SOD: John Prine "She Is My Everything"

How can you not like this song. Even if it's not your kind of music, it's got to make you smile. The lyrics are childishly clever, but perfectly crafted. He has a very good sense of what he wants to say, and I think the message in most all his songs (at least that I know) comes through clearly, but never in an overtly literal, or forced way. Just listen to songs like "Angel from Montgomery," or "Illegal Smile." For that matter, listen to his entire self-titled debut album. He's very poetic. At one point, he was even being referred to as the next Bob Dylan.

 But this song is a simple gem. You don't have to make it out to be more than it is, to enjoy it. He rhymes "Copenhagen," with "Eggs and Bacon." He rhymes "karate" with "Maserati," and "eveready (batteries)" with "going steady." Not your typical lyrical fodder in a folk song I'd say. And because of that, I'll never forget how wide I smiled when I first heard the song. I had to listen to it again and again until I knew all the words by heart. It was just that fun to sing along to. And sometimes, that's all it takes. Here, give it a try:

She is my everything
From her suntanned shoulders
Down to the freckles
On her wedding ring
Here feet are so warm
They could melt the snow
In the early Spring
She is my everything

She goes everywhere from Copenhagen
To making eggs and bacon down in Jackson Square
I'd like to drive a Cadillac
The color of her long black hair
She goes everywhere

Kisses that come all the way from China
Kinda remind her of memories of Spain
If I get lost you can always find her
Standing right beside me in the rain

She uses Eveready batteries to keep
Her electrical appliances going steady
She can do fourteen things at one
And then the phone'll ring
She is my everything

She know everybody
From Muhammad Ali
To teaching Bruce Lee
How to do karate
She can lead a parade
While putting on her shades
In her Masarati
She know everybody

Kisses that come all the way from China
Kinda remind her of memories of Spain
If I get lost you can always find her
Standing right beside me in the rain

She is my everything
When she wakes up in the morning
That's when the birdies
Start to sing
When I hear her voice
I'll tell you boys
I forget everything
She is my everything
She is my everything...