Watch: John Prine Perform the Final Song He Wrote and Recorded, “I Remember Everything”

When John Prine died on April 7, 2020, at 73 from complications of the coronavirus, he left behind some of the most introspective recollections from his life, in songs. At the time, Prine had also written and recorded one final song, “I Remember Everything,” shortly before his death.

In 2018, Prine first shared “I Remember Everything” over Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. “When you hear a new song from somebody, you’re always prepared to hear something that may not be as good as the last,” said producer Dave Cobb, who worked on Prine’s final album, The Tree of Forgiveness from 2018, and was one of the first to hear his final song.

“But then he whips out that song and plays it, and just melted everyone at Thanksgiving,” added Cobb. “When he pulls out those songs, they just sound like songs you’ve always known. It just sounded like a classic Prine song in the best possible way.”

Words of Remembrance

Prine’s nostalgic lyrics reminisce on a batch of small moments throughout his life from every song he sang, blade of grass, smile, and anything else he could never forget.

I’ve been down this road before
I remember every tree
Every single blade of grass
Holds a special place for me
And I remember every town
And every hotel room
Every song I ever sang
On a guitar out of tune

I remember everything
Things I can’t forget
The way you turned and smiled at me
On the night that we first met
And I remember every night
Your ocean eyes of blue
How I miss you in the morning light
Like roses miss the dew

[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know John Prine Wrote for Other Artists]

“Perfect Prine Hours”

By the spring of 2019, Prine was forced to cancel some tour dates due to health issues, which is when Cobb and engineer Gena Johnson set up microphones in his living for him to record the new track.

“He picked and sang the song just like he had at Thanksgiving a few months earlier,” remembered Cobb. The song was recorded at what Cobb called “perfect Prine hours,” 11 p.m. “He [Prine] thought it was fun,” Cobb added. “He was like, ‘Wait a minute. I can record here? Why didn’t I know this all this time?’ He was ready to make a whole record that night. He had his bar and his pool he could look at, so he was in heaven.”

Co-written with Prine’s longtime collaborator Pat McLaughlin and produced by Cobb, “I Remember Everything” was recorded for inclusion in a documentary on Prine that was in the works at the time. In 2022, Prine’s family signed a deal with RadicalMedia to develop two documentaries around his life and work.

“I Remember Everything” was later released two months after Prine’s death. In retrospect, Prine’s lyrics may sound like a goodbye, but Cobb never heard the song in this way.

“I honestly never thought John would pass away any time soon,” shared Cobb. “He was so full of life. He was so animated and so funny. And that song, lyrically it’s just devastating. You can tell he was at a really good place in his life. He was really happy. And it’s such a beautiful, simple, poignant message, and crushing that the context is defined by it being the last song now. Because he wasn’t finished.”

Photo: Danny Clinch / Courtest of Shore Fire Media