John Prine has released another single from his upcoming new album, The Tree of Forgiveness, which is out a week from today (April 6). It’s called “God Only Knows,” because John Prine doesn’t care if someone else has named a song that, and it features Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires. He’s done it his entire career, but the amount of power and insight Prine can pack into a three-chord strummer is still amazing, even when he’s doing something pretty low-stakes in his comfort zone. There are some casually profound lines (“If I should betray myself today/God only knows the price I pay”) and an interpolation of a classic children’s bedtime prayer. Previously, Prine has also released “Knockin’ On Your Screen Door” and “Summer’s End” from the album. Watch the lyric video below.
