99.John Prine - Lake Marie (Live on Tour,1997)

Probably the most gifted storyteller ever to pick up a guitar, Prine's vignettes constitute some of the most perceptive and heartfelt observations of the human condition I have yet come across.
I'm sure the studio recordings are fine if you listen to them first, but having listened to the energy and obvious humor in his voice in the spoken parts, the studio work now seems lacking.
Insanely great collections of insanely great music.Very rocking release with great songs and his best lyrics in years."Lake Marie" is probably the best thing Prine will ever write, which means it stands tall over 99% of everything else. A story-song that never lapses into the hokey novelty of that genre, it uses the story of how Lake Marie got its name as well as a vivid description of a grisly murder scene being watched on TV. "Lake Marie" is brilliant; just brilliant. How does he do it?

Lake Marie

We were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa Wah Oh Wha Oh
Whoa Wah Oh Wha Oh
Many years ago along the Illinois-Wisconsin Border
There was this Indian tribe
They found two babies in the woods
White babies
One of them was named Elizabeth
She was the fairer of the two
While the smaller and more fragile one was named Marie
Having never seen white girls before
And living on the two lakes known as the Twin Lakes
They named the larger and more beautiful Lake, Lake Elizabeth
And thus the smaller lake that was hidden from the highway
Became known forever as Lake Marie
Repeat Chorus:
Many years later I found myself talking to this girl
Who was standing there with her back turned to Lake Marie
The wind was blowing especially through her hair
There was four italian sausages cooking on the outdoor grill
And Man, they was ssssssssizzlin'
Many years later we found ourselves in Canada
Trying to save our marriage and perhaps catch a few fish
Whatever seemed easier
That night she fell asleep in my arms
Humming the tune to Louie Louie'
Aah baby, We gotta go now.
Repeat Chorus:
The dogs were barking as the cars were parking
The loan sharks were sharking the narcs were narcing
Practically everyone was there
In the parking lot by the forest preserve
The police had found two bodies
Nay, naked bodies
Their faces had been horribly disfigured by some sharp object
Saw it on the news On the TV news in a black and white video
You know what blood looks like in a black and white video?
Shadows, Shadows that's exactly what it looks like
All the love we shared between her and me was slammed
Slammed up against the banks of Old Lake Marie, Marie
We were standing
Standing by peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Whoa Wah Oh Wha Oh
Whoa Wah Oh Wha Oh
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Standing by peaceful waters
Peaceful waters
Aah baby, we gotta go now

http://www.zshare.net/audio/53234944369fe4/