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.
Harlan Man
Steve Earle Lyrics
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Went down in the mine when I was barely grown
It was easy then
Cause I didn't know what I know now
But I'm a family man
And it's the only life that I've ever known
But I'm a Harlan Man
I'm a mountain man
Born in east Kentucky and here I'll stay
And if it's the good Lord's plan
I'll wake up in the mornin' and find
I'm lookin' at the end
Of another long week and I can draw my pay
Cause I'm a Harlan Man
Never catch me whinin' cause I ain't that kind
I'm a union man
Just like my daddy and all my kin
I took a union stand
No matter what the company said
I got me two good hands
And just as long as I'm able I won't give in
Cause I'm a Harlan Man
A coal minin' mother til the day I'm dead
The song "Harlan Man" by Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band is a tribute to the hardworking coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky. The singer of the song proudly identifies himself as a Harlan man, someone who has spent his entire life working in the coal mines of eastern Kentucky. He acknowledges that life wasn't always easy as a young man working in the mines, but he persevered and now supports his family through his job as a coal miner.
The song highlights the singer's strong connection to his community and his ties to the labor movement. He identifies as a union man, just like his father and kin before him, and is committed to the cause of workers' rights. Despite the inherent risks and danger involved in working in the mines, the singer celebrates the resilience and grit of the Harlan men who continue to work tirelessly to provide for their families and their community.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a Harlan Man
I am a man from Harlan, Kentucky
Went down in the mine when I was barely grown
I started working in the mine when I was still a teenager
It was easy then
It seemed easy to work in the mine back then, before I knew how dangerous it was
Cause I didn't know what I know now
But now I know how dangerous it is to work in the mine
But I'm a family man
But I have a family that I need to provide for
And it's the only life that I've ever known
Working in the mine is the only job I've ever had
Just as long as my luck and lungs hold out
As long as I'm lucky and my lungs can handle it, I'll keep working in the mine
I'm a mountain man
I'm from the mountains of eastern Kentucky
Born in east Kentucky and here I'll stay
I was born in eastern Kentucky and I plan to stay here
And if it's the good Lord's plan
If it's God's will
I'll wake up in the mornin' and find
I hope to wake up in the morning and find
I'm lookin' at the end
That it's the end of another long week of work in the mine
Of another long week and I can draw my pay
And that I'll finally get paid for my work
Never catch me whinin' cause I ain't that kind
I don't complain about working in the mine, it's just the way it is
I'm a union man
I belong to a labor union
Just like my daddy and all my kin
My father and relatives also belonged to the union
I took a union stand
I support the union's demands and actions
No matter what the company said
Even if the company disagrees with the union
I got me two good hands
I have two capable hands to work with
And just as long as I'm able I won't give in
As long as I'm capable of working, I won't give up
A coal minin' mother til the day I'm dead
I will continue to work in the coal mine until I die
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind