Escovedo's family tree includes former Santana percussionist Pete Escovedo and Pete's daughter, Sheila E (also Prince's former drummer and later a pop star). He began his music career with the Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco. He co-founded the pioneering cowpunk band Rank and File in 1979, which moved to Austin, Texas, in 1981 after a stint in New York City. The band released Sundown on Slash Records in 1982, but shortly after, Escovedo left to form the True Believers with brother Javier. The band recorded two albums for EMI and toured the country, often as an opening act for Los Lobos. However, EMI opted not to release the second album, which eventually led to the group's break-up. (It eventually surfaced as a bonus item when Rykodisc reissued the first set on CD in 1994.)
Escovedo released a solo album in 1992 on Watermelon Records, Gravity, uniting his wide variety of styles; the album was produced by Stephen Bruton of Bonnie Raitt's band. Escovedo also began gigging periodically with the band Buick MacKane, who fused old-school punk with 70's glam rock; after Rykodisc released Escovedo's With These Hands in 1996, they followed it up with Buick MacKane's long-awaited album. After Escovedo parted ways with Rykodisc, he signed with the Chicago-based alt-country label Bloodshot in 1998, who released the live album More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996 and the acclaimed studio set A Man Under The Influence.
In April of 2003, Escovedo collapsed following a show in Phoenix, AZ, and he was subsequently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. An outpouring of support from musicians led to a series of successful benefit concerts to help pay Escovedo's medical expenses and keep his music before the public, followed by a tribute album, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which was released in 2004.
In June 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love.
Tired Skin
Alejandro Escovedo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrap up a newborn baby and keep her warm
Take this old and very tarnished ring, slip it on your finger
And make it shine
My feet hurt from walking around this room
My head hurts from thinking about you
Take this old and warn out violin and hold it in your arms
Foorsteps come and footsteps go
Some of them are new and some are old
Read a story from this weathered book
Weave a happy ending with your hair
In Alejandro Escovedo's song Tired Skin, the lyrics speak of transformation and rejuvenation, using imagery of old and tired things being made new again. The opening lines suggest the weariness of a life lived long and hard, with the singer offering their own old and tired skin to wrap up a newborn baby, a symbol of new life and possibility. They offer a tarnished ring, but encourage the listener to make it shine with their own inner light.
The second verse continues this theme of weariness and pain, as the singer's feet and head hurt from the effort of existing. But they offer a thread of hope by suggesting that music, specifically a worn out violin, has the power to make even the most exhausted soul sing again. The final verse encourages the listener to use the past as a source of strength and inspiration, with the old book representing a lifetime of experiences and stories that can be woven into something new and joyful.
Overall, Tired Skin is a contemplative and uplifting song about the cycles of life and the power of renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Take this old and very tired skin
Use this aging body to protect and nurture a new life
Wrap up a newborn baby and keep her warm
Provide comfort and safety for the infant
Take this old and very tarnished ring, slip it on your finger
Embrace the imperfections and scars of love, wear them proudly
And make it shine
Transform it with the light of your affection
My feet hurt from walking around this room
I am physically exhausted from pacing and pondering
My head hurts from thinking about you
The weight of obsessive thoughts has become unbearable
Take this old and warn out violin and hold it in your arms
"Rescue" the neglected instrument, find joy in its unique qualities
And make it sing
Bring out its potential, share its beauty with others
Footsteps come and footsteps go
People enter and leave our lives, leaving impressions behind
Some of them are new and some are old
Relationships can be fleeting or enduring, but all have value
Read a story from this weathered book
Learn from the wisdom and experiences of those who came before us
Weave a happy ending with your hair
Use your creativity and imagination to shape a positive future
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind