In 1988 I knew next to nothing about one of my now favorite artists, but I became aware of songs like "Fish and Whistle", "That's the Way the World Goes Round", "Paradise" and "Donald and Lydia" as my friends played them at open mike night at a local club.  From there it was a short step to "John Prine Live", my first Prine CD.  Prine's live performances of many of his best songs are reduced to their essential elements--by turns poignant, insightful and clever lyrics, a raspy voice (from too many cigarettes, I'd guess), and as he puts after "Grandpa Was a Carpenter", three chords on the guitar.  Particularly effective in this motif are such songs "Barbara Lewis Hare Khrisna Beauregard" and "Blue Umbrella" and "Mexican Home", all of which suffer a little from overproduction in their studio versions. Prine also delights with his "stories before the song" on "Sabu", "That's the Way the World Goes Round" (the Happy Enchiladas would be a great name for a band, and once was for one night about 17 years ago), and "Living in the Future".  Still, a fuller sound brings us the lovely classic "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" and a perfect duet with Bonnie Raitt on "Angel from Montgomery".  After buying and listening to all of Prine's CD's over the years, I feel like "Prine Live" misses a couple of the best ("Bruised Orange" for poignancy (maybe it just couldn't stand without the closing soprano sax solo, "Pretty Good" and "Please Don't Bury Me" for humor), but overall, it's still my favorite compilation of the man's music. I've been to a couple of Prine concerts and "John Prine Live" captures the mood very well.  Highly recommended.