Early life
Thornton was born in Arkansas to Billy Ray Thornton, a high school history teacher and basketball coach, and Virginia R. Faulkner, a psychic. Thornton has three younger brothers, Jimmy Don, born in 1958 and now deceased, Jim Bean, and John David, born in 1969. Thornton lived in both Alpine, Arkansas and Malvern, Arkansas during his childhood, and also spent time with his grandfather, Otis Thornton, a forest ranger, in a small shack in the woods. He attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he studied psychology but dropped out after two semesters. Thornton is the cousin of noted professional wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, which Terry Funk notes in his autobiography Terry Funk: More Than Hardcore.
In the late 1980s, Thornton settled in Los Angeles to pursue his career as an actor alongside future writing partner Tom Epperson. Thornton initially had a difficult time succeeding as an actor, and worked in telemarketing, off-shore wind farming and fast food management while auditioning for acting jobs. He also played drums and sang with South African rock legend Piet Botha's band Jack Hammer. While Thornton worked as a waiter for an industry event, he served film director Billy Wilder and struck up a conversation with Wilder, who advised Thornton to consider a career as a screenwriter.
Career
Thornton first came to semi-prominence as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire with John Ritter and Markie Post. His role as the villain in 1992's One False Move brought him to the attention of critics. He also had small roles in the early 1990s films Indecent Proposal, On Deadly Ground, Bound By Honor, Grey Knight, and Tombstone.
Thornton put Wilder's advice to good use, and went on to write, direct and star in the independent film Sling Blade, which was released in 1996. The film, an expansion of a short film titled Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade, told the story of Karl Childers, a mentally retarded man. Sling Blade garnered international acclaim. Thornton's screenplay earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, a Writers Guild of America Award, and an Edgar Award, while his performance received Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor. Thornton adapted the book All the Pretty Horses into a 2000 film with the same name, starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz. Also in 2000 he and Tom Epperson wrote The Gift which starred Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes and Giovanni Ribisi.
During the late 1990s, Thornton, who has had a life-long love for music, began a career as a singer-songwriter. He released a roots rock album entitled Private Radio in 2001, and two more albums, The Edge of the World (2003) and Hobo (2005). Thornton was the singer of a blues rock band named Tres Hombres. Guitarist Billy Gibbons referred to the band as "The best little cover band in Texas", and Thornton bears a tattoo with the band's name on it.[2] He also performed the Warren Zevon song The Wind on the tribute album Enjoy Every Sandwich: Songs of Warren Zevon. Thornton also recorded a cover of the Johnny Cash classic Ring of Fire for the Oxford American magazine's Southern Music CD in 2001. As of September 2006, Thornton is working on another album.[3]
Thornton's screen persona has been described by the press as that of a "tattooed, hirsute man's man".[1] He appeared in several major film roles following Sling Blade 's success, including 1998's Armageddon and A Simple Plan, 2001's Monster's Ball and 2004's The Alamo, in which he played Davy Crockett. He played a malicious mall Santa Claus in 2003's Bad Santa, a black comedy that performed well at the box office and established Thornton as a leading comic actor. Thornton has stated that following Bad Santa's success, audiences "like to watch [him] play that kind of guy"[1] and "they [casting directors] call me up when they need an asshole. It's kinda that simple... you know how narrow the imagination in this business can be".[4] His most recent role is in the comic film School for Scoundrels, which was released on September 29, 2006. In the film, he plays a self-help doctor; the role was written specifically for Thornton.[1] His upcoming roles include The Astronaut Farmer, a drama scheduled for a February 23, 2007 release; another comedy, Mr. Woodcock, in which Thornton will play a sadistic gym teacher; and the drama Peace Like A River, which is scheduled to begin filming in early 2007. Thornton has also expressed an interest in directing another film, possibly a period piece about cave explorer Floyd Collins,[5] based on the book Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins by Robert K. Murray and Roger Brucker.
Thornton received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 7, 2004.
Personal life
Thornton has stated on several occasions that he has obsessive-compulsive disorder; he and rock singer Warren Zevon became close friends after sharing their common experiences with the disorder.[6] He is known for various idiosyncratic behaviors, well-documented in interviews with the actor. Among these is a phobia of antique furniture, something shared by the Dwight Yoakam character in the Thornton-penned Sling Blade. That trait was also added to Thornton's character in the 2001 film Bandits. Additionally, he has stated that he has a fear of certain types of silverware,[7] a trait which was included for his character in 2001's Monster's Ball, in which his character requests a plastic spoon each time he consumes his daily bowl of chocolate ice cream.
Thornton lives in Los Angeles. He has been married five times, perhaps most notably to actress Angelina Jolie. The pair were known for their eccentric behavior, including reports that they wore vials of each others' blood around their necks; he later clarified this to be that the two of them wore small lockets that contained a drop of blood from each of them inside.[1][8] Thornton and Jolie adopted a child from Cambodia renamed Maddox. Jolie's divorce petition named the child as being both hers and Thornton's offspring and requested the Court grant her custody and Thornton reasonable parenting time.[9] He is the father of four other children: Amanda Spence with his first wife, Melissa Gatlin; William Langston and Harry James with his fourth wife, Pietra Cherniak; and Bella, with Connie Angland, who is Thornton's current girlfriend. Thornton has also stated that he will likely not marry again; he has specified that he believes that marriage "doesn't work" for him.[1]
On September 11, 2003, Thornton had received word that his ex-Hearts Afire star, John Ritter had passed away, while filming the last movie Bad Santa, which was dedicated to him. He along with Markie Post attended Ritter's funeral four days after his co-star's death.
Savior
Billy Bob Thornton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And your heart is full of fear
A saviour doesn't visit
Miracles don't appear
The minute hand ticks slower
And the hour hand don't move
When you can't dream the future
If you need an explosion
To clean out all the pain
Clouds just swell in silence
While you're waiting for the rain
The phone looks like a cobra
On the table by the bed
Even if your saviour called
Everything's been said
Your nerves grow through your swollen soul
Like racing evil vines
You read her goodbye letter
And try to see between the lines
Praying to be sleeping
When the house burns to the ground
But hoping on the other hand
That somehow you'll be found
People try to be a friend
And come by for a talk
But when they start the speech
The words just break in two like chalk
Waiting for the sweat
That pours out when the fever breaks
Wishing you could take back
Every one of your mistakes
Do you find a fix?
Do you give up on everything
And sit and take your licks?
Do the lonely and the broken ones
keep waiting for it all
Or do they just lay down
And accept the bitter fall?
But then some tiny magic
Starts to grow and warm your veins
That mystery of life
That somehow keeps you kind of sane
A daydream starts to grow
That hasn't been there in a while
The kids are in the back yard
And it makes you start to smile
The saviour rushes in
And grabs you hard and holds you strong
And not the one you wait for
The one that's been there all along
The daydream doesn't end
Instead your smile turns to a laugh
As the young ones teach you once again
To be the better half
So you suck the poison from your blood
And kick the bastard out
And walk out in the sunlight
Into what it's all about
You can't find a fix
You can't give up on anything
Especially when you're sick
If you're a lonely or a broken one
Keep giving it your all
So when you finally lay down
You'll know you didn't fall
The lyrics to Billy Bob Thornton's song "Savior" explore the struggles and trials of life, and the journey one takes to find hope and renewal. We begin with a sense of desperation and hopelessness, as the singer grapples with fear and pain. He longs for a savior to visit him, and hopes for miracles, but ultimately realizes that he must confront his challenges on his own.
We then see the singer grappling with a sense of time standing still, as he is unable to dream of the future and feels he has something to prove. He longs for an explosion to cleanse his pain, yet finds that silence and waiting are his only options. The cobra-like phone on his table represents the uncertainty and fear that he faces daily.
As the singer tries to come to terms with his struggles, he grapples with feelings of loneliness and despair. He wishes to take back his mistakes, but finds that he must face his challenges head on. Ultimately, he learns that hope and renewal can come from the most unexpected sources, as he finds joy in the simple pleasures of life and is reminded of the power of love and laughter.
Overall, "Savior" is a powerful exploration of the human experience, and the struggles we all must face at some point in our lives. It speaks to the power of resilience, perseverance, and the small moments of joy that can help us find our way through even the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
When your blood is boiling
When you're feeling angry or agitated
And your heart is full of fear
When you're feeling scared or anxious
A saviour doesn't visit
You can't always rely on someone else to save you
Miracles don't appear
You can't always hope for a miraculous solution to your problems
The minute hand ticks slower
Time seems to drag on when you're struggling
And the hour hand don't move
You feel stuck and uncertain about what to do
When you can't dream the future
When you have trouble envisioning a positive outcome
And you have something to prove
When you feel the need to demonstrate your worth or abilities
If you need an explosion
If you want a big, dramatic change to occur
To clean out all the pain
To get rid of all the emotional baggage you're carrying
Clouds just swell in silence
The world seems to be quiet and unresponsive to your struggles
While you're waiting for the rain
While you're hoping for something to change or for help to arrive
The phone looks like a cobra
The phone seems intimidating or scary to you
On the table by the bed
Sitting where you can see it while you're lying down
Even if your saviour called
Even if the person you hope will save you reaches out to you
Everything's been said
You feel like there's nothing left to talk about or that they can do for you
Your nerves grow through your swollen soul
You feel overwhelmed and in pain emotionally
Like racing evil vines
Your negative thoughts and emotions seem to take over and spread quickly
You read her goodbye letter
You've received a letter or message from someone who's leaving or breaking up with you
And try to see between the lines
You're trying to figure out what the other person really meant or what went wrong
Praying to be sleeping
You wish you could just shut out the world and rest
When the house burns to the ground
When everything seems to be falling apart
But hoping on the other hand
Still, you're holding onto hope that things will get better
That somehow you'll be found
That somehow you'll be able to find a way out or someone will help you
People try to be a friend
People reach out to you to offer support and companionship
And come by for a talk
They want to spend time with you and hear how you're doing
But when they start the speech
But when they try to say something helpful
The words just break in two like chalk
Their words aren't enough to make you feel better or solve your problems
Waiting for the sweat
Waiting for a physical sign that you're getting better
That pours out when the fever breaks
A sign that your fever and illness are subsiding
Wishing you could take back
Regretting past mistakes
Every one of your mistakes
Feeling like everything that's gone wrong is your fault
Do you find a fix?
Wondering if there's a solution to your problems
Do you give up on everything
Feeling like there's no point in trying anymore
And sit and take your licks?
Accepting whatever hardships or punishment come your way
Do the lonely and the broken ones
Wondering about other people who are struggling
keep waiting for it all
Wondering if things will ever get better
Or do they just lay down
Giving up and accepting defeat
And accept the bitter fall?
Accepting whatever hardships or pain come their way
But then some tiny magic
But then something small and wondrous happens
Starts to grow and warm your veins
You start to feel hope and joy again
That mystery of life
The inexplicable beauty and wonder of existence
That somehow keeps you kind of sane
That helps you keep your head above water and stay grounded
A daydream starts to grow
You start to imagine a better future
That hasn't been there in a while
It's been a long time since you've felt this way
The kids are in the back yard
You enjoy spending time with your loved ones
And it makes you start to smile
It brings you joy and happiness
The saviour rushes in
You finally feel like someone or something is helping you
And grabs you hard and holds you strong
You feel supported and comforted
And not the one you wait for
It's not the person you were hoping would help you
The one that's been there all along
It's someone or something that's been with you all along, but you didn't realize it
The daydream doesn't end
Your hope and optimism don't fade away
Instead your smile turns to a laugh
You feel truly happy and joyful
As the young ones teach you once again
Your loved ones and the younger generation inspire and teach you
To be the better half
To be a better, kinder, and more compassionate person
So you suck the poison from your blood
You let go of your negative thoughts and emotions
And kick the bastard out
You get rid of whatever's been holding you back
And walk out in the sunlight
You face the world and feel free
Into what it's all about
You embrace the beauty and wonder of life
You can't find a fix
You can't always solve your problems
You can't give up on anything
You have to keep trying and fighting
Especially when you're sick
Especially when things feel difficult or overwhelming
If you're a lonely or a broken one
If you're struggling and feeling alone
Keep giving it your all
Keep trying and putting in effort
So when you finally lay down
So that when you reach the end of your life
You'll know you didn't fall
You'll know you did your best and fought until the end
Contributed by Bella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.