Prine's songwriting is somewhat reflective of the character in his "Safety Joe," who avoids emotional extremes in favor of a life lived with "a seat belt around his heart." Boredom is not a problem for Prine, but, like "Safety Joe," his material mined intelligence more directly than emotion, with the singer often using an observational, third-party viewpoint to portray a range of people, from the eccentric to the mundane. Prine delivered his tales conversationally, almost as a matter-of-fact narrator, whether presenting a bloody corpse on a sidewalk, a husband trying to de-stress or a wife battling resignation and depression.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.