Summer's End

The song Summer's End by John Prine (RIP 1946 - 2020) appeared on his final studio album The Tree of Forgiveness, which won Americana album of the year in 2018. With John passing away April 7, 2020 from the pandemic Covid-19 virus there are too many wonderful tributes being written to read. His life and his music had a positive impact on so many. He is a songwriter's songwriter. He was known as a mentor to young musicians. He had a large and loving family. There are no bounds to his musical styles. He is folk, he is country, he is rock, he is blues. He has gospel and jazz influences as well. John came from a working class background and wrote his songs for working people; for folks giving their all and being passed by or pushed aside by the powers of money, class, race, gender, religion and ideology. Much like Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie, if there was injustice or hypocrisy, John Prine confronted it in his music. He also had one of the greatest musical senses of humor of all time. He laughs in many songs and he laughs at himself first of all. He also cries in his songs and allows the pain, worry and loneliness of living to be expressed and shared. Of all his songs today, I am posting Summer's End. One of his last songs on his last album. The song is about the ending of seasons of times of joy and sweetness; there is a death metaphor under the song and there is a profound meaning. This is heard in his refrain "Come on home." His answer to endings, death included, is its time to go on home. Welcome home John! Welcome home!