John Prine stated that the song was based on a childhood friend who was the product of an incestuous relationship between his eldest sister and his father. In the song, a teenage James finds his mother's diary and when he realizes the truth about his parents, jumps to his death.
John Prine stated that the song was based on a childhood friend who was the product of an incestuous relationship between his eldest sister and his father. In the song, a teenage James finds his mother's diary and when he realizes the truth about his parents, jumps to his death.