Lyle Lovett is an americana singer-songwriter and actor from Klein, Texas, … Read Full Bio ↴Lyle Lovett is an americana singer-songwriter and actor from Klein, Texas, who has been described as "the thinking man's cowboy". While typically associated with the alt-country genre, his albums typically incorporate folk, swing, blues, jazz and gospel music as well as more traditional country & western styles. The Night's Lullaby Songfacts reports that after twenty-six years with Curb, Lyle Lovett released his eleventh and last album for the record label, Release Me, on February 28, 2012. The record is mainly made up of covers that Lovett has played, but never got round to recording.

The four-time Grammy winner has acted in a number of films and been a guest-star on television. Lovett was married to actress Julia Roberts for a short time in the mid-1990s. In 2002, he was gored by a bull while working on his uncle's farm in Texas, but soon recovered and resumed touring.

Working Too Hard
Lyle Lovett Lyrics

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The whistle blows at the break of dawn
Still that evening, the work goes on
Sixteen hours of every day
And baby, if I could, you know I'd walk away

I've been working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love

Now a man, he does the things he'll do
A woman knows, still her hope stays true
Rise up early, rise up strong
I feel the pain baby, don't let on

I've been working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love

Home is empty, the road is long
It feels like years now that I've been gone
And all I want and all I choose
And baby, all I have, I have to lose

I've been working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love

I've been working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love

I've been working too hard to win your love

Working too hard to win your love
Working too hard to win your love

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Lyle Lovett's "Working Too Hard" speak to the daily grind of a working-class life. The whistle blows at dawn, signaling the start of another long day of labor. Despite the hours worked - often sixteen a day - the work never seems to end, as the line "still that evening, the work goes on" indicates. The song's narrator observes that he's been working too hard to win the love of his significant other. Despite that, he still endeavors to continue working hard to provide for them, dedicating himself to his job and doing the work that needs to be done. The significance of the chorus, which repeats the phrase "Working too hard to win your love" three times, suggests that working hard is something that the singer feels is necessary to earn and maintain the affections of his partner.

The second verse of the song, which introduces the idea of gender roles, suggests that the female half of the relationship is keenly aware of her partner's need to work hard, while also holding onto her hope for a better tomorrow. The singer rises early and strong, enduring the pain of the labor, even if he feels it, so his partner will not have to bear the burden of that worry. Despite the hardships, the singer suggests that he must continue working hard to prove his love to the other party.

The bridge of "Working Too Hard" provides a darker outlook on the situation, with the singer describing the emptiness of his life, the length of the journey he is traveling, and the sense of loss that goes with the single-minded pursuit of money and love. The singer's toil has left him with little to show for it - except, perhaps, his desire to keep trying. Ultimately, the song suggests, even though the costs are high and the rewards slim, the singer remains resolute. As he proclaims in the refrain, he's been "Working too hard to win your love."

Line by Line Meaning

The whistle blows at the break of dawn
Work begins early in the morning and continues throughout the day, with only a short break.

Still that evening, the work goes on
Despite working all day, there is still more work to do in the evening.

Sixteen hours of every day
Nearly every waking moment is spent working hard.

And baby, if I could, you know I'd walk away
Although he loves his partner, he would give up anything to escape the endless work and stress.

Now a man, he does the things he'll do
A man will always do what he thinks he needs to do, regardless of the cost or how hard it is.

A woman knows, still her hope stays true
Despite knowing how hard her partner works, she still holds hope that they will make it through.

Rise up early, rise up strong
Starting early and with determination is necessary to get through the long day of hard work.

I feel the pain baby, don't let on
Although he is in pain from working so hard, he doesn't want his partner to know just how much it hurts him.

Home is empty, the road is long
Despite all the work, he is still far away from the place he truly wants to be and his home feels empty without his partner.

It feels like years now that I've been gone
The endless work feels like it has interfered with his life for years and he longs for a break or to be reunited with his partner.

And all I want and all I choose
Despite wanting to be with his partner more than anything, he feels trapped by his work and responsibilities.

And baby, all I have, I have to lose
If he leaves his work to be with his partner, he risks losing everything he has worked so hard for.

I've been working too hard to win your love
The constant work and stress makes it difficult for him to give his partner the love and attention they deserve.

Working too hard to win your love
Repeating the same phrase emphasizes just how much the work consumes his life and affects his ability to love his partner well.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LYLE LOVETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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