Justin Townes Earle, born January 4, 1982 in Nashville, TN, was an American alt-country singer-songwriter who walked the line between old-time country and modern acoustic Indie music by breathing new life into early country, blues and gospel forms.
His first release, Yuma, in 2007 was a stark and beautiful set of songs written while Earle was fresh out of rehab and is now re-released by Bloodshot Records, who have a further three albums on their catalogue.
The Good Life, Midnight At the Movies (Americana award nominee) and the latest Harlem River Blues show Earle's characteristic charm, wit and rhythm to the forefront.
2009 saw him touring with Old Crow Medicine Show, The Felice Brothers and Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings as a member of The Big Surprise tour and he has been touring solidly through 2010 making fans all along the way. In 2011, he received the Americana Music Award in the Song of the Year category for his "Harlem River Blues," from the album of the same name.
His fourth release "Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now", released in 2012 was met with critical acclaim, it was listed at #37 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2012, saying "The son of country-rock renegade Steve Earle has grown into a songwriter to rival his dad."
Earle died on August 20, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 38. His death was announced by his label on social media on August 23. The cause of death was not immediately announced, but Nashville police said they were investigating the death as a probable drug overdose. On December 1, 2020, Earle's family confirmed that he died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl-laced cocaine.
Ain't Waitin'
Justin Townes Earle Lyrics
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Fryin' chicken
Watchin' baby workin'
In the kitchen
I got in late last night
And now I move a little slower
I ain't waitin' on nothin'
I need a haircut
I could take a shave
I could stand to hear my baby call me
By my name now
Put on a country station
On that satellite radio
Yeah
I ain't waitin' on nothin'
I just love her so
Well now I've been working
I've been gone for a couple weeks
Now I got nothing but time
And the only thing that I'm worried about
Is keeping that woman right there in my reach
So I got a pocket full of money
Shopping I wanna do
I had my sights set on a pair of
White buck shoes
But another day
Ain't gonna hurt a thing
No, baby
I ain't waitin' on nobody
Nobody waitin' on me
No I ain't waitin' on nobody
No one waitin' on me, baby
The lyrics to Justin Townes Earle's song "Ain't Waitin'" depict a scene of domestic bliss and contentment. The singer is at home on a Sunday morning, watching his partner cook and take care of their home, while he reflects on his own lack of purpose or direction. The verses describe small domestic rituals like shaving, listening to country music on the radio, and thinking about buying new shoes. Throughout the song, there's a sense of gratitude for the simple pleasures of life, and a recognition that sometimes the most important thing is just being present with the people you love.
The chorus of the song reinforces this message of living in the moment, rather than waiting for something to happen. The singer insists that he isn't waiting for anyone or anything, and that he's perfectly happy right where he is. The repeated refrain of "I ain't waitin' on nobody, nobody waitin' on me" highlights the idea that life can be fulfilling without grand ambitions or constant striving.
Overall, "Ain't Waitin'" is a song about finding contentment in the present moment and recognizing the value of life's simple pleasures. It's a celebration of love, family, and the small joys that make up a rich and fulfilling existence.
Line by Line Meaning
It's Sunday mornin'
It's a Sunday morning.
Fryin' chicken
The person in the kitchen is frying chicken.
Watchin' baby workin'
The person is watching their significant other working in the kitchen.
In the kitchen
The person doing the cooking is in the kitchen.
I got in late last night
The person arrived home late the previous night.
And now I move a little slower
The person is moving a little slower due to being tired from arriving home late.
I ain't waitin' on nothin'
The person is not waiting for anything or anyone.
I just got nowhere to go
The person has nowhere they need to be.
I need a haircut
The person needs a haircut.
I could take a shave
The person could use a shave.
I could stand to hear my baby call me
The person would like to hear their significant other call them by their name.
By my name now
The person would like to be addressed by their name.
Put on a country station
The person wants to listen to a country music station on the radio.
On that satellite radio
The person has access to a satellite radio.
I just got love
The person is in love.
I ain't waitin' on nobody
The person is not waiting for anyone else.
Nobody waitin' on me
No one is waiting for the person.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Justin Townes Earle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lucio Avellaneda
Graciiiias por tantoo ♥
It's Sunday mornin'
Fryin' chicken
Watchin' baby workin'
In the kitchen
I got in late last night
And now I move a little slower
I ain't waitin' on nothin'
I just got nowhere to go
I need a haircut
I could take a shave
I could stand to hear my baby call me
By my name now
Put on a country station
On that satellite radio
Yeah
I ain't waitin' on nothin'
I just love her so
Well now I've been working
I've been gone for a couple weeks
Now I got nothing but time
And the only thing that I'm worried about
Is keeping that woman right there in my reach
So I got a pocket full of money
Shopping I wanna do
I had my sights set on a pair of
White buck shoes
But another day
Ain't gonna hurt a thing
No, baby
I ain't waitin' on nobody
Nobody waitin' on me
No I ain't waitin' on nobody
No one waitin' on me, baby
KST827
You will be dearly missed, Justin. Thank you for your music that helped people through the darkest days.
light & sound
It sure did.
Neil Brennan
I just love his unique strumming style
wayde hollis
Hammer Thumb. Bruce Cockburn is also amazing with that style.
BG Breslin
You see it in old bluegrass, Carter Family, etc. Shows he knew his stuff!!
Jose
I found him by accident but boy I'm so effin glad I did. He's a genius, every single song a masterpiece in it's own way!!
drsimmons74
I can't stop watching this. It's just so damn good. Truly one of the best there is at that busking style of performance. Just a man and guitar... Oh, and enormous amounts of talent.
Ryley Henry
His studio albums actually sell well on the country music market, however he prefers playing solo. Listen to his first album, Yuma. It's pretty much just him and his guitar and it's absolutely brilliant.
1.0.1/0.9 2.5
R.I.P Justin Townes Earle,just like his dad,he was a great songwriter and performer,so much energy in those performances
••• xD35P153x •••
He lived his life with no apologies for his addictions and in a sense that's as honest as you can be. It's just a shame the world will never get to enjoy new music from him ever again because he was a true roots musician in every sense of the word. He loved and respected the music that defined this country and every song is a story or a journey he takes you on. I only saw him live once but his presence was something to behold. Tall, gangly, and cocky as all get out but it was mesmerizing to see him hold the attention of the room. My heart and soul is filled with sadness for his widow Jenn and his little girl Etta James Earle. It seems sobriety was always something that would elude him and drugs although they brought us some of his best recordings and live performances also were his undoing. RIP JTE.