Crowell was born in Houston, Texas to James Walter Crowell and Addie Cauzette Willoughby. A contemporary of Steve Earle and, like Earle, influenced by the (songwriting) greats Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, Crowell played guitar and sang for three years in Emmylou Harris' "Hot Band".
He was married to Rosanne Cash (daughter of famous singer/guitarist Johnny Cash) from 1979 to 1992 and had a great influence on her career, producing most of her albums during that period. They collaborated on a number of duets, including 1988's "It's Such a Small World." Though Crowell and Cash are now divorced, they remain on friendly terms, performing together occasionally. Six years after the breakdown of his marriage to Rosanne he married Claudia Church.
Although best known as a songwriter and alternative country artist, Crowell enjoyed mainstream popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His critically acclaimed album, 1988's Diamonds and Dirt, produced five No. 1 hits during a 17-month span in 1988 and 1989: "It's Such a Small World" (a duet with Cash), "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried," "She's Crazy for Leaving," "After All This Time" and "Above and Beyond." His follow-up album, 1989's "Keys to the Highway," produced two top 5 hits in 1990, which were "Many a Long and Lonesome Highway" and "If Looks Could Kill."
As Crowell's popularity in mainstream country faded, he continued his prolific songwriting. In 2001 he released The Houston Kid on Sugar Hill Records. Many songs on the album were semi-autobiographical, and the album included a duet with Crowell's ex father-in-law Johnny Cash on "I Walk the Line (Revisited)". Initially, Cash was annoyed at Crowell changing the tune to his song, but he came to like the finished product. Crowell followed up this effort with Fate's Right Hand in 2003 and The Outsider in 2005. Crowell considers these three albums his finest work as a solo artist.
2004 saw the release of The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a reunion of The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a group that existed briefly in the 1970s with Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, Tony Brown, and others. The future Keith Urban hit "Making Memories of Us" was included on this disc.
In 2005, Crowell served as producer for established Irish singer/songwriter Kieran Goss on the album Blue Sky Sunrise.
Time To Go Inward
Rodney Crowell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time to make the most of the time that I've got left
Prison bars imagined are no less solid steel
Time to go inward would you believe that I'm afraid
To stare down the barrel of the choices that I've have made
The ghost of bad decisions
Make mountains out of everything I feel
Outside my window the wind weaves a path through the trees
The moon takes a shine to the shadows that fall on the leaves
It's time to go inward, hmm
I don't know if I can do it after all that I've become
I've been a fool for money
But it's vanity that always leaves me flat
It's time to go inward, man I hope I have the nerve
To take an inventory of the causes that I serve
They say a man without a conscience
Is like a man without a country or somethin' like that
It's time to go inward, time to be still
If I don't do it now I don't believe I ever will
My mind is like a chatterbox
Whose noise pollutes the pathways to my soul
Time to go inward, time to get a grip
Time to put an end to one long bad acid trip
I'm all out of excuses now
For the way I've let my choices take a toll
Jesus and Buddha and Krishna and Minnie Pearl knew
To do unto others the things you want done unto you
It's time to go inward and take a look at me
Try to make some sense of life's illusions that I see
And try to solve the riddle
Of what it is I have to offer to this world
The lyrics of Rodney Crowell's song, "Time to Go Inward," offer listeners a reflective and introspective look at oneself in relation to the choices made in life. The song expresses the need and fear for self-examination and acknowledgment of one's mistakes that have created impenetrable imaginary prison bars. The opening lines of the song are an invitation to the singer to introspect his life, to take time to ponder what could have gone better, to give attention to his state of being, and to make the most of what time is left. He acknowledges that confronting and owning up to past mistakes doesn't come easy; it is a daunting task that requires courage and mental strength.
Further, the lyrics imply the consequences of the choices made in life, good or bad, and how they define an individual's purpose and mission in the world. The singer ponders the noise that distracts his mind, the pollution of his soul, and the toll his past choices have on his life. The lyrics also suggest the spiritual teachings and learnings from others, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Minnie Pearl, reminding people of the Golden Rule. The song emphasizes the need for self-analysis to make better future choices and offers a chance to reconcile our inner self with the world around us.
Facts about the song:
1) Rodney Crowell wrote and produced the song.
2) The song was released in 2001 and is part of his album titled "The Houston Kid."
3) Crowell wrote the album after moving back to Houston, where he grew up, and is inspired by his childhood experiences and memories.
4) The album features stories of his personal struggles, family stories, and the struggles of the people from his hometown.
5) The album ranked on many "Best Album of the Year" lists, including that of Time Magazine and Rolling Stone Magazine.
6) Emmylou Harris and Crowell co-wrote a duet named "Chase the Feeling" from the same album.
7) The song was performed in concert by Crowell and Rosanne Cash in 2015, 2018 and 2020.
8) The song was covered by other artists such as Lee Ann Womack and Vince Gill.
9) The song has strong lyrical content centered around self-evaluation and a reflective attitude.
10) The chords for the song include G, C, D, A and Bm, with a focus on acoustic guitar and other string instruments.
Chords:
Verse 1:
G C G C
It's time to go inward, take a look at myself
G C G C
Time to make the most...of the time that I've got left
G C
Prison bars imagined are no less solid steel
G D G
Time to go inward would you believe that I'm afraid
Chorus:
C G
I'm gonna take it one day at a time
D G C
I'm gonna take it one step at a time
G C
I'm gonna take it one breath at a time
G D G
I'm gonna take it one line at a time
Verse 2:
G C
Outside my window the wind weaves a path through the trees
G C
The moon takes a shine to the shadows that fall on the leaves
G C
It's time to go inward, hmm
G C
I don't know if I can do it after all that I've become
(Repeat Chorus)
Bridge:
G C G
Jesus and Buddha and Krishna, and Minnie Pearl knew
G C G
To do unto others the things you want done unto you
G C G
It's time to go inward and take a look at me
G D G
Try to make some sense of life's illusions that I see
(Repeat Chorus)
Line by Line Meaning
It's time to go inward, take a look at myself
It's time for introspection to reflect on who I am.
Time to make the most of the time that I've got left
I want to fulfill my potential and seize every opportunity that comes my way.
Prison bars imagined are no less solid steel
Even though my obstacles may exist only in my mind, they are still just as real and impactful as physical barriers.
Time to go inward would you believe that I'm afraid
I'm apprehensive about the thought of self-evaluation.
To stare down the barrel of the choices that I've made
To acknowledge and confront the decisions that I've made in life and their consequences.
The ghost of bad decisions
The haunting memories of my past mistakes.
Make mountains out of everything I feel
My emotions and regrets have amplified and become insurmountable.
Outside my window the wind weaves a path through the trees
Nature is indifferent to my struggles and the world moves on despite my inner turmoil.
The moon takes a shine to the shadows that fall on the leaves
The beauty of the world and its imperfections are intertwined, just like light and darkness.
I've been a fool for money
My obsession with wealth has negatively impacted my personal growth and self-awareness.
But it's vanity that always leaves me flat
My superficial pursuits have never brought me true happiness or fulfillment.
It's time to go inward, man I hope I have the nerve
I hope I have the courage to truly face my flaws and negative tendencies.
To take an inventory of the causes that I serve
To scrutinize my beliefs and values and determine if they align with my true self and the greater good.
They say a man without a conscience
It's said that a person without a moral compass or principles is lost and without direction in life.
Is like a man without a country or somethin' like that
This means that without a moral foundation, one cannot connect with others or achieve a sense of belonging in society.
Time to go inward, time to be still
It's time to quiet my mind and be present with myself and my thoughts.
My mind is like a chatterbox
My thoughts and worries are loud and constant, inhibiting my progress and inner peace.
Whose noise pollutes the pathways to my soul
The constant internal chatter is blocking my connection to my deeper self.
Time to go inward, time to get a grip
It's time to take control of my life and my actions.
Time to put an end to one long bad acid trip
It's time to snap out of my negative spiral and move forward in a positive direction.
I'm all out of excuses now
I can no longer justify my behavior or shortcomings with excuses.
For the way I've let my choices take a toll
The negative impact of my past choices and actions has accumulated and taken a toll on my life.
Jesus and Buddha and Krishna and Minnie Pearl knew
These figures are known for their wisdom and spiritual guidance.
To do unto others the things you want done unto you
To treat others with kindness and respect, the way you would want to be treated.
Time to go inward and take a look at me
To focus on self-exploration and introspection.
Try to make some sense of life's illusions that I see
To make sense of the inconsistencies and mysteries of life that I observe.
And try to solve the riddle
To attempt to understand and solve the mystery of my own existence.
Of what it is I have to offer to this world
To discover my purpose in life and how I can contribute to the world around me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RODNEY CROWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
skipwaytube
Rodney has transcended country. this superlative singer-songwriter is now in the more all inclusive Americana category. but forget labels. he has become an American musical icon. Rodney rocks! Great post!
Troy Starr
skipwaytube
agree
zeda
True member of outlaw country, those guys always stood on the margin of this musical style, but they made sure they make their own musical path. Which is what music is all about. Long live maestro Rodney, it's a privillege to have you around.
Lisa Weissenborn
I love Rodney Crowell! I actually listen to the lyrics (instead of just the music) He's right up there with Guy Clark and John Prine- Great! Thanks good way to start the day.
Greg Graham
Great lyrics with a great melody. Rock on Rodney!!!
Matthew Raiche
@phivosify Thank you, good sir. My dad deserves the credit for my good taste in songwriters. He introduced me to all of this good music.
Frank Piekert
Great song! Great album!!!
Richard Sepulvado
Great message the Golden Rule. I admire RC courage. No one else would format a song like this
PhivePhivoSteve
@Novali95 - I made the video this afternoon and was going to post as my own birthday gift to myself for tomorrow, but you know me, too impatient. As you say a GREAT song this is indeed. Thanks for your lovely greetings and of course as well as your granddaughter, it is also my youngest brother too. Appreciated, love and kram :-) xx
Donna Skidmore
I had never heard of this guy before I saw this video. (Yeah, yeah, I know. He's Texan an' all that good stuff!) Love this song SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much. The most INCREDIBLY AMAZING lyrics - LOVE the whole vocal arrangement - not to mention the drama the guitar has going there! Thanks so much for the introduction, Steve. Love and appreciation to you. Donna xo