It is Earth Day, an annual event on to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally through earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.
The WMNF Song of the Day for April 22, 2025 is “Paradise” by John Prine.
John Prine was a beloved storyteller whose music blended folk, country, and Americana with poignant wit and heart. Emerging in the early 1970s, Prine carved a niche with songs that captured the struggles, humor, and resilience of everyday people. His lyrics, often simple on the surface, carried layers of meaning—touching on love, war, aging, and social issues.
Prine’s song “Paradise” is a heartfelt lament about the environmental destruction of his parents’ hometown in Kentucky. Through its nostalgic lyrics, the song contrasts the natural beauty of Muhlenberg County with the devastation caused by strip mining. The refrain, “Mr. Peabody’s coal train has hauled it away,” refers to the Peabody Coal Company and underscores the irreversible loss of land and heritage due to corporate greed and environmental disregard. Prine evokes a deep sense of loss of our connection to nature.
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