Sexton's mother was 16 years old when she gave birth to him in San Antonio, Texas. When he was four, he and his mother moved to Austin, where clubs like the Armadillo World Headquarters, the Soap Creek Saloon, and more notably the Split Rail and Antone's Blues Club exposed him to popular music.
After a brief period living outside of Austin with his mother, Sexton moved back to Austin at the age of 12. With the help of Joe Ely and other local musicians such as Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sexton developed his talents as a musician.
Sexton was soon regarded as a musical prodigy, and he toured with a variety of musical acts during his early teens before releasing his debut album, Pictures For Pleasure, in 1985. Recorded when he was 16 years old, it yielded the Top 20 hit single, "Beat's So Lonely."
While still in his late teens, Sexton's skills as a guitar player were in great demand, and he became a popular session player, recording with artists like Ron Wood, Keith Richards, Don Henley, and Bob Dylan. He eventually followed up his debut with the self-titled Charlie Sexton, recorded at the age of twenty.
Sexton later contributed songs to various motion picture soundtracks, including True Romance and Air America while making a cameo fronting a bar band in Thelma & Louise. It was around this time, between 1992 and 1994, that Sexton was a member of Austin's Arc Angels. A blues rock band featuring Texas musicians Doyle Bramhall II, Tommy Shannon and Chris "Whipper" Layton, the group recorded one self-titled album, released in 1992 on Geffen Records, before they disbanded.
Sexton soon formed a new group, the Charlie Sexton Sextet, and released Under The Wishing Tree in 1995 on MCA Records. Though sales were considered disappointing, it was met with critical acclaim.
In the meantime, Sexton continued to perform with other artists, appearing on such notable albums as Lucinda Williams's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and Shawn Colvin's Grammy-winning album A Few Small Repairs.
In 1999, Sexton was hired by Bob Dylan to replace Bucky Baxter. Sexton had previously played with Dylan during a pair of Austin, Texas concerts in 1996, and on some demos recorded in the fall of 1983.
Sexton's residency with Dylan brought him great exposure, with many critics singling out the interplay between him and Larry Campbell, who was also a guitarist in Dylan's backing band. Hailed as one of Dylan's best bands, the group recorded a number of studio recordings, including Things Have Changed (from the 1999 film the Wonder Boys) and 2001's critically acclaimed album, Love and Theft. He also performed and appeared with them in 2003's Masked & Anonymous.
In the meantime, Sexton continued working with other artists, producing Double Trouble's Been a Long Time and Lucinda Williams's Essence, both released in 2001. Since leaving Dylan's band, Sexton has produced numerous other works, including Edie Brickell's Volcano (2003), Jon Dee Graham's Great Battle (2004), Shannon McNally's Geronimo (2005), and Los Super Seven's Heard It on the X (2005). In late 2005, Sexton released his latest album, Cruel and Gentle Things.
Once in a While
Charlie Sexton Lyrics
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With a haunted heart he delivers
A novel's worth of sad memories
Accompanied by his cold, blue steel strings
He says once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while
Blue boy can't get no breaks
His heart is tangled up like a snake
Blue boy sings to be free
If only in his dreams
He says once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while
I forget about you
He's holding on so desperately
To loves that used to be
It's hard to hide too easy to see
He looks a lot, he looks a lot like me
He says once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while
I forget about you
The lyrics of Charlie Sexton's song "Once In A While" are about a blue boy with a haunted heart. He sings with a quivering voice, accompanied by the cold steel strings of his guitar. The blue boy sings about the memories of a lost love that still haunt him, every once in a while. His heart is tangled up like a snake and he laments that he can't catch a break. He sings to be free, if only in his dreams.
As the song progresses, it becomes obvious that the blue boy is a representation of the singer himself. He too is holding on so desperately to the ghosts of his past, trying to find freedom through his music. It's hard for him to hide how much he still misses the one he's lost, and the pain is too easy to see in his eyes. He looks a lot like the blue boy he sings about.
The lyrics of "Once In A While" convey a sense of longing, sorrow, and heartbreak that resonate with anyone who has ever lost someone they loved. The song is a testament to the power of music and its ability to express emotions that words alone cannot. It's a hauntingly beautiful song that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue boy with a voice that quivers
Charlie Sexton describes a sorrowful figure with a shaky voice
With a haunted heart he delivers
The voice of the 'blue boy' is filled with memories of heartache
A novel's worth of sad memories
This person's troubled past could fill a book with depressing stories
Accompanied by his cold, blue steel strings
The blue boy's melancholy singing is set against the cold sound of an acoustic guitar
He says once in a while
Every so often,
Once in a while
From time to time,
Once in a while
Occasionally,
I forget about you
He can momentarily set aside thoughts of a lost love
Blue boy can't get no breaks
This fellow seems to have bad luck at every turn
His heart is tangled up like a snake
His emotions are as intertwined and difficult to navigate as a serpent's coils
Blue boy sings to be free
Writing and singing songs is this person's way of escaping from problems temporarily
If only in his dreams
But even fantasies of a better life are temporary, fleeting moments
He's holding on so desperately
This person is clinging to feelings of love and passion long after the relationship has ended
To loves that used to be
They're trying to recapture the magic of past romance
It's hard to hide too easy to see
But their emotions are too strong to conceal or ignore
He looks a lot, he looks a lot like me
Sexton himself has a lot in common with the sad figure he's describing
He says once in a while
Occasionally,
Once in a while
From time to time,
Once in a while
Every so often,
I forget about you
Sexton can also relate to the pain of losing someone he loves, but he can momentarily put it out of his mind
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.