The first one is taken from the song Donald and Lydia, which appears
on his first
(self-titled) album
from 1971.* Even without the rather interesting context of the
song, it's one of the most enchanting and beautiful lyrics that I know of.
The second lyric is from John's last† album,
The Tree of Forgiveness. By an interesting coincidence, it happens to be an
almost perfect description of the state of my own life right now.
Dreaming just comes natural,
Like the first breath from a baby,
Like sunshine feeding daisies,
Like the love hidden deep in your heart.
The lonesome friends of science say : "The world will end most any day."
Well if it does, then that's okay, 'cause I don't live here anyway.
I live down deep inside my head, where long ago I made my bed.
I get my mail in Tennessee; my wife, my dog, and my family. Uh-hu.
†Unfortunately, this really was his last album.
Of all the horrible things that covid has wrought, taking John Prine's life
was certainly one of it's most evil single actions.
*As I reflect upon all the music that I've enjoyed in my
lifetime, I realize that I don't know of anything that compares to John
Prine's first album.
It is absoluely astounding that a young man of 25 years was able to produce,
right off the bat, an album with so many songs that make such deep, meaningful,
and profound observations about our world.