Customer Reviews

Bruised Orange

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is filled with examples of the wonderful songwriting, easy delivery and comfortable performing style that define the greatness of John Prine, one of America's finest singer-songwriters. The production, by long-time Prine pal Steve Goodman, is excellent -- clear, uncluttered and unpretentious. Every song on this collection is a gem, and the mood varies like a soft breeze from track to track -- the journey is over far too soon.

There are great examples of Prine's strengths here. His famous humor nudges us in 'Fish and whistle', 'That's the way that the world goes round', 'There she goes', 'Iron ore Betty', 'Aw heck' and 'Crooked piece of time' -- and his incredible poignancy graces 'Sabu visits the Twin Cities alone', 'Bruised orange' and the lovely, haunting set-closer 'Hobo song'.

I once saw Prine appear on the wonderful PBS program 'Austin City Limits' -- and I noticed he was chewing gum on stage during his set. He was probably the kid who chewed it in class as well -- appearing to spit it out when the teacher caught him, then commencing to work on it again when authority's back was turned. Everybody loves a clown -- and this one has a sensitive side as well. This album -- along with Goodman's JESSIE'S JIG (from the same era) is a great example of the genre. Don't miss it.

Bruised Orange stands alongside The Missing Years, Sweet Revenge and his eponymous debut album as John Prine's strongest collection of original songs. And, aside from In Spite Of Ourselves and the criminally underrated Sweet Revenge, it is also his best sounding record. All credit for the supple production values go to Steve Goodman, the albums' producer. Anyone reading this probably knows about what close friends they were and Bruised Orange goes a long way to show that, other than Jim Rooney, Prine has never had a better friend in the studio as well.

The album kicks off with a perfect Prine composition, Fish And Whistle. Everything that Prine fans love about the man can be found in this song. It praises the common man without ever stooping to cornpone, it is loaded with bittersweet, richly observed details "on my very first job I said 'Thank you and please'/they made me scrub a parking lot down on my knees/then I got fired for bein' scared of bees/they only gave me fifty-cents an hour" being an excellent example, and it swings with a gentle country-folk rhythm that makes you daydream about back porches and denim overalls.

Other Prine songs that have gone on to be staples in his cannon are the priceless title-track, Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone, Aw Heck and That's The Way That The World Goes Round. Bruised Orange is also packed with lesser-known gems such as The Hobo Song and There She Goes. The only misstep is, as the amazon.com reviewer pointed out, If You Don't Want My Love. The song is an unfortunate anomaly in Prine's career, a mean spirited and one sided number that he co-wrote with genius/unreliable madman Phil Spector.

One relatively weak track aside, this is a wonderful, wonderful album filled to the brim with catchy melodies and brilliant, "Only In John Prine Land" lyrics. It also serves as the high water mark of his many fruitful artistic collaborations with Steve Goodman, who also plays on several tracks. Prine & Goodman was a truly rare friendship of two quirky talents that could meld together so beautifully and still retain their individuality.

Folk legend John Prine's albums are all somewhere between good and excellent, and "Bruised Orange" is one of the best. The opener, "Fish and Whistle" and "That's the Way the World Goes Round", have been played countless times at open mike shows in my hometown of Baton Rouge and many other places I would imagine. "If You Don't Want My Love" certainly sounds a lot different from the other more folksy selections, but I still like it--it just presents another side of Prine's songwriting ability. My other favorites are the title track, which as another reviewer noted features a poetic refrain about the wages of anger "for a heart stained with anger grows weak and grows bitter, you become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there wrapped up in a trap of your very own chain of sorrow."--unmatchable lyricism--and the closing "Hobo Song", which features another great chorus "could it be that time has gone and left them tied up in life's eternal traveling sack," sung by the "Hobo Chorus", which in producer Steve Goodman's able hands sounds very much like you'd expect a chorus of hobos to sound.

Bruised Orange, released in the late 70's, snuck up on me quietly. As an undergrad at the University of Minnesota, I only bought the record because of the song title "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone." Once I started listening to it, his sense of humor and amazing ability to capture the human condition made me a fan for life.

Each one of these songs are a jewel and the stories behind them are certainly worthwhile to learn about as you learn about one of America's authentic voices.

While this album is just as wonderful as the reviewers below have said, and a classic of the singer-songwriter genre, I want to cast a vote in favor of the cut "If You Don't Want My Love" which is much-maligned below. While it has none of the whimsy and humor which characterize most of Prine's work, it is in fact a perfect encapsulation of a bitter cast-off lover's state of mind -- and stays on and on in the memory. It is in fact my favorite cut on the album!

John Prine is one of America's all time great song writers yet is almost completely unknown in mainstream pop culture. What a shame, and what a loss for anyone who hasn't tuned into John Prine at one time or another. Bruised Orange is a classic piece of John's history with intelligently written songs that always seem to make you reflect on subject matter that usually just slips by in our day to day life. I still shake my head at the poetic beauty of the chain of sorrow line from the title track. I highly recommend this CD to anyone wanting to get their feet wet in the John Prine Life's lessons experience.

10 songs. That's it, but in those 10 songs, and under 40 minutes, is music that is both singable and as deep as the deepest ocean in the world. It is my opinion that no other artist could sing John Prine songs, and even come close to or sound like John Prine. He is a musical treasure. A lengend, a genius, a poet, a singer, a songwriter, a visionary, a storyteller, a comic, a regular guy. All of these things define John Prine, but there are so many things that you can say about John Prine it is remarkable. He truly is a living legend who never became as popular as other artists who did not take the risks he did, but he did not really take risks, he was just being himself and writing about things that he was feeling at that particular time. But the funny thing was, that everyone else felt the same way he did.

Wow! I forgot just how terrific John Prine is. I purchased this album (yes, album...it was THAT long ago!) when it first came out and was blown away by Prine's wit & perception. I listened to the sample tracks and could still sing along...my favorite being "That's the way that the World goes round". I highly recommend this CD to everyone! I'm off to purchase it myself!

Dynamite. Not immediately as accessible as his debut album but it's folkier edge really grows on you to make it a favorite. All the songs are memorable, but "That's the Way the World Goes Around" is Prine at his best, marrying melody with a new, yet familiar story from your family or a town near you.

One of my two favourite John Prine albums, the other being the more recent "Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings". And Prine followers will know the "happy enchilada" reference from his live performances ... this was the album where it appeared first!