Six O'clock News (Live) Lyrics
John Prine
Lyrics
Wanda had a baby in nineteen fifty one
The father was a stranger and a stranger was the son
Call that child James Lewis, call these rooms a home
Changing all them diapers, polish all that chrome
C'mon baby, spend the night with me
All around the schoolyard playing all the games
Running, laughing back and forth the kid with two first names
Stranger in the closet, lock the diary
The past is running faster singing harmony
C'mon baby, spend the night with me
"God bless this kitchen", said the knick-knack shelf
The dinner's almost ready, go and wash yourself
Jimmy's growing up now and Wanda's growing old
The time is growin' shorter the nights are long and cold
C'mon baby, spend the night with me
Sneaking in the closet and through the diary
Now, don't you know all he saw was all there was to see
The whole town saw Jimmy on the six o'clock news
His brains were on the sidewalk and blood was on his shoes
C'mon baby, spend the night with me
C'mon baby, spend the night with me
Song & Lyrics Facts
John Prine's "Six O'Clock News" is a live recording from the album John Prine Live, released in 1998. The song was written by John Prine and performed with his backing band, including Pat McLaughlin on guitar and mandolin and David Jacques on bass.
It details the devastating effects of media sensationalism and its ability to manipulate public opinion. The lyrics are direct and unapologetic as they describe how news outlets will often distort facts or present stories out of context for their own gain. The song concludes with an ironic twist when Prine sings “They just read it off the teleprompter/Cause that’s the way they do things now/And I don’t think they even know what the words mean/That’s why they call it the six o’clock news.” Released in 1998, this powerful track serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking truth outside of mainstream sources.