This was written and originally released by John Prine on his self-titled debut album. John Denver recorded a famous cover version on his 1971 album, Aerie. The song is about a soldier who meets a topless dancer who tells him it is good to live simply: "Blow up your TV, throw away your paper, go to the country, build you a home." They both end up living by that advice.
"Originally, the chorus wasn't about blowing up your TV," Prine told Performing Songwriter. "It was something about the girls forgetting to take the pill, but sunk pretty low after that first great verse. I sounded like Loretta Lynn singing about 'the pill.' Then I got the line 'blow up your TV.' I used to keep a small bowl of real fine pebbles that I picked up on my mail route, and if somebody said something really stupid on TV I'd throw some at the screen."
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