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.
Cry Myself To Sleep
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I can't do more
It's a turn of the card
It's a close of the door
The lies you told
You know they hurt so deep
So I go home and cry myself to sleep
You been treatin' me bad
My friends'll come up and say
Why do you take all of that?
And it's makin' me moan
And it's makin' me weep
So I go home and cry myself to sleep
You play at love like a child plays games
One day I'm in and then I'm out again
You change the rules
I can't win
You've broken me, now, so I'll give in
You play at love like a child plays games
One day I'm in and then I'm out again
You change the rules
I can't win
You've broken me, now, so I'll give in
Well, I've been through worse
But I don't know what
Joy is just the reverse
Of what I've got
So take this heart
Or what's left to keep
And I go home and cry myself to sleep
I just go home and cry myself to sleep
I go home and cry myself to sleep
In Steve Earle's song "Cry Myself To Sleep," the singer laments about a failed relationship where his partner has been withholding love and care. The opening lines, "I cried so hard, you know I can't do more; it's a turn of the card, it's a close of the door" suggest that despite his efforts, the relationship has come to a dead end. He laments how the lies told by his partner have hurt him deeply, and that he continues to be treated poorly, which is making him moan and weep. The words "I go home and cry myself to sleep" become a recurring theme throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's deep sense of sorrow and loneliness.
The chorus emphasizes the way his partner has toyed with his emotions and played games with his love, changing the rules every day, causing him to feel broken and defeated. The end of the song departs from the sorrowful tone, making a desperate plea for his partner to give his heart back, acknowledging that he is left with nothing but sorrow and mourning.
The song depicts a heartbroken person who is trying his best to come to terms with a failed relationship by shedding tears alone. The last stanza of the song shows that he has given up on finding joy in love and can only find solace in crying himself to sleep. Steve Earle's emotional voice and delivery emphasize the sadness and frustration of the singer, and the universal feelings of heartbreak and loneliness listeners can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I cried so hard
I wept uncontrollably
You know I can't do more
There is nothing more I can do
It's a turn of the card
It's a matter of luck or chance
It's a close of the door
It's the end of something
The lies you told
The falsehoods you spoke
You know they hurt so deep
They caused me immense pain
So I go home and cry myself to sleep
I have no choice but to cry myself to sleep
Day after day
Consistently, every day
You been treatin' me bad
You have treated me poorly
My friends'll come up and say
My friends will approach me and state
Why do you take all of that?
Why do you put up with such treatment?
And it's makin' me moan
It's causing me to groan out loud
And it's makin' me weep
It's causing me to cry
So I go home and cry myself to sleep
I have no choice but to cry myself to sleep
You play at love like a child plays games
You approach love with immaturity and frivolity
One day I'm in and then I'm out again
One day I'm included, the next day I'm excluded
You change the rules
You adjust the guidelines
I can't win
I am unable to come out on top
You've broken me, now, so I'll give in
You have ruined me, so I will surrender
Well, I've been through worse
I have experienced more severe situations
But I don't know what
But I am unaware of what
Joy is just the reverse
The opposite of joy is currently present
Of what I've got
Of what I am experiencing
So take this heart
Take what remains of my heart
Or what's left to keep
Or whatever is still mine to hold
And I go home and cry myself to sleep
I have no choice but to cry myself to sleep
I just go home and cry myself to sleep
I am simply returning home to cry myself to sleep
I go home and cry myself to sleep
I am going home to cry myself to sleep
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLISON PIERCE, CATHERINE PIERCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tonya Troidl
This song got my through a rough breakup back in the day. I was an instant single mom of two baby girl and scared to death. I love the Judds . Their song Grandpa has to be my absolute favorite.
bisonette5
This song is 32 years old. Amazing how time flies.
The Unknown
yes. it is
Ken
Now 38 years...hard to believe will be 40 soon and still sounds so damn good. Saw them together 17 times. First time in a bar when they first came out. Miss you Naomi.❤
mkl62
A #1 hit for The Judds on the Country & Western charts. It was the 839th #1 C&W song of the Rock Era.
Sam
Love these ladies and this song! RIP Naomi and sing with the Angels🕊️🙏
steve unger
Love the Judds....can listen to them all night long...they had great harmony
Kakau Pires
Amooooooo essa música 😍😍😍😍😍
9496Tull
My favorite of theirs.
God Speed Naomi.
Len Flatoff
Love ❤️ This Song!!! Great Performance!!! Time Goes By Way To Fast 💨 Almost In 2022 Sucks!