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.
I Can Wait
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stars'll fall from the sky
No one even notices
If you think it'll help
I can walk out myself
And we won't have to go through this
If I pretend to hold you tight
And out on the highway late some night
If that's all that it takes
Even if my heart breaks
Darlin' I can wait
I have nothin' but time
And this poor heart of mine
Probably could use some rest
When the ghosts are all gone
You can leave your light on
Shinin' through the loneliness
Just like a beacon in the night
Brighter than any star in sight
But that's all right
For as long as it takes
For that mornin' to break
Darlin' I can wait
Out where the mountains meet the sky
Feelin' so lonesome I could cry
But that's all right
Cause all the signs say
You'll call me someday
Darlin' I can wait
The song "I Can Wait" by Steve Earle is a melancholic ballad about someone waiting for their lover. The lyrics are filled with metaphors and imagery describing the pain and longing of waiting for someone who may or may not come back. The first stanza talks about how in the blink of an eye, everything can fall apart, but no one notices. The singer offers to walk away, so they don't have to go through the pain of waiting, but they can pretend everything is alright as they hold each other tight on the highway late some night. The singer is willing to wait, even if it takes a toll on their heart.
In the second stanza, the singer admits that they have nothing but time and a poor heart that probably needs some rest. When the ghosts of the past are gone, their lover can leave their light on, shining through the loneliness. The beacon of light is brighter than any star, giving the singer hope that their lover will come back. The final stanza talks about how the singer is lonesome and feels like crying, but their faith in their lover's return is strong. All the signs say that their lover will call them someday, and the singer is willing to wait.
Overall, the song is a poignant expression of love and the pain of waiting. It's a universal theme that many people can relate to, making the song a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
In the blink of an eye
Life can change quickly and unexpectedly.
Stars'll fall from the sky
Anything can happen and nothing is certain.
No one even notices
People can be unaware of the changes happening around them.
If you think it'll help
He is willing to do what it takes to make things easier.
I can walk out myself
He is willing to leave and not make things complicated.
And we won't have to go through this
Leaving is the better option to avoid any pain or hurt.
If I pretend to hold you tight
He is willing to put on a facade to make things better.
And out on the highway late some night
He's willing to travel recklessly to escape this situation.
That's all right
The actions he takes are acceptable for the situation he's in.
If that's all that it takes
If putting on a facade is what it takes to make things better.
Even if my heart breaks
He's willing to sacrifice his feelings for the greater good.
Darlin' I can wait
He's willing to be patient to see things through.
I have nothin' but time
He has all the time in the world to wait.
And this poor heart of mine
He acknowledges that his heart is not in a good place.
Probably could use some rest
He understands that his heart needs to recover.
When the ghosts are all gone
When his past traumas are no longer haunting him.
You can leave your light on
He wants the person to keep hope alive.
Shinin' through the loneliness
The light is a beacon of hope through the dark times.
Just like a beacon in the night
The light represents guidance and direction.
Brighter than any star in sight
The light is significant and can be seen from afar.
For as long as it takes
He is willing to wait for as long as it takes for things to improve.
For that mornin' to break
He's waiting for a new day and a fresh start.
Out where the mountains meet the sky
A location that is vast and open.
Feelin' so lonesome I could cry
He's filled with sadness and desperation.
Cause all the signs say
He has hope that things will improve due to external factors.
You'll call me someday
He's waiting for communication from the other person to improve things.
Darlin' I can wait
He's willing to wait and be patient for things to get better.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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