Raised in San Antonio, Texas, Earle first taught herself to play a ukulele. She was given a guitar as a Christmas present when she was 16 years old, and, when she became a mother at 17, she continued to play and sing at home, developing her own style of finger picking.
When she was 29 years old, she moved to Nashville to live with her brother Steve Earle and sang backing vocals and played rhythm guitar on his 1991 album The Hard Way, and for the subsequent world tour. She appeared on her brother's subsequent albums: Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator and Transcendental Blues.
After returning from tour, she wrote songs and performed them at writer's nights in Nashville. Later, she set up her own songwriters' night to get some more time on stage. During this time, she met fellow guitarist and singer Mark Stuart who became her partner in running the events and then later became her second husband.
Earle signed a contract with Nashville's Ten Ten Music Group as a staff songwriter and received notice for her song "For Years", which appeared on Sammy Kershaw's 1996 CD Politics, Religion and Her.
Her first album, Simple Gearle (1999), was created for distribution at concerts; she felt bad that the fans were going home empty-handed. Albums that followed include: Dancin' With Them That Brung Me (2000), Never Gonna Let You Go (2003), Must Be Live (2003), and Communion Bread (2005). Much of her music is a joint venture with Mark Stuart, whom she met through her brother; there are several albums released by Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart.
Both Earle and Stuart were members of Steve Earle & The Dukes as well performing with their own band, The Jewels (named after Earle's grandmother Jewel Earle).
Wonderful Life
Stacey Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How can I help you
If I don't know why?
We have so much to learn
First words, you're a daddy's boy
Your mama knows
You're just making noise
First step, we all fall down around the room
We go spinning around
Running fast, jump real high
Oh, what a wonderful life
First day, you seem so scared
First grade so many there
And, as she reached out
She took your hand
She took you places far away
Adding up all your days
Oh my, how the years
Just flew on by
Everything now seems real cool
Walking in line with every rule
Making friends
And they seem real nice
We all gather on this day
We watch our children graduate
I sit and watch
The tears go by
I need to buy a special gift
Somethin' that he'll call "His"
Somethin' that will say
How much I love, I love you, I love you
Here's a baby and she'll move real fast
An oil change should make her last
She'll take you far
If you treat her right
The song "Wonderful Life" by Stacey Earle is an ode to the beauty of life and the passing of time. The song begins with a moment of vulnerability, a little baby crying, and the singer wanting to help but not knowing how. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer speaks from a position of love, but acknowledges that there is much she does not know. However, she is present to share in the joys and sorrows of life with those she loves.
Throughout the song, the singer reflects on different events in a child's life - first words, first steps, first day of school - and how quickly time passes. She observes the child growing and learning, experiencing the highs and lows of life, and the passage of time making everything "seem real cool". The singer understands that she must make the most of the time she has with her loved ones, as she watches the children graduate and contemplates giving a special gift to her own child. The song ends with a metaphor about a car, suggesting that if we take care of our possessions and relationships, they will take us far.
Overall, "Wonderful Life" is a reflection on the cyclical nature of life - the passage of time marked by important events and milestones, and the importance of being present and enjoying the ride. Through this lens, the song celebrates the joys of life and the love we share with others, even in the face of uncertainty and mystery.
Line by Line Meaning
Little baby, please don't cry
I will do my best to soothe you and make you happy because I care about you.
How can I help you
If I don't know why?
To help you I need to understand what is bothering you.
We have so much to learn
There are many things in this world that we do not yet know.
First words, you're a daddy's boy
Your mama knows
You're just making noise
When you start speaking, your father will be proud of you, and your mother will not worry about the noises you make.
I'm here to sing your lullabies
I am here to sing sleep-inducing songs to help you fall asleep.
First step, we all fall down around the room
We go spinning around
Running fast, jump real high
Oh, what a wonderful life
As we learn to walk, we might fall many times, but we will have fun and enjoy life.
First day, you seem so scared
First grade so many there
And, as she reached out
She took your hand
You might be scared when you start school, but a friendly person will help you by holding your hand.
She took you places far away
Adding up all your days
Oh my, how the years
Just flew on by
As you grow up, you will travel to different places, and time will pass by very quickly.
Everything now seems real cool
Walking in line with every rule
Making friends
And they seem real nice
As you progress in life, you will follow the rules and make new friends who are genuine and kind.
We all gather on this day
We watch our children graduate
I sit and watch
The tears go by
We all converge on graduation day to watch our children finish school; this brings me to tears.
I need to buy a special gift
Somethin' that he'll call "His"
Somethin' that will say
How much I love, I love you, I love you
I need to buy a unique item that my child will cherish and remember as a show of how much I love him/her.
Here's a baby and she'll move real fast
An oil change should make her last
She'll take you far
If you treat her right
A car is like a new baby that moves quickly; proper maintenance to keep it in good shape will enable it to serve you well.
Contributed by Christopher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.