Shortly after high school, in 1970, with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed The Flatlanders. According to Ely, "Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it. And Butch was from the folk world. I was kinda the rock & roll guy, and we almost had a triad. We hit it off and started playing a lot together. That opened up a whole new world I had never known existed." In 1972, the band released their first and— until 2002's Now Again— only album, but have appeared together on each other's albums. Since the band's initial break-up just after their album was cut, the three musicians have followed individual paths.
Ely's own first album, self titled, was released in 1977. The following year, his band played London where he met punk rock group The Clash. Impressed with each other's performances, the two bands would later tour together, including appearances in Ely's hometown of Lubbock, as well as Laredo and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Since then, a steady stream of albums have followed, most on the MCA label. Ely's live performances have become legendary, and he has released a live album roughly every ten years (the last was Live at Antone's in 2000). He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, David Grissom, and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.
In the late 1990s, Ely was asked to write songs for Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer, which led to reforming The Flatlanders with Gilmore and Hancock for an appearance on the movie soundtrack. A new album from the trio followed in 2002, with a third in 2004.
In February 2007, Ely released "Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch" on his own label, Rack 'Em Records. A book of Ely's writings was published in early 2007 by the University of Texas Press. Ely also released a second album of old lyrics that he has finally recorded.
Several other reissues of Ely's previous work were due out later in 2007 on Rack 'Em.
I Saw It In You
Joe Ely Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the sun blasted in, I saw it in you
I been a rollin' and a ramblin' all over creation
Rollin' down the highway lookin' for the truth
I saw it in you
I saw it in you
I'll see you next summer when the peach trees are ripe
I'll follow my dreams where ever they take me
Now I'm headed home, I saw the light
I saw it in you
I saw it in you
I saw it all in you
The sun, the wind
The trees that bend
I saw it in you
I saw it in you
I saw it in you
Sometimes, I listen to the fool inside me
Sometimes, I follow the song in my heart
Sometimes, I swear there's an angel beside me
Guiding my footsteps on through the dark
I saw it in you
I saw it in you
The lyrics of Joe Ely's "I Saw It In You" can be interpreted in various ways. A possible interpretation of the blues-rock song is that the singer has been travelling and searching for purpose and direction. He finds clarity and comfort in a motel room in Texas, looking out at the natural world through the window. The line "When the sun blasted in, I saw it in you" suggests that the singer experiences an epiphany or revelation as he sees the connection between himself and the universe. The imagery of the sun, wind, and trees that bend suggests a sense of interconnectedness and harmony with nature.
In the second verse, the singer mentions his "sidekick" and a destination, LLano, which could be interpreted as a reference to the Llano Estacado, a region in West Texas known for its vastness and emptiness. The singer then speaks of following his dreams wherever they take him, which may suggest a desire for freedom and the willingness to take risks. The line "Now I'm headed home, I saw the light" could indicate that the singer has found a sense of purpose and is returning to a place of familiarity and comfort.
The final verse speaks of the singer's willingness to listen to his intuition and follow his heart, even if it means going against common sense or reason. The reference to an angel guiding his footsteps suggests a spiritual element to the song, further emphasizing the idea of interconnectedness and the importance of trust and faith.
Overall, "I Saw It In You" can be interpreted as a song about finding purpose and meaning in life through the connection with nature and the universe, as well as the importance of following one's intuition and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened the blinds in a Texas Motel room
I revealed the physical space where I was staying for the moment
When the sun blasted in, I saw it in you
As the bright light shone in, I saw the beauty in you
I been a rollin' and a ramblin' all over creation
I've been traveling all over the place and trying to find my purpose in life
Rollin' down the highway lookin' for the truth
Driving on the road and searching for the answer to life's questions
I saw it in you
I saw in you what I was searching for on the road
I woke up my sidekick, it's a long way to LLano
I woke up my friend, as it was a long distance to reach the town of LLano
I'll see you next summer when the peach trees are ripe
I promised to meet my friend again in the summer when the peach trees are in full bloom
I'll follow my dreams where ever they take me
I will pursue my aspirations and follow wherever they lead me
Now I'm headed home, I saw the light
I've decided to go back home, where I finally found my guidance or the right path of my journey
I saw it all in you
I saw everything that I was looking for in you
The sun, the wind
I saw the natural beauty and power of the sun and the wind in you
The trees that bend
I saw the strength and flexibility of the trees in you
Sometimes, I listen to the fool inside me
At times, I heed the advice of my inner foolishness or impulsiveness
Sometimes, I follow the song in my heart
Other times, I pursue the guidance of my inner music or passion
Sometimes, I swear there's an angel beside me
There are moments when I believe there's a divine being beside or helping me
Guiding my footsteps on through the dark
Directing my path or steps whenever I'm lost or confused
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOE ELY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind