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.
Amerika v.6.0
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, take a look in the mirror now tell me what you see
Another satisfied customer in the front of the line for the American dream
I remember when we was both out on the boulevard
Talkin' revolution and singin' the blues
Nowadays it's letters to the editor and cheatin' on our taxes
Is the best that we can do
Come on
Look around
There's doctors down on Wall Street
Sharpenin' their scalpels and tryin' to cut a deal
Meanwhile, back at the hospital
We got accountants playin' God and countin' out the pills
Yeah, I know, that sucks Ã??Ã?? that your HMO
Ain't doin' what you thought it would do
But everybody's gotta die sometime and we can't save everybody
It's the best that we can do
Four score and a hundred and fifty years ago
Our forefathers made us equal as long as we can pay
Yeah, well maybe that wasn't exactly what they was thinkin'
Version six-point-oh of the American way
But hey we can just build a great wall around the country club
To keep the riff-raff out until the slump is through
Yeah, I realize that ain't exactly democratic, but it's either them or us and
And it's the best we can do
Yeah, passionely conservative
It's the best we can do
Conservatively passionate
It's the best we can do
Meanwhile, still thinkin'
Hey, let's wage a war on drugs
It's the best we can do
Well, I don't know about you, but I kinda dig this global warming thing...
The song "Amerika V 6 0" by Steve Earle is a commentary on the state of America in a cynical and sarcastic tone. In the first verse, Earle points out the irony of the American dream that so many aspire to, which has turned into a customer satisfaction-based experience. He contrasts this to the past, where revolution and blues music were more prevalent, and where people had more passion and engaged more earnestly with the world around them. Nowadays, people are more concerned with writing letters to the editor and cheating on taxes, indicating a decline in idealism and morality.
The second verse discusses the healthcare system in America from a critical viewpoint. He points out the state of the healthcare industry that focuses more on profit than on people's health. The doctors on Wall Street are sharpening their scalpels to make deals while accountants are playing God and counting out the pills. In other words, the system is seen as corrupt and serving the interests of the powerful, rather than the people's well-being. Earle is highlighting the fact that people have to die, and the healthcare system cannot save everyone, indicating that people have lost compassion and empathy.
The last verse of the song refers to the Trump era and how America has turned away from democracy, with the idea of building walls and keeping people out from the country club. The song points out the division in America, with people being either passionately conservative or conservatively passionate. The song ends on a sarcastic note, with Earle stating he is okay with global warming.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at ya
Observing the listener
Yeah, take a look in the mirror now tell me what you see
Challenging the listener to self-reflect and share what they see
Another satisfied customer in the front of the line for the American dream
Sarcastically commenting on the idea that everyone can achieve the American dream
I remember when we was both out on the boulevard
Reflecting on a time when he and the listener were more idealistic and activist
Talkin' revolution and singin' the blues
Describing their previous political and social involvement
Nowadays it's letters to the editor and cheatin' on our taxes
Observing that they've become less involved and more cynical as they've aged
Is the best that we can do
Suggesting that their current actions are inadequate
Look around
Drawing attention to the current state of affairs
There's doctors down on Wall Street
Describing the financialization of healthcare
Sharpenin' their scalpels and tryin' to cut a deal
Critiquing the greed and corruption of the healthcare industry
Meanwhile, back at the hospital
Shifting to the consequences of this greed and corruption
We got accountants playin' God and countin' out the pills
Describing how profit motives have influenced medical treatment
Yeah, I know, that sucks Ã??Ã?? that your HMO
Acknowledging that the listener has likely experienced this firsthand
Ain't doin' what you thought it would do
Commenting on the failure of healthcare systems to protect individuals
But everybody's gotta die sometime and we can't save everybody
Offering a cold, logistical justification for this failure
It's the best that we can do
Resigning themselves to the status quo
Four score and a hundred and fifty years ago
Quoting Lincoln's Gettysburg address
Our forefathers made us equal as long as we can pay
Interpreting the American dream as a capitalist venture
Yeah, well maybe that wasn't exactly what they was thinkin'
Suggesting that this interpretation is flawed
Version six-point-oh of the American way
Jokingly referring to the American dream as a technological update
But hey we can just build a great wall around the country club
Proposing a satirical solution to social inequality
To keep the riff-raff out until the slump is through
Explaining the purpose of the wall
Yeah, I realize that ain't exactly democratic, but it's either them or us and
Acknowledging that this proposal is undemocratic, but suggesting that it's a necessary evil
And it's the best we can do
Repeating the resigned refrain
Yeah, passionely conservative
Describing the current political climate
It's the best we can do
Suggesting that conservatism is the best option available
Conservatively passionate
Satirizing the notion of passionate conservatism
It's the best we can do
Repeating the satirical refrain
Meanwhile, still thinkin'
Returning to the idea of drugs and healthcare
Hey, let's wage a war on drugs
Critiquing the government's focus on punitive drug policies
It's the best we can do
Arguing that this approach is flawed, but the best available option
Well, I don't know about you, but I kinda dig this global warming thing...
Suggesting that the listener might have a similar sense of resignation and apathy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind