As I grow older, my memory seems to fade. I can’t recall all the things I used to think, and often do dumb things without knowing it. As I gathered up materials to write about my favorite John Prine songs (and I know it is a long list … I have a lot of favorites), I skipped right over this one. I was looking at song titles and singing the tunes in my head. When I saw "Spanish Pipe Dream" it didn’t ring a bell. I didn’t find that title very inviting.
Then, almost by accident, as I played some of my Prine “Albums” (can you call them that when you are playing them on Apple Music ((which was called iTunes until they changed it))) and I heard this song again. I just didn’t connect the title to this song I really like. So I added it to my list to write about.
(I do have a list. I’ll bet you are wondering when I will finish. Well, I think I’m about half way. It is a LONG list.)
Here’s what John says about this song:
“I wrote this when I started performing. I thought the first song of the show should be up and bouncy. I can only play two rhythms—fast and slow—so this was written to go with my fast bouncy rhythm.”
“Originally, the chorus wasn’t about blowing up your TV. It was something about the girls forgetting to take the pill, but sunk pretty low after that first great verse. I sounded like Loretta Lynn singing about ‘the pill.’ Then I got the line ‘blow up your TV.’ I used to keep a small bowl of real fine pebbles that I picked up on my mail route, and if somebody said something really stupid on TV I’d throw some at the screen."
This was written and originally released by John Prine on his self-titled debut album. John Denver recorded a famous cover version on his 1971 album, “Aerie.”
The song is about a soldier who meets a topless dancer who tells him it is good to live simply: "Blow up your TV, throw away your paper, go to the country, build you a home." They both end up living by that advice. You could even add this song to John’s religious theme if you notice the right lines.
Spanish Pipe Dream
She was a level-headed dancer on the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
Well, she pressed her chest against me
About the time the jukebox broke
Yeah, she gave me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke
Blow up your TV, throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try and find Jesus on your own
Well, I sat there at the table and I acted real naive
For I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve
Well, she danced around the bar room and she did the hoochy-coo
Yeah, she sang her song all night long, tellin' me what to do
Blow up your TV, throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try and find Jesus on your own
Well, I was young and hungry and about to leave that place
When just as I was leavin', well she looked me in the face
I said "you must know the answer"
She said, "no, but I'll give it a try"
And to this very day we've been livin' our way
And here is the reason why
We blew up our TV, threw away our paper
Went to the country, built us a home
Had a lot of children, fed 'em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own
