Introduction
JOHN PRINE & IRIS DeMENT — THE DUET THAT MADE AMERICA LAUGH, SMILE, AND BELIEVE IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN: “IN SPITE OF OURSELVES”
Some songs make us cry, others bring back memories of a time long gone, and a precious few manage to make us laugh while reminding us of something deeply meaningful. When John Prine and Iris DeMent joined their unmistakable voices for “In Spite of Ourselves,” they created one of those rare musical treasures that seems to grow more charming with every passing year. It wasn’t a grand romantic ballad filled with sweeping orchestration or elaborate promises. Instead, it was a wonderfully imperfect, delightfully humorous portrait of two people who know each other inside and out, recognize every little fault, and somehow find that their affection has only grown stronger. For listeners who have experienced the beautiful complications of a long relationship, the song feels less like a performance and more like a familiar conversation around the kitchen table.
Released in 1999 as the title track of John Prine’s album In Spite of Ourselves, the song represented a particularly meaningful chapter in the legendary singer-songwriter’s career. Prine had already established himself as one of America’s most perceptive musical storytellers, admired for his ability to discover extraordinary meaning in ordinary experiences. His songs often explored loneliness, aging, family, compassion, and the quiet struggles of everyday people. Yet here, he approached the subject of enduring love with a mischievous smile, reminding listeners that devotion does not always arrive wrapped in poetic perfection. Sometimes it appears in teasing remarks, affectionate disagreements, and the comforting knowledge that someone has chosen to share life’s unpredictable journey with you.
The story behind “In Spite of Ourselves” makes the recording even more remarkable. Prine wrote the song for Daddy and Them, a film written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton. During this period, Prine was recovering from treatment for neck cancer, an experience that had threatened one of the most essential instruments of his artistic life: his voice. Producer Jim Rooney later recalled the emotional moment when Prine played him the newly written song. Rooney found himself laughing at its humor while feeling overwhelmed with happiness that his friend was singing again. What might otherwise have been remembered simply as a clever country duet became something more profound: a testament to resilience, renewed creativity, and the extraordinary satisfaction of hearing a beloved artist return to his craft.