“Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore” by John Prine

"Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" comes off John Prine's 1971 debut album on Atlantic, and it's his alone: Prine wrote the words and music, sings it and plays acoustic guitar. Jerry Wexler offered him a deal after seeing him perform a handful of his songs on a Kris Kristofferson bill at the Bitter End, and apart from "Paradise", the album was cut at American Sound Studios in Memphis.

That put Arif Mardin, who had worked with Aretha Franklin and King Curtis, in the producer's chair, Stan Kesler behind the recording desk, and a band Prine later described as Elvis Presley's rhythm section around the newcomer: Reggie Young and John Christopher on guitars, Bobby Emmons on organ, Bobby Wood on piano. Prine, still learning to sing, admitted the setup scared him stiff. You'd never guess it from a title with this much bite.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.