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.
Elijah's Church
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To build his family a home
With his wife and new baby
And what little goods that they owned
Had a good yoke of oxen
And hand tools for clearing the land
And he built him a church
'Cause he was a God fearin' man
Worshiped here through the years
On down to my granddad
He's buried 'bout 40 yards from here
It's where I was baptized
And where I took me a wife
And if I have my say so
That's where I'll rest when it's time
[Chorus:]
When I'm dead and I'm gone
Won't you carry me home
To that little white church
In my daddy's home town
'Cause Lord knows I'm some kind of sinner
But I've done come this far
And it's too late for changin'
When this race has been run
Take me back where I came from
And let me return what I took from the ground
When this body won't carry me no further
Take me back
And lay me down
This east Texas red dirt
Won't grow much of nothin' they say
'Cept tomatoes and peaches
They mostly drill for oil nowadays
And a hired hand named Regan
First made me understand
And he told me the red was the blood of my kin in the land
[Chorus:]
The song "Elijah's Church" by Steve Earle is a tribute to the history and legacy of a small church located in East Texas. The song tells the story of Elijah, who came to Texas with his wife and newborn baby to build a home and a church on the land he cleared with his oxen and hand tools. Elijah's church became a place of worship for generations of his family, including the singer's granddad, who is buried just a short distance away. The church has also been significant in the life of the singer as he was baptized there and married his wife there.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's desire to be laid to rest in Elijah's church when he dies. He acknowledges that he is a sinner but hopes to return to the place where his family's history has been rooted for generations. The song acknowledges the changes that have taken place in East Texas over the years, with the red dirt said to only grow tomatoes and peaches and oil drilling being a prominent industry. However, the connection to the land and to the church remains strong, as demonstrated by the singer's desire to return to Elijah's church when he dies.
Overall, "Elijah's Church" is a poignant tribute to the significance of family, land, and faith in a small town in East Texas. The song celebrates the history and legacy of a small church that has played a central role in the lives of generations of a family, and emphasizes the importance of roots and connection to one's past and heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
Elijah came to Texas
Elijah migrated to Texas
To build his family a home
In order to make a living, he planned to construct a house for his family
With his wife and new baby
He brought along his wife and newborn child to the new place
And what little goods that they owned
He had meager belongings he carried with him
Had a good yoke of oxen
He brought a pair of oxen to help him clear the land
And hand tools for clearing the land
He carried instruments to make the area he settled cultivable
And he built him a church
He constructed a church for himself
'Cause he was a God fearin' man
As he was pious, he built a house of worship
All of his children when there
All his offspring worshipped there
Worshiped here through the years
They offered prayers there for many years
On down to my granddad
Even his grandfather paid homage there
He's buried 'bout 40 yards from here
His grandfather was laid to rest nearby
It's where I was baptized
That's where Steve Earle was christened
And where I took me a wife
He got married there
And if I have my say so
If it is up to me
That's where I'll rest when it's time
I'd like to be buried there when I pass away
[Chorus:]
The chorus of the song Elijah's Church starts here
When I'm dead and I'm gone
After my demise
Won't you carry me home
Could you accompany my corpse back home?
To that little white church
To the small church I mentioned earlier
In my daddy's home town
In my father's hometown
'Cause Lord knows I'm some kind of sinner
Since I acknowledge that I'm not blameless
But I've done come this far
Nonetheless, I've reached this point in life
And it's too late for changin'
It's not feasible to change anymore
When this race has been run
After the journey of life is complete
Take me back where I came from
Bring me back to where I arrived from
And let me return what I took from the ground
Allow me to give back what I took from the earth
When this body won't carry me no further
When my mortal form can't take me anymore
Take me back
Take me back
And lay me down
Put my body to rest
This east Texas red dirt
The soil in East Texas is reddish
Won't grow much of nothin' they say
It isn't suitable for cultivating produce, some folks claim
'Cept tomatoes and peaches
However, it can produce tomatoes and peaches
They mostly drill for oil nowadays
But today, the primary industry is oil exploration
And a hired hand named Regan
An employee named Regan
First made me understand
First taught me the lesson
And he told me the red was the blood of my kin in the land
And he informed me that the red color was the blood of my ancestors who lived there
[Chorus:]
The chorus of the song Elijah's Church is repeated here
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN F. (FAIN) EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
pat newton
Wrote this when he was only young,amazing song
Lee Crampton
He can write a story and weave it was into a song. You can see he put his heart and soul into his music.
OGSpaceCadet
Wow, "Won't you carry me home to that little white church in my Daddy's hometown..." All these years later, that's my story too. Steve Earle, what a gift, love this song so much.
Daniel Mims
thats my church . oldest sunday service in Texas.
restlessinamsterdam
Precious and beautiful ♥
Perfectly Able Kane 666
song is so hard to find, and one of the greatest songs ever written. Pretty ironic...but I suppose that is yet another reason it is so great.
Tony Cox
Perfectly Able Kane 666 office
norman crew
Where do songs come from? Nobody seems to really know. I guess it has to be enough to enjoy them when you hear them and maybe realise where they're going .... into the hearts and minds of those who will cherish them and call upon them in times when they are needed. Songs are little miracles. Thank God for them.
Frank Correnti
Let's say I know, but by the time I explained it there was saomething else.
Brazen lil hussy
Well put, Norman. And I completely agree..and to add to your point most of the great writers know that when you record it, and put it out. They let it be..and never claim that anyones interpretation of their work is right/wrong. Because imo they mean something different to everyone..where they were when they heard it..who was with them..what memories it stirs in you when you hear it or what it says to you. But you and that artist develop a bond, without them ever knowing it. That's some powerful stuff man,and never predictable. That's why the great ones transcend time like a nice old bottle of Red for when your listening to.