I should know better than to read a self-published book by a debut author, but John Prine: One Song at a Time was pitched pretty well. It’s described as a look at John Prine’s life and work through the lens of his songs. In actuality, it’s just all of Prine’s songs listed in chronological order by release date, with a few paragraphs of commentary on each. Even that could be interesting, if not for the fact that the author has little insight into Prine’s lyrics or music, and mostly just resorts to repeating adjectives like “outstanding” over and over again.
It’s astonishing how much Bruce Rits Gilbert relies on other sources for commentary on his chosen subject. Whenever possible, he quotes from Rolling Stone or other music publications, or occasionally from another artist. It’s like reading a novel about a historical event comprised mainly of AP wire service news stories.
Gilbert is obsessed with where each particular song ranks in Prine’s oeuvre, making sure to note whichever publications did or did not include it in listicles like “15 Essential John Prine Songs” or “John Prine’s 25 Best.” It’s so superficial it can hardly be counted as analysis.
Perfunctory and poorly written, John Prine: One Song at a Time is a massive disappointment, far, far from what Prine deserves.