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.
Tennessee
Joe Ely Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might even call it off
But once you called me more than just your friend
Now there's more to what I'm thinkin'
Than the Mississippi Line
And Tennessee's not the state I'm in
You call me up at midnight
I should've seen your love was coming to an end
And as you call from longer distances
I began to have my doubts
Still, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
No, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
Satisfied is not the way I've been
I can feel my world turning
As I watch the bottle spin
Still, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
Well, I could stand out on that highway
Trying to make that Nashville scene
But I think I've stretched my luck a little thin
So I walk the streets of Memphis
But I'll have you understand
That Tennessee's not the state I'm in
No, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
And down-to-earth is not the place I've been
I can feel my world turning
As I watch the bottle spin
Still, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
No, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
The lyrics of Joe Ely’s “Tennessee” depict a sense of longing and disappointment for a love that once was. Ely uses the state of Tennessee as a metaphor for his emotional state, which is characterized by confusion and uncertainty. The song begins by acknowledging the sadness of the situation, as the lover who once called Ely more than just a friend is now distant and aloof. Although the emotions involved may be overwhelming, Ely clarifies that there is more to his situation than just the Mississippi Line and that he is not in Tennessee, but rather a more complicated state of mind.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the internal struggles that Ely is facing as he grapples with his emotions. He speaks of feeling dissatisfied with life and watching his world turn as he lets the bottle spin. Ely seems to be alluding to a sense of escapism, perhaps through alcohol or other means, in order to deal with his heartbreak.
In the final verse, Ely contemplates trying to make it as a musician in Nashville, but ultimately decides to wander the streets of Memphis instead. The last lines of the song are a reiteration of the chorus, emphasizing that Ely is still not in Tennessee, but rather in an emotional state that is difficult to define.
Overall, “Tennessee” is a song that captures the complexity of heartbreak and emotional turmoil. Ely’s use of lyrics and metaphor create a vivid portrait of a man grappling with his emotions and trying to navigate his way through the confusion and uncertainty of a lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
You might call it sad confusion
The situation is not going as planned and it leaves me sad and confused.
You might even call it off
Our relationship may have ended or come to a stop completely.
But once you called me more than just your friend
We were not only friends, but there were romantic feelings involved between us.
Now there's more to what I'm thinkin'
My thoughts and feelings toward you and our relationship have become more complex and intense.
Than the Mississippi Line
My thoughts are now shifting beyond my current location and social surroundings.
And Tennessee's not the state I'm in
Although we may have been in Tennessee together, it does not reflect where I stand in this present moment.
You call me up at midnight
You reach out to me in the middle of the night.
To explain your whereabouts
You feel the need to justify or give reason for your absence or actions.
I should've seen your love was coming to an end
I failed to recognize the signs that our love was fading away and coming to an end.
And as you call from longer distances
As you move further away from me, either physically or emotionally, you reach out to me.
I began to have my doubts
I start to question whether our love can withstand the distance and changes.
Still, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
Despite our shared history and memories in Tennessee, I am no longer emotionally there.
No, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
I repeat, Tennessee is not where I find myself mentally or emotionally anymore.
Satisfied is not the way I've been
I feel unsatisfied and unhappy with how things have turned out between us.
I can feel my world turning
I sense a change coming or a shift in my life.
As I watch the bottle spin
As I drink, I feel a sense of control slipping away from me.
Well, I could stand out on that highway
I could try to make something of myself on the Nashville music scene if I wanted to.
Trying to make that Nashville scene
I could attempt to be a successful musician in Nashville.
But I think I've stretched my luck a little thin
I have doubts about my abilities to make it in Nashville and feel like I have exhausted my chances.
So I walk the streets of Memphis
I am not in Nashville but instead have found myself in Memphis.
But I'll have you understand
I want you to comprehend or see where I am coming from.
That Tennessee's not the state I'm in
I repeat, my current emotional state does not align with Tennessee.
Down-to-earth is not the place I've been
I have not been grounded or level-headed in recent times.
No, Tennessee's not the state I'm in
One last time, I want to make it clear that I have moved on from Tennessee both physically and emotionally.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BUTCH HANCOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind