Earle was born in Fort Monroe, Virginia, and grew up near San Antonio, Texas. His father, Jack Earle, was an air traffic controller. Although he was born in Virginia where his father was stationed, the family returned to Texas before Earle's second birthday. They moved several times but Earle grew up primarily in the San Antonio area.
Earle began learning the guitar at the age of 11 and placed in a talent contest at his school at age 13. He is reported to have run away from home at age 14 to follow his idol, singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt around Texas. Earle was "rebellious" as a youngster and dropped out of school at the age of 16. He moved to Houston with his 19-year-old uncle, who was also a musician, where he married and worked odd jobs. While in Houston Earle finally met Van Zandt, who became his hero and role model.
In 1975, at the age of 20, Earle moved to Nashville and began working as a songwriter. In these early days, he recorded with Guy Clark and Emmylou Harris. He finally scored a country hit in 1981, writing Johnny Lee's top ten cut "When You Fall in Love." Earle's early work as a performer tended towards the rockabilly sound, popular at the time. In 1986, his first proper album Guitar Town was a critical and commercial success. It sold over 300,000 copies and led some to herald him as a saviour of country music.
Earle long struggled with drug abuse. His addiction eventually caused a departure from performing and recording after he was dropped by MCA in 1991. Whilst in jail on drug and firearm charges, he kicked the habit and returned to music after his release in 1994.
Earle's "second, post-jail, musical career" has been more stylistically diverse than his early material, dipping in acoustic, bluegrass, and roots rock sounds. I Feel Alright and Transcendental Blues met with good reviews and decent sales. 2002's somewhat controversial Jerusalem was one of the first albums to directly address the September 11 attacks. It brought Earle's leftist views to media attention, especially the song "John Walker's Blues."
His latest album of original material I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive was released in 2011. Songfacts reports that one of the tracks, This City, got played on HBO’s New Orleans based show Treme several months before the album‘s release. Earle, who plays a recurring street musician, composed the song especially for the drama series.
Earle has also released a tribute album of material written by friend and mentor Townes Van Zandt, entitled Townes.
For more information and photographs of Steve Earle go to his official website, www.SteveEarle.com.
Ain’t No God in Mexico
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the women folks are friendly and the law leaves you alone
I'll believe it when I see it but I haven't seen it yet
Don't mind me just keep on talkin', I'm just looking for my hat
Ain't no god in Mexico
Ain't no way to understand
How that border crossing feeling makes a fool out of a man
If my feet would fit a railroad track, guess I'd a-been a train
Me and Louise Higginbotham used to chase across the yard
Back in 1947, that's when more than times were hard
Pity me I didn't see the line in time and like a fool
In front of god and everybody, I politely blew my cool
Ain't no god in Mexico
Ain't no comfort in the can
When you're down in Matamoros gettin' busted by the man
If I had not seen the sunshine, I would not cuss the rain
If my feet would fit a railroad track, guess I'd a-been a train
Ain't no god in Mexico
Ain't no way to understand
How that border crossing feeling makes a fool out of a man
If I had not seen the sunshine, hell, I would not cuss the rain
If my feet would fit a railroad track, guess I'd a-been a train
In "Ain't No God in Mexico" by Steve Earle, the lyrics portray the experiences and struggles of a wanderer who is searching for a better life. The song reflects on the mythical promises of a new day filled with friendly women and freedom from the law. The singer remains skeptical, stating that they will only believe it when they see it. As they search for their hat, the lyrics hint at a continuous pursuit of something elusive, perhaps symbolizing finding their place in the world.
The chorus repeats the idea that there is no god in Mexico, hinting at the absence of divine intervention or salvation in the singer's journey. The line "Ain't no way to understand, how that border crossing feeling makes a fool out of a man" conveys the frustration and disillusionment that comes with crossing borders and experiencing the harsh realities of life. The lyrics suggest that the border crossing experience can strip away one's sense of self, leaving them feeling lost and foolish.
The second verse introduces a character named Louise Higginbotham, highlighting a personal connection and shared experiences. The mention of a difficult time period, 1947, suggests that their struggles might not be limited to the present. The singer laments their failure to perceive a certain boundary or limitation, comparing their actions to foolishly blowing their cool in front of everyone, including God. This moment of frustration and powerlessness adds to the overall theme of feeling lost and disillusioned.
Overall, "Ain't No God in Mexico" explores themes of disillusionment, the struggle for belonging, and the challenging experiences of border crossing and searching for a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the road a ways, I heard say there's a new day comin' on
In the near future, there are rumors of a better time and place
Where the women folks are friendly and the law leaves you alone
A place where women are welcoming and authorities don't bother you
I'll believe it when I see it but I haven't seen it yet
I remain skeptical until I witness it myself, which hasn't happened yet
Don't mind me just keep on talkin', I'm just looking for my hat
Please ignore me as I distract myself from reality, searching for something insignificant
Ain’t no god in Mexico
There is a lack of divine presence in Mexico
Ain’t no way to understand
It's impossible to fully comprehend
How that border crossing feeling makes a fool out of a man
The emotions evoked when crossing the border can make a person act foolishly
If I had not seen the sunshine, hell, I would not cuss the rain
Without experiencing joy, I wouldn't complain about hardships
If my feet would fit a railroad track, guess I'd a-been a train
If I conformed to a predetermined path, perhaps I would have had a different fate
Me and Louise Higginbotham used to chase across the yard
Louise Higginbotham and I would play and run together in the yard
Back in 1947, that's when more than times were hard
During the year 1947, life was particularly challenging
Pity me I didn't see the line in time and like a fool
Regretfully, I failed to notice the boundary beforehand and acted foolishly
In front of god and everybody, I politely blew my cool
In the presence of everyone, including a higher power, I lost my temper in a seemingly composed manner
Ain’t no comfort in the can
There is no solace in jail
When you're down in Matamoros gettin' busted by the man
When you're in Matamoros and facing arrest by the authorities
Ain’t no god in Mexico
There is a lack of divine presence in Mexico
Ain’t no way to understand
It's impossible to fully comprehend
How that border crossing feeling makes a fool out of a man
The emotions evoked when crossing the border can make a person act foolishly
If I had not seen the sunshine, hell, I would not cuss the rain
Without experiencing joy, I wouldn't complain about hardships
If my feet would fit a railroad track, guess I'd a-been a train
If I conformed to a predetermined path, perhaps I would have had a different fate
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Joe Shaver
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Henry Brooks Adams
Steve Earle's phrasing is as good as it gets. His version of this song honors the first tribute album to Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon's "Honky Tonk Heroes" (1973). I'm old and I listen to country music all day every day and I've not heard a better record than Waylon singing Shaver's songs.
Joe J
Mr. Earle pretty much nails it on this baby! Some great instrumentation behind him as well.
galiuro
This song was featured on KXCI 91.3 in Tucson
Tim Thomas
Great
J L
I like to think Waylon and Billy Joe would be tipping their hats to this cover and the whole album! These Honkey Tonk Heroes will Live Forever! ❤️
Brown Magic
I was thinking about going down theree