Shaver was raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver, his father Virgil having left the family before Shaver was born. Until he was 12, he spent a great deal of time with his grandmother in Corsicana so that his mother could work in Waco. He sometimes accompanied his mother to her job at a local nightclub, where he began to be exposed to country music.
Shaver's mother remarried about the time that his grandmother died, so he and his older sister Patricia moved in with their mother and new stepfather. Shaver left school after the eighth grade to help his uncles pick cotton, but occasionally returned to school to play sports.
Shaver joined the U.S. Navy on his seventeenth birthday. Upon his discharge, he worked a series of dead-end jobs, including trying to be a rodeo cowboy. About this time, he met and married Brenda Joyce Tindell. They had one son, John Edwin, known as Eddy, who was born in 1962. The two divorced and remarried several times.
Shaver took a job at a lumber mill to make ends meet. One day his right hand (his dominant hand) became caught in the machinery, and he lost the better part of two fingers and contracted a serious infection. He eventually recovered, and taught himself to play the guitar without those missing fingers.
Shaver lost two fingers in a sawmill accident when he was young.
Shaver set out to hitchhike to Los Angeles, California. He could not get a ride west, so he went to the other side of the highway and headed east, accompanying a man who dropped him off just outside Memphis, Tennessee. The next ride brought him to Nashville, where he found a job as a songwriter for $50 per week.[2] His work came to the attention of Waylon Jennings, who filled most of his album Honky Tonk Heroes with Shaver's songs. Other artists, including Elvis Presley and Kris Kristofferson, began to record Shaver's music. This led to his own record deal.
The first few recording companies he signed with soon folded. He was never able to gain widespread recognition as a singer, although he never stopped recording his own music. On his records, he has been accompanied by other major rock and country music musicians like Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith, Chuck Leavell and Dickey Betts (of the Allman Brothers), Charlie Daniels, Flaco Jiménez, and Al Kooper.
After losing his wife, Brenda, and his mother to cancer in 1999, Shaver lost his son and longtime guitarist Eddy, who died at age 38 of a heroin overdose on December 31, 2000. Folk country artist Todd Snider wrote and dedicated his song Waco Moon to Eddy. Shaver nearly died himself the following year when he had a heart attack on stage during an Independence Day show at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas. After successful heart surgery, Shaver came back to release Freedom's Child in 2002.
In 1999, Shaver performed at the Grand Ole Opry. In November 2005, he performed on the CMT Outlaws 2005. In 2006, Shaver was inducted in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. He later served as spiritual advisor to Texas independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman. For his efforts, the Americana Music Convention awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting. He currently lives in Waco, Texas.
Bob Dylan mentioned Shaver in his song "I Feel a Change Comin' On" (Bob Dylan and Robert Hunter) on the album, Together Through Life (2009) - "I'm listening to Billy Joe Shaver, And I'm reading James Joyce". Shaver is also the "hero" of the song, "Wish I Could Write Like Billy Joe" on the album "Stormy Love" by Bugs Henderson.
Shaver sang the themes to the Adult Swim Television show, Squidbillies. The opening themes, collectively called "Warrior Man", are only a stanza long and end with a sotto voce spoken word portion.
Shaver's debut album, Old Five and Dimers Like Me (1973), contained many songs noted for being performed by other artists such as David Allan Coe and Waylon Jennings. When I Get My Wings (1976) included "Aint No God In Mexico" (also a hit for Waylon Jennings). Gypsy Boy (1977) included "Honky Tonk Heroes" and "You Asked Me To".
Shaver is also remembered for his hit "Live Forever", co-written by his son Eddy, Robert Duvall performs it in the movie Crazy Heart and it is included in the soundtrack. The song was also performed by The Highwaymen and Joe Ely. Shaver also wrote numerous songs for artists such as Patty Loveless and Willie Nelson.
Shaver continued to release records throughout the 1980s and 1990s; the most notable was the critically acclaimed Tramp On Your Street, released in 1993, which prominently featured the guitar playing of Eddy Shaver.
Shaver's 2007 album country gospel style Everybody's Brother was Grammy-nominated. Many of the songs are duets with artists such as Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Tanya Tucker. Musicians playing on the album included Randy Scruggs, Laura Cash and Marty Stuart.
On May 22, 2014, Rolling Stone premiered the single-duet with Willie Nelson "Hard To Be An Outlaw". The album, Long In The Tooth was released on August 5, 2014 by Lightning Rod Records. After a 41-year career, Long in the Tooth became Billy Joe Shaver's first album to chart in Billboard's Top Country Albums, entering the chart at 19. The album also entered the Billboard 200, peaking at 157.
Comedian Norm Macdonald, an avid Shaver fan, occasionally praised his songwriting on his podcast Norm Macdonald Live. In 2018, Shaver appeared as a guest on Macdonald's Netflix program Norm Macdonald Has a Show.
Old Chunk of Coal
Billy Joe Shaver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm gonna be a diamond some day
I'm gonna grow and glow till I'm so blue pure perfect
I'm gonna put a smile on everybody's face
I'm gonna kneel and pray every day
Lest I should become vain along the way
I'm just an old chunk of coal now Lord
But I'm gonna be a diamond some day
I'm gonna learn the best way to walk
Gonna search and find a better way to talk
I'm gonna spit and polish my old rough edged self
Till I get rid of every single flaw
I'm gonna be the world's best friend
Gonna go round shaking everybody's hand
I'm gonna be the cotton pickin' rage of the age
I'm gonna be a diamond some day
I'm just an old chunk of coal
But I'm gonna be a diamond some day
The song "Old Chunk of Coal" by Billy Joe Shaver is one that speaks of hope, perseverance, and the potential for greatness in everyone, regardless of their current state or circumstances. The lyrics describe the singer as an "old chunk of coal," which could be interpreted as someone who is rough around the edges, imperfect, or undervalued. However, the singer is optimistic about their future and their ability to transform into a diamond, a symbol of beauty and worth.
The singer outlines the steps they plan to take to achieve this transformation, including personal growth, humility, and a commitment to making others happy. They acknowledge that the journey may not be easy, and that they must avoid becoming too proud or complacent. Despite these challenges, the singer remains confident and determined that they will achieve their goal of becoming a diamond.
Overall, the song is a message of hope and encouragement for anyone who feels like they are not living up to their potential. It reminds us of the power of hard work, self-improvement, and a positive attitude in achieving great things.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey I'm just an old chunk of coal
Although I may appear insignificant and unremarkable at the moment, I am humble and recognize that great things can come from unlikely places.
But I'm gonna be a diamond some day
I have aspirations and the determination to better myself and rise above my current circumstances, despite the odds.
I'm gonna grow and glow till I'm so blue pure perfect
I will continue to evolve and improve until I reach a state of perfection and radiance.
I'm gonna put a smile on everybody's face
My goal is to bring happiness and positivity to those around me, and perhaps inspire them to do the same.
I'm gonna kneel and pray every day
I will remain grounded and spiritually connected, seeking guidance and gratitude on a daily basis.
Lest I should become vain along the way
I want to avoid the temptation of arrogance and self-importance, and instead stay humble and true to myself.
I'm gonna learn the best way to walk
I'll strive to gain wisdom and knowledge about the best path forward in life, and commit to walking that path.
Gonna search and find a better way to talk
I'll work to improve my communication skills and find the most effective way to express myself and connect with others.
I'm gonna spit and polish my old rough edged self
I'll focus on refining and polishing my character flaws and shortcomings, in order to become the best version of myself.
Till I get rid of every single flaw
I'll persevere until I've eliminated each and every imperfection in myself, both for personal growth and to be an example to others.
I'm gonna be the world's best friend
I aspire to be a loyal and reliable companion to those in my life, and hope to positively impact as many people as possible.
Gonna go round shaking everybody's hand
I'll be friendly and welcoming to all, treating each person with respect and kindness, regardless of differences or disagreements.
I'm gonna be the cotton pickin' rage of the age
I aim to achieve great things and be a trailblazer, leaving my mark on the world and inspiring others to do the same.
I'm just an old chunk of coal now Lord
Despite my humble roots and current limitations or setbacks, I trust in a higher power and have faith in my ability to grow and succeed.
But I'm gonna be a diamond some day
I have a strong sense of hope and optimism, convinced of my future ability to achieve greatness and reach my full potential.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Joe Shaver
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@falloutfreeman627
RIP Norm. Heartbroken. Hope there are lots of pies on windowsills up there.
@joemcnamara9504
This brought tears of laughter! 👏👏👏
@johnnypottseed
He is definitely a diamond now. 💎 ❤
@noahharju
We will all be diamonds some day
@codydavidyates72
Wait, what!? Is that where they leave pies? Ahhh heaven .
Hope they got women up there.
Cos they make all the cookies n pies
@davidcurtis7547
Billy Joe Shaver and Norm . Both diamonds in my book
@joshuabrown8768
RIP Norm. Didn't even know you were sick.
@aprilrawls5162
That's because he never told anyone.
@videolad3057
@April Rawls It's a joke.
@djentile7773
The great Norm macdonald brought me here.