Kris Kristofferson said once of John Prine, “He’s 22 but he writes like he’s 222.” One of his songs has been rolling ’round my head these last days. It fits into the current stream here, the Sonia story, the video series and the Chart Reading For Lovers class.

He writes in his song, “Sam Stone”: “Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios…”

Sonia had a sweet song playing but it could not last. It’s a vivid illustration of the limits of synastry. I don’t care how many Moons trine how many Suns if you can’t function in relationship, then you can’t function in relationship.

John Prine is Libra with Mercury conjunct Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio. Having Mars conjunct Mercury in Jupiter’s house, we have something in common and I was amused to learn he wrote this song on his mail route.

John Prine was a mailman for years . I was drove a route for Frito Lay for years and I know what he’s talking about when he says he wrote the song on his route and could not wait to get home and see if it worked on the guitar the way he thought it would. These days I get on a cross trainer (Mars Mercury with Jupiter has to move to think) and have all kinds of ideas and then come home and see if they work on the page.

Anyway, I was introduced to John Prine when I was 13 years old by a Pisces who one of my stepbrothers (literally) rescued from a cave. She was being held captive in a cave, along with her baby when he found her… naked. He brought her home and eventually they married and had another baby. I used to babysit these kids and listen to John Prine all day who was touted as “the new Bob Dylan” at the time.

Anyway, I met the soldier when I was 17 and John Prine was our favorite… by far. This was odd in the disco era but we used to listen to his music all the time and dance around.

One more thing… there is a line in this song, “There’s a hole in daddy’s arm, where all the money goes…” Such an eloquent way to acknowledge an energy sink. Very sad if you have one of these in your life. And notice how he tells (Mercury) a story (Jupiter) about a soldier (Mars). Jeez, I don’t know anything about that…

Sam Stone

If you want to hear an interview with Prine where he answers the question, “Did you ever know a Sam Stone?” it’s here – John Prine interview with Bobby Bare.