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.
Tula
Alejandro Escovedo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A man eating a grizzly bear
The first thing I wrote,
I fought fires for seven years
It's the god honest truth
It's the god honest truth
It's the god honest truth
It's a terrible thing
There's more to this love
This big bad love
There's more to this love
Than the color red
Tula, Tula
Tula, Tula
There's more to this life
This wild and crazy life
There's more to this life
Than a random kiss
There's more to this story
There's more to this story
There's more to this story
Than a beginning or end
Tula, Tula
Tula, Tula
The lyrics to Alejandro Escovedo's song Tula are intriguing, with an evident element of honesty and self-reflection. The opening lines are interesting as they describe the artist's initial attempt at writing, which was a somewhat unusual subject, a man eating a grizzly bear. However, the following lines take a more personal and revealing turn as it is revealed that the artist worked as a firefighter for seven years, providing a slight insight into his past.
The repetition of the phrase "It's the god honest truth" emphasizes the sincerity of his storytelling, with the final line, "It's a terrible thing," leaving the listener somewhat unsettled as it is unclear what he is referring to. The following verses continue in a similarly reflective tone, with the artist contemplating the true nature of love and life. He suggests that there is more to love and life than simply the physical aspects we see, reiterating this point through the repetition of phrases like "There's more to this love" and "There's more to this life."
The final lines, "There's more to this story than a beginning or end," suggest that the artist believes there is a deeper meaning to life and that we should not just focus on the surface-level events of the story but instead look at the full picture.
Line by Line Meaning
The first thing I wrote,
When I first began to express myself, I created an image of a man eating a grizzly bear.
A man eating a grizzly bear
I used this shocking image to represent the raw power and wildness of existence.
The first thing I wrote,
At that time, I was also working as a firefighter for several years.
I fought fires for seven years
This job was difficult and dangerous, but it taught me about the importance of courage and perseverance.
It's the god honest truth
These experiences are not embellished or exaggerated - they are simply what happened.
It's the god honest truth
I believe in honesty and authenticity, even when it is not easy or pleasant.
It's the god honest truth
I am not trying to deceive anyone or present a false image of myself.
It's a terrible thing
However, the truth can also be painful and difficult to accept.
There's more to this love
My perspective on love is not limited to romantic cliches or superficial displays of affection.
This big bad love
Instead, I believe that love is a powerful, complex force in human life that inspires both joy and pain.
There's more to this love
It cannot be easily summed up in a single image or emotion.
Than the color red
Love is not simply about physical attraction or sentimental sweetness.
Tula, Tula
This refrain is a kind of mantra or expression of longing, representing a desire for something elusive or unknown.
There's more to this life
My understanding of life is similarly complex and multifaceted.
This wild and crazy life
Life is both beautiful and chaotic, filled with moments of transcendence and moments of suffering.
There's more to this life
It is not reducible to a single formula or explanation.
Than a random kiss
There is more to experience and appreciate in life than just shallow pleasures or momentary thrills.
There's more to this story
Finally, my understanding of existence is not limited to the conventional narrative of life progressing from birth to death.
There's more to this story
Rather, I see life as an ongoing process without clear boundaries between beginning and end.
There's more to this story
There is always more to discover, more to learn, and more to create in this mysterious and beautiful world.
Tula, Tula
This refrain represents a continued desire to explore and experience the unknown in life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO, NICHOLAS TREMULIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind