Steve Earle (born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955 in San Antonio, Te… Read Full Bio ↴Steve Earle (born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955 in San Antonio, Texas) is a singer-songwriter best known for his country music and rock 'n roll tinged "alt-country." He is also a published writer, a keen political activist (particularly in protesting against the death penalty in the U.S., as in his song "Ellis Unit One" from the movie Dead Man Walking), and has written and directed a play. Earle also had small roles on the HBO television shows "The Wire" and "Treme". His sister Stacey Earle is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter, as is his most recent wife, Allison Moorer, whom he wed in 2005. His first son from an earlier marriage is the singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle, named for Earle's hero Townes Van Zandt.

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.

Blue Yodel
Steve Earle Lyrics

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(Jimmie Rodgers)

Standing on the corner
I didn't mean no harm
When a big policeman
Grabbed me by the arm
Now, it was down in Memphis
On the corner of Beale and Main

He said "Now, hey big boy
I'm gonna have to know your name"

Now, you can find my name
On the tail of my shirt
I'm a Tennessee hustler
And I never have to work
But I'm telling all you rounders
You best leave my women alone

I'll take my 38 Special
And I'll run you rounders home

Overall Meaning

The song Blue Yodel #9 by Steve Earle is a cover of Jimmie Rodgers' song about a man standing on the corner in Memphis who is accosted by a big policeman. The man claims that he didn't mean any harm, but the policeman wants to know his name. The man gives him an answer, but not before letting him know that he's a Tennessee hustler who never has to work. He warns all the other "rounders" to stay away from his women or he'll use his 38 Special to run them off.

The song is a classic example of the blues genre, with its melancholy melody and themes of hopelessness, desperation, and violence. The lyrics are a reflection on the rough and tumble life of a hustler, a man who lives on the fringes of society and takes what he can get. The character portrayed in the song is proud of his status as a hustler, and he uses his gun as a symbol of his power and authority over the other men who might try to take what is his.

Overall, Blue Yodel #9 is a song about a man who has little to lose and who uses his wits and his weapons to survive in a world where the odds are stacked against him. It's a powerful commentary on the human condition, and it's a reminder that even the most desperate of us can find ways to assert our power and our autonomy, no matter how dire our circumstances may be.

Line by Line Meaning

Standing on the corner
I was just standing there, minding my own business

I didn't mean no harm
I didn't do anything wrong or cause any trouble

When a big policeman
Suddenly, a large police officer appeared before me

Grabbed me by the arm
He forcibly held onto my arm

Now, it was down in Memphis
This all happened in Memphis, Tennessee

On the corner of Beale and Main
Specifically, it was on the intersection of Beale and Main streets in Memphis

He said 'Now, hey big boy
The police officer addressed me in a casual or friendly manner

I'm gonna have to know your name'
He asked me to identify myself

Now, you can find my name
I'll tell you my name if you really need to know

On the tail of my shirt
You can see the name on the back of my shirt

I'm a Tennessee hustler
I'm a hustler from Tennessee