear it, not most of the times for that matter. But still to this day, it happens often and as much as, maybe more than any other song.

[@wgj4everlong426]

John Prine was top 5 songwriter ever,thanks for this.We lost another today in Billy Joe Shaver could you react to his song Live Forever because he will through his songs

[@DaisyMae0929]

Sad to hear about Billy Joe Shaver. We also lost Jerry Jeff Walker this last weekend. Be good to react to both these two great singer-songwriters.

[@richardpowell1220]

The refrain to this song: "there's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes" shows us that this song is being sung by Sam Stone's children. "Little pitchers have big ears" is an old saying that means be careful what you say around the kids, because they see and hear everything. And it's not just that they're so poor that they're wearing "other people's clothes". It's a sad song, but even sadder when you realize that it's a song sung by the survivors, and they're hurt too...

[@MrBrody21]

I never knew what the little pitchers meant. Thanks for the insight.

[@colline4]

I was just about to explain that as well. Brilliant. Thank you.

[@skepticalobserver7484]

Well explained.

[@fritty9927]

The pitcher is a reference to a vase with large handles. Not ears of people.

[@chrishilton6422]

Gotta listen to Paradise by Prine. Also Angel From Montgomery. Love your channels.

[@kajabrill2404]

He's amazing

[@rarebond8102]

It's... Mr. John Prine!😁 You will equally enjoy "Hell broke Luce" by a fella named Tom Waits.

[@notabot3375]

It’s interesting that he talked about the KIA at the beginning of this performance, because the song is about the ones that came home alive but were so affected by their tours that the rest of their lives were pretty meaningless, and usually short. A cycle that is repeated today from this generation of vets going through the same thing. And will probably happen again. So, incredibly insightful and prophetic as well. John Prine is an icon.

[@michelero8794]

Great music. Never heard that one either thank you.

[@elizabeththompson5278]

A sad reality of war..many people die in overseas conflicts, they just don’t stop breathing until a few years later. 😢

[@amandawoolley8181]

Hole in his arm is because he’s shooting heroin and a balloon is referring to a shot of heroin. It’s all about heroin. Very sad

[@andycockrum1212]

Another great Kentucky artist

[@nathanbeard3561]

He was from Maywood, IL. It’s a suburb of Chicago. His parents were from Western Kentucky.

[@jameshenry8629]

A puperal is a metal heart you receive where you are injured in war

[@larryclemens1850]

"A Purple Heart" The Purple Heart is the medal awarded to a USA service member injured, or killed, in a conflict. "A monkey on his back" is a personal demon one cannot shake off. PTSD? Addiction? Both?

[@ShalomYal]

Must listen to Paradise & Angel from Montgomery

[@pab0803]

As you probably know, but I don't think you mentioned, John died earlier this year from COVID. I would definitely recommend 'Paradise', 'Spanish Pipedream' and 'Bruised Orange' from his early stuff. Also 'Angel From Montgomery' has been covered by everyone. Later in life he had health problems, including a stroke, that left his voice much different, low and gravelly. His later songs I'd recommend are 'When I Get to Heaven' and the last song he recorded 'I Remember Everything'

[@ronniefromOR]

pab0803 agree .. Love bruised orange especially

[@dmans3617]

Popped last balloon I believe is like snapping the rubber band to inflate veins.

[@davidgross990]

No heroin used to come in balloons when you bought it on the street. Also for the question of the host a monkey on your back was a term for heroin or any addiction but usually was reserved for intravenous drug use. I'm a vet from the Viet Nam era though Navy, but lost many good friends and shipmates to drug and alcohol addiction after the DEROSed back to the world. (USA)

[@jameskidd6122]

John had a rough childhood and his prize possession was his radio so he could listen to music. He had to put the radio in the window to get good reception but his father tripped over the cord and broke it, so he was without the only beauty in his life. True story.

[@brandyharding7692]

just glazed over one powerful line in “little pitchers have big ears don’t stop to count the years”. if you combine other lines such as ...Daddy’s arms.... means it’s at least partly from the son or daughter’s point of view as they were hearing and observing “Daddy” self destruct.

[@angiebold2592]

I don't have the credentials to tell this , but I heard this song when I'm was about 9 or 10. My dad had to explain what things meant . I MN memorized the words cos that's what my dad always did. A real shocker to anyone that might of heard me singing it. But people just don't have the patients to care . Even back then. The purple heart is s medal a soldier gets that has been wounded in ty he war. And a monkey in his back is the way people talked about addiction to he seventies. And a saying me and a friend made up , in the ninties was, my monkey grew a real long tell and then it fell off and he became a gorilla.

[@nosparex]

Next up, try "Hello In There" by John. Take care...

[@janeschmalfeld4307]

He could make you cry and make you laugh. He had such insight into the human condition.

[@jaxxonwilcox9566]

I'll sub for Prine!

[@street_cheeks]

Mya Lin is the artist that made the memorial. brilliant artist

[@richardlovelace3560]

I'm happy you young folks are learning about John. Bob Dylan was asked about being compared to him and said..""nah ..he's got all the words",,, Why do you film your "reactions" ?

[@colline4]

So... Where to start. Sam Stone had an addiction from the morphine he was prescribed to "heal" him after Vietnam. No he didn't have to pay for his initial prescription, but once it became and addiction, he spent all his money on the drug he became addicted to. Throughout the song John Prine basically TOLD you straight up it was an addiction.

[@colline4]

A purple heart is a medal you get if you've been wounded, and the phrase "monkey on your back" is a slang way of saying addiction you can't kick.

[@mundrubjet]

Welcome to my life...Death rules... Ol Sarge...And John Prine is King,,,

[@Bucketlessheadroc]

Purple heart is an award given for being wounded in action. Think you missed the mark a little on the interpretation. He developed an opiate addiction after being treated with morphine for his wounds because it helped ease the mental distress of being in the war where he didnt want to be. It was about Vietnam which was the last time the US used a draft. Hole in daddy’s arm is where he’s shooting up.

[@jnagarya519]

On his website Prine is classified as "Contemporary Folk," not "country".

[@gregxkountz]

The hole in daddy’s arm is heroin

[@nathanbeard3561]

An interesting point in this song are the references to his own childhood that he threw in there such as the broken radio and the kids wearing other people’s clothes.

[@Blue-qr7qe]

More Folk Music than Country. Folk Music at its traditional best.

[@superptop]

I’ve been to that wall many times and I see many of my friends in a relatives names on the wall. I came home but they didn’t and since 1975 I’ve been asking myself why

[@dmans3617]

Railroad trains leaving track marks.

[@fritty9927]

You missed it. I’m glad you enjoyed it, but nothing hidden. It’s about drug addiction and war. Listen to Summer’s End he did it decades later shortly before his death.

[@jnagarya519]

Watch his performances -- they're on youtube -- "Sessions at West 54th".

[@carandme1]

You should have done some research on the lyrics and their meaning. You are British trying to understand Yank slang. Prine was working as a mailman delivering mail in Chicago when he wrote this I do believe, as well as Hello in There and Souvenirs. He was an incredible song writer and person.

[@87ventus]

I guess folks from different countries just don't understand the reference of " there's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes" cause here in America .. we all know that he means ..he's shooting up..that's the hole in his arm where he's putting the drugs & the money it costs 2 buy em...spending money on dope instead of buying the kids new clothes. I understood this song at 14 when it was brand new(1972-73). I've seen people from india say the same thing that you said...where u guys think he's hurt his arm & is spending his money on hospital bills.. I mean if u can't understand that line.. what about all the other references they should have been a clue. I'm Sorry if I'm being a jerk, I apologize, it's just that I love John Prine so much I want everyone to enjoy the sincere deepness of his thoughts while using the simplest of words to describe em. .✌️

[@foghornleghorn2823]

Nothing to do with healthcare. Everything to do with addiction. And more to the point, dealing with ptsd with drug and alcohol addiction. Also with the 2nd and 3rd hand effects there of.

[@michaelhaskins6393]

A little tid-bit the line “little pictures have big ears” is an old timey saying in the States. It’s a covert way of saying the kids are listening and this is adult stuff you’re talking about.

[@brianmcmeat1306]

1988? This song was from 1971

[@charleshenry338]

Dude, he is talking about drug addiction. You are so off base to your benefit. The hole in daddy's arm refers to track marks. As well as the gold ran through his veins. A balloon is how heroin was sold when this song was written.

[@OliWilford]

Appreciate the lesson.

[@kelceywilliams9446]

George Jones wild Irish rose is of a similar vein

[@DaisyMae0929]

George Jones is another long rabbit hole to go down. Just an incredible catalog of great song writing.

[@norki.e]

if you react to Keep ‘em on They Toes- Brent Cobb please do this version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epC9lGePpcd3d7M

[@davehall8553]

Sam stone was addicted to drugs

[@scottcrosby-art5490]

Great reaction but this isn't country it's Folk