John Prine's "Souvenirs": Impermanence and Epigrams

Of all the John Prine tributes I read last week, I don't think I saw any that referenced Souvenirs. Every tribute talked about Sam Stone and Angel from Montgomery and Paradise, which might give someone new to Prine the impression that his reputation rested on just a handful of classics. Yes, those were mind-bogglingly great songs for someone to blast right out of the gate with, and yes, they are among the greatest songs of the last half century, but his catalog is nothing if not deep and diverse. And, as great as those songs are, back in the day, back in the 70s, it was probably Souvenirs that most fans thought of as the definitive John Prine song, the Prine-iest, if you will. It didn't hurt that he often performed it as a duet with his friend, the magnanimous, big-hearted Steve Goodman, thus making it a very Chicago thing.

Some observations. First, we must acknowledge the genius of the opening line. All the snow has turned to water. Yes. It is a simple direct observation, one which actually perfectly encapsulates the Buddha's Third Noble Truth that impermanence is the essence of life. More than that it tells you everything to know about the lyrics to come, though you don't know it yet.

Then there is the two-line observation: Broken hearts and dirty windows / Make life difficult to see. What you have here is an epigram, a mode of concise, memorable expression that comes naturally to the great writers like Emerson or Shakespeare. In truth, there are epigrams all throughout Souvenirs. Most of us would be happy to get one in there! Now, here's the thing: If you are a songwriter you can't just say, I need to add an epigram to this song to give it a hook, to make it indelible. No, it doesn't work like that. The only way to write memorable lines is for that to be the way you think and perceive--all the time. It has to be a habit of mind, a way of seeing and being and interacting with the world. That's the essence of Prine. He had a unique way of seeing things and was somehow able to bridge the distance from the inside of his mind to the song lyrics that mark his songs as Prine songs and no one else's. That's why we can safely say, No, I don't think Hank, or Bob, or Leonard done it this-a-way.

All the snow has turned to water 
Christmas days have come and gone 
Broken toys and faded colors 
Are all that's left to linger on 

I hate graveyards and old pawn shops 
For they always bring me tears 
I can't forgive the way they rob me 
Of my childhood souvenirs 

Memories they can't be boughten 
They can't be won at carnivals for free 
Well it took me years 
To get those souvenirs 
And I don't know how they slipped away from me 

Broken hearts and dirty windows 
Make life difficult to see 
That's why last night and this mornin' 
Always look the same to me 

I hate reading old love letters 
For they always bring me tears 
I can't forgive the way they rob me 
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs 

Memories they can't be boughten 
They can't be won at carnivals for free 
Well it took me years 
To get those souvenirs 
And I don't know how they slipped away from me