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 👍
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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
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'
"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?
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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" ?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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. .✌️
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.
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.
