In Spite of Ourselves - wikipedia In Spite of Ourselves In Spite of Ourselves Studio album by John Prine ( with various accompanists ) Released 1999 Recorded Jack 's Track and The Cowboy Arts Hotel & Recording Spa, Nashville, TN Genre Folk, alt - country, Americana Label Oh Boy Producer Jim Rooney, John Prine John Prine chronology Live on Tour ( 1997 ) Live on Tour 1997 In Spite of Ourselves ( 1999 ) Souvenirs ( 2000 ) Souvenirs 2000 In Spite of Ourselves is the 13th studio album of John Prine, featuring duets with various well - known female folk and alt - country vocalists, released in 1999. The album was Prine 's first release since successfully battling throat cancer. The female duet partners include Iris DeMent, Connie Smith, Lucinda Williams, Melba Montgomery, Emmylou Harris, Trisha Yearwood, Dolores Keane, Patty Loveless, and his wife, Fiona Prine. Contents 1 Reception 2 Track listing 3 Chart performance 4 References Reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic Robert Christgau ( A ) Freight Train Boogie No Depression ( no rating ) Writing for Allmusic, critic Michael B. Smith wrote the album `` ranks as one of Prine 's finest works, a scrapbook of country classics, interpreted by some of the genres best female vocalists, in duet with one fine American singer and a great songwriter. '' Music critic Bill Frater wrote `` To begin with, long - time John Prine fans might be a little put off by this new release. There is only one Prine - penned song in the bunch, In Spite of Ourselves, the title track... I love this album, and I applaud Prine proclaiming his love for these kinds of songs. '' Robert Christgau gave the album an A rating, and had particular praise for Iris DeMent, writing ``... the costar is Iris DeMent, who kills on both the Bobby Braddock cornpone of `` ( We 're Not ) The Jet Set '' ( rhymes with `` Chevro - let set '' ) and the conflicted spouse - swapping of the impossible old George & Melba hit `` Let 's Invite Them Over '' -- as well as Prine 's only new copyright, the title track, in which a husband and wife who love each other to death paint totally different pictures of their marriage. `` Critic David Cantwell of No Depression specifically singled out the title track as the best duet on the album and wrote that the album `` is a solid collection of country duets, and if nothing else, it proves that Prine has great taste in old country songs... not to mention great taste in what used to be called `` girl singers. '' Track listing `` ( We 're Not ) The Jet Set '' ( w. Iris DeMent ) `` So Sad ( To Watch Good Love Go Bad ) '' ( w. Connie Smith ) `` Wedding Bells / Let 's Turn Back the Years '' ( w. Lucinda Williams ) `` When Two Worlds Collide '' ( w. Trisha Yearwood ) `` Milwaukee, Here I Come '' ( w. Melba Montgomery ) `` I Know One '' ( w. Emmylou Harris ) `` It 's a Cheating Situation '' ( w. Dolores Keane ) `` Back Street Affair '' ( w. Patty Loveless ) `` Loose Talk '' ( w. Connie Smith ) `` Let 's Invite Them Over '' ( w. Iris DeMent ) `` ' Til a Tear Becomes a Rose '' ( w. Fiona Prine ) `` In A Town This Size '' ( w. Dolores Keane ) `` We Could '' ( w. Iris DeMent ) `` We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds '' ( w. Melba Montgomery ) `` In Spite Of Ourselves '' ( w. Iris DeMent ) `` Dear John ( I Sent Your Saddle Home ) '' Chart performance Chart ( 1999 ) Peak position U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 21 U.S. Billboard 200 197 References ^ Jump up to : Smith, Michael B. `` In Spite of Ourselves > Review ''. Allmusic. Retrieved July 9, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Christgau, Robert. `` In Spite of Ourselves > Review ''. Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 13, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Frater, Bill. `` In Spite of Ourselves > Review ''. Freight Train Boogie. Retrieved July 9, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Cantwell, David ( November -- December 1999 ). `` Review : In Spite of Ourselves ''. No Depression. John Prine Studio albums John Prine ( 1971 ) Diamonds in the Rough ( 1972 ) Sweet Revenge ( 1973 ) Common Sense ( 1975 ) Bruised Orange ( 1978 ) Pink Cadillac ( 1979 ) Storm Windows ( 1980 ) Aimless Love ( 1984 ) German Afternoons ( 1986 ) The Missing Years ( 1991 ) A John Prine Christmas ( 1994 ) Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings ( 1995 ) In Spite of Ourselves ( 1999 ) Souvenirs ( 2000 ) Fair & Square ( 2005 ) Standard Songs for Average People ( with Mac Wiseman ) ( 2007 ) For Better, or Worse ( 2016 ) The Tree of Forgiveness ( 2018 ) Live albums John Prine Live ( 1988 ) Live on Tour ( 1997 ) In Person & On Stage ( 2010 ) Compilation albums Prime Prine : The Best of John Prine ( 1976 ) Great Days : The John Prine Anthology ( 1993 ) Songs `` Sam Stone '' `` Paradise '' `` Your Flag Decal Wo n't Get You Into Heaven Anymore '' `` Angel from Montgomery '' `` The Great Compromise '' `` Speed of the Sound of Loneliness '' Related Oh Boy Records John Prine - Live from Sessions at West 54th Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows : Songs of John Prine Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=In_Spite_of_Ourselves&oldid=738670929 '' Categories : 1999 albums John Prine albums Oh Boy Records albums Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 10 September 2016, at 11 : 21. 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Question: who wrote the song in spite of ourselves
Answer: John Prine