Souvenirs

Rating

Album: Souvenirs
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Souvenirs	More Info...	0:03
2)	Fish and Whistle	More Info...	0:03
3)	Far from Me	More Info...	0:05
4)	Angel from Montgomery	More Info...	0:05
5)	Donald and Lydia	More Info...	0:04
6)	Christmas in Prison	More Info...	0:03
7)	Storm Windows	More Info...	0:04
8)	Grandpa Was a Carpenter	More Info...	0:03
9)	The Late John Garfield Blues	More Info...	0:03
10)	Blue Umbrella	More Info...	0:04
11)	Six O' Clock News	More Info...	0:04
12)	People Puttin' People Down	More Info...	0:04
13)	Sam Stone	More Info...	0:04
14)	Please Don't Bury Me	More Info...	0:03
15)	Hello in There	More Info...	0:05

Album: Souvenirs
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Souvenirs	More Info...	0:03
2)	Fish and Whistle	More Info...	0:03
3)	Far from Me	More Info...	0:05
4)	Angel from Montgomery	More Info...	0:05
5)	Donald and Lydia	More Info...	0:04
6)	Christmas in Prison	More Info...	0:03
7)	Storm Windows	More Info...	0:04
8)	Grandpa Was a Carpenter	More Info...	0:03
9)	The Late John Garfield Blues	More Info...	0:03
10)	Blue Umbrella	More Info...	0:04
11)	Six O' Clock News	More Info...	0:04
12)	People Puttin' People Down	More Info...	0:04
13)	Sam Stone	More Info...	0:04
14)	Please Don't Bury Me	More Info...	0:03
15)	Hello in There	More Info...	0:05

Performer Notes

Personnel: John Prine (vocals, acoustic guitar); Jason Wilber (electric guitar, mandolin); Stu Basore (pedal steel guitar); Phil Parlapiano (mandolin, accordion, piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Shawn Camp (fiddle); Dave Jacques (acoustic & electric basses); Paul Griffith (drums, shaker, tambourine); Pat McLaughlin (background vocals).
Recorded at The Cowboy Arms Hotel & Recording Spa, Nashville, Tennessee.
Personnel: John Prine (vocals, acoustic guitar); Jason Wilber (electric guitar, mandolin); Phil Parlapiano (mandolin, accordion, piano, organ); Shawn Camp (fiddle); Paul Griffith (drums, shaker, tambourine).
Liner Note Author: John Prine.
Recording information: Cowboy Arms Hotel And Recording Spa, Nashville, TN (04/24/2000-04/26/2000); Jack's Tracks, Nashville, TN (04/24/2000-04/26/2000).
In the liner notes to John Prine's 2000 album Souvenirs, he calls the songs he has recorded during his 30-year career "faithful companions." They are indeed warm, friendly, and boldly intimate, whispering secrets to the listener -- but at the same time they are growing older and smoothing their youthful edge. In an effort to have his own master recordings of his favorite and most popular songs, Prine re-recorded 15 tracks for release in Germany (as he has always wanted to be popular in Germany), but upon hearing these re-recorded versions Oh Boy Records decided to release them in the U.S. (as Prine has always wanted to be popular there as well). The result is an interesting mix, wherein the historical stories ("Grandpa Was a Carpenter," "The Late John Garfield Blues") and rocking chair reminiscences ("Angel From Montgomery") are recalled with a genuine wisdom of the years, but the songs tinged with Prine's signature cynical smirk ("People Puttin' People Down," "Please Don't Bury Me") have lost some of their cheeky, finger-pointing optimism and almost sound like grumbling. Along with other performers who have tried to regain access to their compositions by re-recording them (it seems everyone from Merle Haggard to Prince has lost original song rights at some point), John Prine's contemporary touches on these old favorites may provide new insights, but the new versions rarely surpass the originals. ~ Zac Johnson

Professional Reviews

Uncut (2/01, p.92) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Like Kristofferson and Johnny Cash, he's singing better than ever..."

CMJ (11/13/00, p.40) - "...A collection of new recordings of 15 of his most memorable songs....an excellent reminder of how expressive his dusty Midwestern drawl can be..."

Dirty Linen (4-5/01, p.79) - "...15 new recordings of classic songs. These are spare arrangements of chestnuts....We like you, John. We really, really like you..."