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John Prine Delivers a Powerful Message in His Song “God Only Knows”

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

John Prine is an amazing songwriter and it shows in all of the songs he has written. “God Only Knows”  is definitely one of them as the message would make you think differently about your faith. 

The track was penned by Prine himself together with Phil Spector. They wrote it back in the ‘70s. The singer decided to release it in his album The Tree of Forgiveness, his newest release after 13 years of break. 

john prine, god
via John Prine’s official Facebook page

John Prine’s “God Only Knows”

The reason why the track was only released now was that because John had to think of an appropriate title. In an interview, John Prine said:

When I was back out in LA, I went to see him to play him the track and before I left that night we wrote God Only Knows. I never thought it was totally finished so I took it out for this record and finished it.”

The singer was happy with the outcome of the recording session. He was joined by Jason Isabell and Amanda Shires, and their version was what he expected the song to be. 

john prine, god
via John Prine’s official Facebook page

Lyrics Breakdown

John Prine narrates the story of a person who is laughing in the face of mortality. “God Only Knows” is a song that will make you trust in the Lord’s word. He sure does know everything, so when we are about to face death, it will not scare us. A lot of people believe that everything happens in God’s will, and we all should ask for His guidance. 

The will of the Lord is powerful, and He knows what is best for us. Having a strong faith can also help us in facing obstacles, just like what John Prine did in this track. 

Listen to his song here:

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