Common Sense

John Prine

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Original Release Date: 1975
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002I8K
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,329 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Atlantic Records' futile attempt to make John Prine a star came to a head with the appearance in 1975 of this bewildering 11-song collection. Stax vet Steve Cropper stepped into the producer's seat with Common Sense, replacing Arif Mardin, who'd helmed Prine's first three releases. Cropper opted for a fuller sound, making liberal use of horns and vocal choruses (Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne are among the backup singers). Prine, for his part, responded by penning some of his most obscure lyrics. "Forbidden Jimmy" paints a Cubist portrait of a fellow who "got a mighty sore tooth / From biting too many dimes / In a telephone booth." "Saddle in the Rain" finds the singer imagining God waiting in ambush for him so he can "drink my wine and eat me like a sacrament." Ultimately, even old fans found the likes of "Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard" impenetrable. On the other hand, this might be the Prine album fans of crossword puzzles enjoy the most. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Prine for stoners, December 26, 2004

By	Lakeside Listener (Clear Lake, CA USA) - See all my reviews

It's weird the extent to which Amazon's reviewers don't seem to "get" this album. Full of hifalutin talk of cubism and such, they miss the obvious: This is brilliant nonsense, not some kind of formal stylist art. The full (not to say fulsome) arrangements combine with his rough, unpolished voice to enhance the absurdist effect. As a foray into the absurd, it's brilliantly executed. Pitch perfect? Prine never is. But his best songs all come at the listener kind of sideways, and this album does that raised raised a power or two. The bouncy arrangements make the result fun to listen to while Prine messes with your mind. It's a stoner kinda thing. He only made one like this so far as I know, and that's enough - but the one he made is worth hearing. Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Rick Vito, Steve Cropper and Steve Goodman must have thought so too - they're in there tripping with him.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It don't make no sense, December 12, 2000

By	Sam Hammond (El Cerrito, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With _Common Sense_, John Prine threw off the burden of being the 'next Dylan' and strove more toward being the next Picasso. Cubistic is perhaps a way to describe his songs here. Indeed, Prine says here "It don't make no sense/that common sense don't make no sense no more," and proceeds to show you why.

In "Saddle in the Rain," his use of the preposition "afterneath" is an attempt to do what Picasso did in his paintings, i.e., portray disparate dimensions at once. To my taste, it was a courageous, but, unfortunately, too precious approach. But it's a signal word in the record.

Where his "cubism" does succeed is in "Way Down," where, through an eerie juxtaposition of space and time, he describes narcissistic pain bordering on insanity:

"Thought I saw a neon sign/flash my name with the time/Prob'ly didn't see a thing/Crazy Dreams and broken wings"

In the very funny and very bawdy "Middle Man," he adds up his possessions to describe the same despair described in Way Down: Got an Aunt in Ohio/A boat that won't row/Some Veteran's insurance/ and nowhere to go/Darlin' can I be your middle man?"

This was a difficult work for his fans to understand, with it's horns and back beat, and strange lyrics, but it was a courageous attempt at something. It's enough to make you think that Prine is more than just a clever songwriter; maybe he's an artist.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great and Better With Each Listen, July 29, 1999

By A Customer

Common Sense is one of Prine's best albums. From the blaring horns in "Saddle in the Rain" to the relaxed flow of "He Was in Heaven Before He Died" to the island flavored "Forbidden Jimmy" most all songs are exceptional. The exception is Prine's cover of "You Never Can Tell". Still the rest of the album pulls the slack out. The album also boasts a stellar supporting cast including Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Rick Vito, Steve Cropper and Steve Goodman. This is an album where each time it is heard a different favorite song seems to stand out.