Paradise (John Prine song)

"Paradise"
Song by John Prine from the album John Prine
Released	1971
Recorded	A&R Studios, New York, NY
Genre	Folk music
Length	3:10
Label	Atlantic
Writer	John Prine
John Prine track listing
Sam Stone (4) "Paradise" (5) Pretty Good (6)

"Paradise" is a song written by John Prine for his father, and recorded for his 1971 debut album, John Prine. Prine also re-recorded the song for his 1986 album, German Afternoons. The song is about the impact of coal mining both while in activity and what happens to the area around the Green River in Kentucky once the coal mining ends. The song references a now-defunct town called Paradise in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.

Cover versions

• Jackie DeShannon recorded her version of "Paradise" for her 1972 album, Jackie, on Atlantic Records.
• John Denver released a cover of "Paradise" on his 1972 album, Rocky Mountain High.
• Tom T. Hall recorded his version of Paradise for his album, The Magnificent Music Machine.
• The Everly Brothers recorded a version for their 1973 album Pass the Chicken & Listen.
• The Country Gentlemen recorded a version for their 1973 album.
• Lynn Anderson recorded her version of "Paradise" for her 1976 album, All the King's Horses. The song was also released as a single that year to the Country charts, and peaked at No. 26.
• A cover recorded by Johnny Cash was used in the soundtrack of the 1981 TV movie The Pride of Jesse Hallam, which starred Cash in the title role. This version was later released on the compilation album Personal File.
• "Paradise" was the end credit song for the film Fire Down Below.
• Jimmy Buffett has played "Paradise" twice in concert, in 2002 at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati and again in 2008 at Riverbend. The 2008 Riverbend recording appears on Buffett's 2010 CD Encores.
• Pat Green & Cory Morrow covered "Paradise" on their album Songs We Wish We'd Written, which was released in 2001.
• Dwight Yoakam recorded the song on his 2004 compilation album, Dwight's Used Records. This rendition is divided into two tracks. The first track has a slower tempo, while the second track has a faster tempo.
• Hayseed Dixie often include the song in their live setlist and vocalist John Wheeler (AKA Barley Scotch) has referred to it on several occasions as his favorite song ever recorded.
• John Fogerty recorded a version as the lead off track for his 2009 album The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again.

External links

• Lyrics