John Prine on Austin City Limits "Sam Stone" (1988) 

I was Sam Stone after the war been clean 45 years now , Got my family back ,Love you John RIP

He was literally the everyman’s Shakespeare. He could win any contest in using the shortest and most basic words that still hit the heart and soul the most.

can't listen to John without crying these days

When I was a kid my brother in law used to listen to John. I never really appreciated the sound until I got older. John Prine is great listening for a wise person who's been kicked by life a few times. A dumb person who knows nothing about life won't really appreciate him. Thanks for sharing your gift, John. I get it now

...john prine is one of the few singer-songwriters whose integrity remained intact in the rough and tumble of the music industry...what a life...a legend..

"There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes" is one of the best lyrics I've heard a while.

Being born in the 90's this is what my dad raised me on and next time I see him I'm going to tell him just how grateful I am for that.

🌹Nothing but deep respect and appreciation for John Prine. Thanks for keeping me company still, after all these years, John.

Can’t believe I didn’t discover John until after he passed. Thank you Eric Church for introducing me to his music.

Austin City Limits did a wonderful thing with their season-opening retrospective, but a few months too late. It's too bad that John couldn't have been here to enjoy his previous performances with us. He would have then known for certain how beloved he was. We miss you, John!

Just as beautiful and sad as the first time I heard it in 72 or so. We miss you JP. Hope to see you in the next world again

My best words just aren't good enough to describe the greatness that was John Prine... R.I.P

John Prine was the funniest singer songwriter of all time, at least to me. But he could also paint a picture in the listener's mind of tragedy in life, such as this song and "Hello in There." Sure do miss him.

One of the greatest poets of our time.

Hurts tonight just as much it did the night we got the news.

There will never be another like John Prine. He was authentic the entire time. I was raised up on John Prine and I’m so thankful for it.

I've only become a Prine fan recently. But he has an ability to not just HIT the mark on his subject matter, but if you look closer, there are lovely nuances of humanity satire and plain comic relief. That is how he could write songs like Sam Stone and Bruised Orange that can choke you up and laugh by turns. I think he was sincerely and wonderfully gifted. You can't help but love him! R.I.P. John🧡

He had the most unusual beautiful voice I have ever heard. He left us with the treasures of his creations. Thank you, John.

It's never going to be the same without him. Brilliant to see Phil Donnely playing with him. RIP to both.

I'm glad I heard of John Prine, I was sent from "In spite of ourselves" that I heard of CIUT 89.5 fm Toronto Uni radio. I'm glad I came. 😊 God bless the Vietnam vets, and the Vietnamese.

This was the first song I heard by John way back in the 70s on the old grey whistle test, watched it with my Dad who served in WW2. Silence, we listened to it together. Brilliant.

I can listen to John just talk for hours.

I just now discovered John. How'd I miss him? You said 3 months ago?? 😘 Love his stuff. 🎶 Jesus is Missing 🎶 priceless! Found him quite by accident.😥💔 RIP JOHN. You'll live on my playlist forever.

There are song writers, and then there are song writers. This man my friends, is a song writer.

This song’s lyrics are so powerful you can almost miss the pretty little tune behind them. He’s a very good composer.

For me this song and the Stones’ cover of “Love in Vain” are a pair of bookends, … and a couple of my favorites.

one of the best sam stone performances in my opinion

Me either. Can’t stop crying but so happy John left us his beautiful memories and songs🎸🌈🍷

Song makes me cry every time I hear it.

Thank you for including that fantastic intro

The first time I heard this song over 40 years ago it was all I could do not to cry in front of my buddy who turned me on to John. I missed 'Nam by 10 years but knew so many guys that came home all messed up, if they came home at all. I thanked God the draft was abolished right before my big brother was eligible. And I thank God for John Prine.

Found JP in 1972, on a sampler record 'New Age of Atlantic' Sam Stone was the track. I've been hooked for 50 years, and now he's gone. The world is missing a poet, musician, wry observer and a real gentleman. God bless you, John.

John ‼️ Damm this Covid! !

I’m a big fan of John Prine and the phenomenal Steve Goodman RIP TO BOTH. ❤

don't you know he had fun that man was some piece of work you got to love him.

Good Lord what a writer. He was a good singer too.

Makes me cry every time 😢

The Great John Prine RIP

"some people just can't get unattached from those things when they get em, ya know?"

I saw John here in Lexington, Kentucky a couple years before he passed. It was a great show.

The best. No one can compare to John Prine.

While the kids ran around wearing other people’s clothes. A line onlu poor people will ever understand. RIP to a legend❤

Love you, John. Wish you were still with us.

I only heard this song for the first time a week ago. It hit me so deep in my soul. I don’t have a deep connection like most people but still. Wow. Just wow. I saw a post on a different video that it saved a man’s life. That’s how powerful music can be ❤

Miss you so much sweet John Prine!

Sam Stone came home To his wife and family After serving in the conflict overseas And the time that he served Had shattered all his nerves And left a little shrapnel in his knees But the morphine eased the pain And the grass grew round his brain And gave him all the confidence he lacked With a purple heart and a monkey on his back There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don't stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios Sam Stone's welcome home Didn't last too long He went to work when he'd spent his last dime And Sam, he took to stealing When he got that empty feeling For a hundred dollar habit without overtime And the gold roared through his veins Like a thousand railroad trains And eased his mind in the hours that he chose While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don't stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios Sam Stone was alone When he popped his last balloon Climbing walls while sitting in a chair Well, he played his last request While the room smelled just like death With an overdose hovering in the air But life had lost its fun There was nothing to be done But trade his house that he bought on the GI bill For a flag-draped casket on a local hero's hill There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don't stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios

Amazing song and amazing lyrical ability he had

They don’t make songwriters like this anymore.

A fantastic performer .

Ya john spent a good lot of time here in ireland with his wife'sfamily

Sure do miss you John!!

So beautiful...

dude you have a very good playlist going here I like it.

Mr. Prine could paint ,quite the picture on every song that he wrote ........ in my opinion......

God bless John Prine.

Going through a divorce, i needed this tonight

Someone disliked this video...like...really?

thanks for sharing this insight

I try to use my new parting line when parting ways with friends until next time "Prine speed friend!"

💛

John and Jerry Jeff passed so close to each other. THAT was a tough time, as I felt such sorrow Johnny died bc he seemed like a friend, not an artist I greatly admire. I know the news chirons have to be short, but something bothered me when they pronounced, JJW, the writer of Mr. Bojangles. I just felt he was so much more than that. To me anyway. John, I look forward to meeting you and Jerry Jeff in Heaven.

I'm so angry that I found his music right before he died Now I can't listen without weeping I guess I just hate graveyards and old pawn shops 😞

Hell got a clever one with Prine.

You must notice he correctly called it a "conflict" as war was never declared. Don't tell that to the ones who served there or the families of those who died, it was a war no matter how you try and clean it up. Will we ever learn to be very hesitant to lose our best in useless wars, still pisses me off!

🎸🌹💔

🌹🌹🌹❤❤❤❣❣❣

I relate....

It’s tough Razorlief!

Seems like years since John passed from Coronavirus. Sigh.

What can I say. About jhon Excel i truly love him or at least his music

Actually Ron...it seems like yesterday.

Rugged gold...

My brothers name is on the wall.

John strikes me as kinda the musical version of Burt Reynolds, Hi Nancy Lee if you see this.

Will always love John Prine. Whoever did the lyric subtitles ought to be fired!

👍💥🌈💜😇

WONDER JUST HOW MANY VETERANS HAVE BEEN SHOVELED UNDER BY APATHETIC BASTARDS???!!!! I APPLAUDE THE VETERANS WHO WENT AND SERVED, THEN CAME HOME TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE, BUT WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF EMOTION I FEEL FOR THOSE WHO WERE TWISTED BEYOND REPAIR FOR THE THINGS THEY SAW AND DID!!!!!!! BRAVO Mr. JOHN PRINE - WE MISS YOU!!!!!!!

But the poor owl crater wasnt the strongest when he got that covid

When you need to sing a song exposing the madness of the Military Industrial Comples, ask a milk man.

Sad

"Tell me true, tell me why was Jesus crucified? Was it for this that daddy died?"

The other guitar was a distraction.

So sad, and except for worst nothing has changed.

Jesus did NOT die for nothing, too bad John didn't understand.

I learned not to judge a book by its cover. Years ago as a young kid i went to a concert in evansville indiana. I kept seeing this nasty ass looking person standing down front of the stage feverishly smoking ciggs and chugging jack Daniel's. I thought to my self that us one knarly looking roadie. Then they call came for john to come on stage,and to my big surprise it was the man i had seen down front of the stage. I was spell bound how one man and his acoustic guitar could demand and hold the attention of such a large audience. He came out abd set his bottle of jack down on stage under the microphone ,and went to work. I smiled,i laughed out loud ,and my life was changed forever. Stil to this day i look back with a fond memory,and say to myself. I was blessed to be in the presence of a master songsmith and storyteller.