Cardinal

Album: Deeper Well (2024)
Charted: 112
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The opening track of Kacey Musgraves' sixth studio album, Deeper Well, is a stripped-down ballad inspired by the passing of her friend and mentor, John Prine. The country legend, who was 73, died in 2020 from complications relating to COVID-19.

    Musgraves, a self-proclaimed admirer of Prine, had become friends with him, even sharing the stage on a cruise in 2015 and a Colorado gig in 2017. His death left a deep void.
  • The song's title and lyrics draw on the symbolism of cardinals as messengers from the spirit realm, a belief Prine himself held dear.

    "When cardinals appear, angels are near," Musgraves said in the CD zine made to accompany the record. "Unexplainable things started happening and cardinals started showing up on my doorstep soon after my good friend and mentor passed, John Prine. He always had a big connection to cardinals and felt that they were messengers from the spirit realm. He inspired this song, no doubt."
  • This isn't the first time Prine has influenced Musgraves' work. Early in her career, she penned "(Burn One With) John Prine," a song that celebrates his rebellious spirit and the artistic kinship she felt with him.

    "This little girl comes up to me with her buddy... They wanted to take me out in the parking lot and get me high," Prine recalled to Rolling Stone: "I said, 'Uh, gee, thanks but... no, thanks.' We had our picture taken together and the next thing I know, I'm over at my record company, Oh Boy Records, and I hear this tape. It's Kacey singing this song about how she'd like to burn one with John Prine."
  • Musgraves co-wrote and co-produced the song with Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. Tashian and Fitchuk worked with Musgraves on every Deeper Well track bar "The Architect," which was crafted with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.
  • Viktor Krauss, the brother of bluegrass star Alison Krauss, plays the double bass on this track.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.