A Cheerful Goodbye: John Prine Turns Mortality into Mischief (1973)
Few songwriters could face death with a grin quite like John Prine, and nowhere is that sly magic clearer than in “Please Don’t Bury Me” from his 1973 album Sweet Revenge. Written after a near-fatal motorcycle accident, the song is Prine’s delightfully irreverent way of saying: if I’m going out, I’m going out laughing.
Instead of fear, he offers a whimsical inventory of body parts he’d prefer to donate, gift, or send wandering across America — not out of darkness, but out of generosity and humor. It’s pure Prine: warm-hearted, homespun, and mischievous enough to make mortality feel like a back-porch joke shared over cheap beer.
Recorded during a period when he was sharpening his wit after the emotional weight of earlier albums, the track shows Prine embracing life by poking fun at death. The bounce of the acoustic guitars, the country-folk swing, and his playful delivery turn the whole moment into a celebration rather than a eulogy.
It’s a song that reminds you why Prine became a beloved American storyteller — he never denied the hard truths of life; he just found a way to make them smile back at you.