John Prine’s “Summer’s End”: A Heartfelt Ode to Love and Loss in the Face of Crisis
Released in 2018 on The Tree of Forgiveness, John Prine’s first album of original material in 13 years, “Summer’s End” emerged as a haunting anthem of love, longing, and societal heartbreak. While the song’s gentle melody and tender lyrics might evoke memories of fleeting seasons and family gatherings, its deeper resonance is rooted in the devastation wrought by the U.S. opioid crisis. This crisis, which has left countless families fractured and grieving, inspired Prine to use his gift for storytelling to reflect on its generational toll.
The accompanying music video, directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Kerrin Sheldon and Elaine McMillion Sheldon, paints a poignant portrait of a family grappling with addiction’s aftermath. Shot in West Virginia—home to the nation’s highest rate of opioid-related deaths in 2016—the video unfolds through the eyes of a young girl. Her quiet observations of loss and resilience amplify the song’s emotional weight, underscoring the human cost behind the statistics.
Prine, deeply empathetic and grounded, saw the power in this perspective. “I think by centering on those family dynamics, we were able to think about the generational impacts that this crisis…might have in this country,” Elaine McMillion Sheldon noted. This vision, paired with the song’s refrain, “Come on home,” resonates not just as a personal plea but as a call to collective healing.
A Storyteller of the Marginalized
Prine’s ability to tackle profound social issues without straying into sentimentality was one of his defining strengths. Like Mark Twain, whose wit and wisdom Prine echoed, he chronicled the lives of everyday people with humor, compassion, and a deep sense of justice.
“Summer’s End” isn’t just about loss; it’s about the connections that remain, the hope that healing is possible. Prine’s recognition of the opioid crisis as a pressing issue, particularly for communities like his fans in Appalachia and beyond, spoke volumes. It was this grounded humanity—his refusal to shy away from uncomfortable truths—that endeared him to listeners across generations.
From “Hello in There” to “Paradise”: A Legacy of Empathy
Prine’s career, which began with his self-titled debut in 1971, is a treasure trove of stories that elevate the overlooked and give voice to the voiceless. Songs like “Hello in There” and “Sam Stone” dealt with aging and the scars of war, while “Paradise” lamented the environmental destruction of his father’s hometown in Kentucky. Each song carried an authenticity rooted in lived experience, a hallmark of Prine’s singular voice.
His collaborations with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Iris DeMent, and Brandi Carlile brought his music to new audiences while reinforcing his role as a songwriter’s songwriter. Prine’s work, including standout albums like Bruised Orange and The Missing Years, bridged generations and genres, blending folk, country, and Americana into a style uniquely his own.
“Summer’s End” as a Call to Action
In the video for “Summer’s End,” Prine not only lent his voice but also his presence, performing alongside his son Jack in the Nashville segments. This personal involvement added to the song’s authenticity and power. As Kerrin Sheldon remarked, “We used what we know making documentaries, which is real people, real scenes, real places, even though technically it was scripted.”
The video’s impact extended beyond its artistry. It served as a rallying cry for communities grappling with the opioid epidemic and inspired the creation of the Hello in There Foundation, named after one of Prine’s most beloved songs. The foundation, launched by Prine’s family, continues his legacy by supporting marginalized and forgotten individuals, reflecting the compassion that defined his life and music.
An Enduring Legacy
“Summer’s End” is more than a song; it’s a testament to John Prine’s ability to weave personal and societal narratives into something universal. It’s a reminder that music can heal, provoke, and inspire action.
As we listen to Prine’s work, we’re invited not just to remember him but to carry forward his ethos of empathy, humor, and resilience. Whether through the gentle strum of his guitar or the quiet power of his lyrics, Prine continues to remind us: “Come on home.”
The door is always open.
The Tree of Forgiveness”http://smarturl.it/treeofforgiveness
For Help Call: SAMHSA (Addiction Hotline) – 800-662-4357
http://www.MusiCares.org – Helps those in the music community
Video Directed By Kerrin Sheldon and Elaine McMillion Sheldon
Song Produced by Dave Cobb
Backing Vocals: Brandi Carlile
Courtesy of: Low Country Sound
REQUISITE MEDIA, LLC CREDITS:
Starring: Doy Russell, Emily Bignall, Carrie Bignall,
Directors: Kerrin Sheldon and Elaine McMillion Sheldon
Director of Photography: Kerrin Sheldon
Assistant Camera: Mark Eric Trent
Producers: Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon, Kyle Sheldon, Jeromy Rose.
How John Prine’s ‘Summer’s End’ Video Addresses the Opioid Crisis
Fundraiser
Director’s Kerrin Sheldon and Elaine McMillion Sheldon talk about the making of “Summer’s End” from John Prine’s New Album, ‘The Tree of Forgiveness’ Tree of Forgiveness: https://found.ee/uuFMSO
In the short clip, you will see Prine playing the guitar as he watches a little girl raised by his grandfather after her mother’s death. Though the cause of her mother’s death was never clearly depicted in the video, it was hinted at during a quick shot of television news reporting on the opioid crisis in the United States.
McMillion Sheldon got her grandfather to play the character in the music video. At the same time, her mother discovered the young actress – the then five-year-old Emily Bignall – in a Sunday school class. They filmed the short clip in West Virginia, which in 2018 was reported to have the highest rate of deaths from opioid-involved overdose.
The couple has also revealed that it was Prine’s idea to tell the story of addiction from a child’s point of view. “One of the things that John Prine had mentioned to us early on was that he had just seen the Mr. Rogers documentary and was inspired by the idea of seeing life through a kid’s eyes, so that sort of sparked the idea of seeing what a kid goes through,” McMillion Sheldon said.
The music video for “Summer’s End” was dedicated to Max Barry, former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s son. Max died of an overdose in 2017, where Prine performed during his memorial service – the singer was longtime friends with the Barry family. Max was only twenty-two.
“I think for many John Prine fans, us included, the opioid crisis is in our backyard. John’s recognition of this issue means something to his fans,” McMillion Sheldon added. (1)
(1) John Prine Tells a Heartbreaking Story In His Standout Track, “Summer’s End”
This is a necessary story told by a humane, humorous, and empathetic singer-songwriter. The visuals will hit as intended—pure sadness. If your heart isn’t open to the opiate epidemic and its aftermath, please see me for a full class of compassion-inducing meditation sessions.
John Prine was an American icon who shared essence via the populist chain of connective tissue with Samuel Clemmons-see Mark Twain. Samuel Clemmons was a chronicler of wisdom, delivered wisely and concisely with humor. John Prine is ready to deliver a song with deceptively simple rhyming sequences, abundant with b’rer Rabbit’s sneaky wisdom.
https://www.coolmediallc.com/amy-helm-levons-daughter-yes-yes-and-more-yes/
John Prine and Bonnie Raitt-“Angel from Montgomery” duet.
A classic duet, written by Bonnie, between two old friends and touring musical companions. This last performance, at the 18th Americana Annual Honors, is beautiful to watch. We have included an early version, audio-only for comparison.
Angel from Montgomery
Bonnie Raitt
I am an old woman
Named after my mother
My old man is another
A child who’s grown old
If dreams were thunder
And lightning was desire
This old house would’ve burned down
A long time ago
Make me an angel
That flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin’
Is just a hard way to go
When I was a young girl
I had me a cowboy
He wasn’t much to look at
Just a free ramblin’ man
That was a long time
And no matter how I tried
Those years just flown by
Like a broken down dam
Make me an angel
That flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin’
Is just a hard way to go
And there’s flies in the kitchen
I can hear all their buzzin’
And…
Source: LyricFind
Heard the very sad news of John Prine’s passing on the way home this morning from the recycling center. John Prine, who Chronicled the Human Condition in Song, Dies at 73 (April 7, 2020). Mr. Prine, cancer survivor 2 times, succumbed to complications from COVID 19. We are all indebted to John Prine for his creative output and humane humanity. Here is a not before seen performance of “That’s the way the world turns round”
Please enjoy this special duet Stephen Colbert calls “one of the happiest moments I’ve had on my show.” Filmed at the Ed Sullivan Theater in 2016 but never aired on The Late Show, this performance features John Prine on guitar, sharing vocals with a very grateful Stephen Colbert on a song called “That’s the Way the World goes Round.”
The first time I gave John Prine a serious listen was his album, the Missing Years. No coincidence that the Missing Years of you know who was the Genesis (pun intended) of my spiritual inquiry. John has been described as a master songwriter. I believe he is so much more, and this song exemplifies his talent for capturing the American spirit in song.
Deep within the sadness of John Prine’s passing, we combed youtube to discover this tribute,
The last song recorded by John Prine co-authored with long time collaborator John McLaughlin. Listen with your beloved as this one will hit you especially hard in the longing of your romantic heart.
John Prine – “I Remember Everything”
The last recorded song by John Prine. Written by Prine and his longtime collaborator Pat McLaughlin.
John Prine and Iris DeMent – In Spite of Ourselves (Live From Sessions at West 54th)
Lyrics:
She don’t like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin’ her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She’s my baby I’m her honey
I’m never gonna let her go
He ain’t got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin’ my undies
He ain’t too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it’s oxygen
He’s my baby
And I’m his honey
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We’ll end up a’sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we’re the big door prize
We’re gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts
Dancin’ in our eyes.
She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin’
And keeps on tickin’
I’m never gonna let her go.
He’s got more balls than a big brass monkey
He’s a whacked out weirdo and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he’s howlin’ at the moon
He’s my baby I don’t mean maybe
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We’ll end up a sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we’re the big door prize
We’re gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts
Dancin’ in our eyes.
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts
Dancin’ in our eyes.
(Spoken) In spite of ourselves
Music
SONG
John Prine – Live From Sessions At West 54th DVD Source
LICENSES
BMI – Broadcast Music Inc., and 8 Music Rights Societies
John Prine was a national treasure. His songs oozing with compassion and pathos from his first album on.