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.
Feel Alright
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A wanderin' eye and a smokin' gun
Now some of you would live through me
And lock me up and throw away the key
Or just find a place to hide away
Hope that I'll just go away, huh
I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
I'll bring you precious contraband
And ancient tales from distant lands
Of conquerors and concubines and
Conjurers from darker times
Betrayal and conspiracy
Sacrilege and heresy
Well I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
I got every thing you want or need
Your darkest fear, your fondest dream
I ask you questions, tell you lies
Criticize and sympathize
Yeah but, be careful what you wish for friend
'Cause I've been to hell and now I'm back again
I feel alright, yeah I feel alright tonight
Yeah I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
Feel alright, feel alright
In the opening lines of Steve Earle's song "Feel Alright," the singer confesses to being his father's son, with all of the associated flaws and imperfections. He describes himself as having a "wandering eye and a smokin' gun," suggesting that he may be prone to trouble, to say the least. Despite this, he implies that some people want to use his rebelliousness for their own purposes, either by locking him up or by hoping he'll just disappear. The overall message of the song, however, appears to be that despite his flaws and those who would try to control him, the singer feels alright - or at least, alright for the moment.
Throughout the song, the singer alludes to a range of taboo topics, including "contraband," "ancient tales," "conquerors" and "concubines" from distant lands, "conjurers" from darker times, "betrayal and conspiracy," "sacrilege and heresy." He asserts that he has "everything you want or need," including both comfort ("Critize and sympathize") and discomfort ("I ask you questions, tell you lies"). But he warns the listener to be "careful what you wish for" because he has "been to hell and now [he's] back again." Despite this, the singer remains confident that he's feeling alright tonight, and the refrain of "feel alright" adds to the song's message of defiance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born my papa's son
I inherited my father's nature of being impulsive and living on the edge
A wanderin' eye and a smokin' gun
I have a roving eye and the propensity to use weapons
Now some of you would live through me
Some of you wish to experience my life vicariously
And lock me up and throw away the key
While others want me imprisoned for my wayward ways
Or just find a place to hide away
Others want to escape from me and my possible influence on them
Hope that I'll just go away, huh
People generally want me out of their lives
I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
Despite people's opinions, I feel good tonight
I'll bring you precious contraband
I have contraband items that you may find valuable
And ancient tales from distant lands
I have fascinating stories from far-off places
Of conquerors and concubines and
My stories include vivid descriptions of battles and love affairs
Conjurers from darker times
I'll tell you about magicians who lived in less enlightened periods of history
Betrayal and conspiracy
Other stories I have include those of treachery and intrigue
Sacrilege and heresy
Some of my stories may even be controversial to some
Well I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
Again, despite others' opinions and judgments, I feel good tonight
I got everything you want or need
I have the ability to provide for your desires and necessities
Your darkest fear, your fondest dream
I can fulfill the dreams you hold most dear and even the ones you dare not admit to yourself
I ask you questions, tell you lies
I am a master of manipulation, asking probing questions while also deceiving you
Criticize and sympathize
I'll help you understand your faults and offer consolation
Yeah but, be careful what you wish for friend
However, be wary of what you ask for
'Cause I've been to hell and now I'm back again
I have gone through tough times and come out stronger on the other side, so I know the dangers of getting what you ask for
I feel alright, yeah I feel alright tonight
Again, despite everything, I feel good tonight
Yeah I feel alright, I feel alright tonight
I feel happy and content tonight
Feel alright, feel alright
I feel good, I feel good tonight!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind