Steve Earle (born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955 in San Antonio, Te… Read Full Bio ↴Steve Earle (born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955 in San Antonio, Texas) is a singer-songwriter best known for his country music and rock 'n roll tinged "alt-country." He is also a published writer, a keen political activist (particularly in protesting against the death penalty in the U.S., as in his song "Ellis Unit One" from the movie Dead Man Walking), and has written and directed a play. Earle also had small roles on the HBO television shows "The Wire" and "Treme". His sister Stacey Earle is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter, as is his most recent wife, Allison Moorer, whom he wed in 2005. His first son from an earlier marriage is the singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle, named for Earle's hero Townes Van Zandt.

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 Thought You Should Know
Steve Earle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I been watchin' you watchin' me
I could feel your eyes from way across the room
But now that I'm holdin' you close I can see
Ain't no way I'm gonna get around you
I won't tell you I don't need you tonight
I won't pretend I ain't burnin' inside
Your skin glowin' soft in the silver moonlight
The shadows where the promises hide

The bittersweet taste of your kiss
It's all more than I can resist

If you're thinkin' â??bout breakin' my heart
You might as well just pick up your little black dress and go
Somebody else already tore it apart
And I thought you should know

Maybe this is all that you want
Maybe you're just as lonesome as me
A shoulder that you can cry on
A warm safe place you can be
Someone to call in the middle of the night
When the ghosts in your bedroom won't rest
Two arms to hold you tight
I promise that I'll do my best

To give you everything I got to give
And keep your secrets for as long as I live

Overall Meaning

The song "I Thought You Should Know" by Steve Earle is a romantic ballad that depicts a scene where two people come together and acknowledge their mutual feelings for each other. The first verse suggests that the two have been aware of each other's presence for a while but only just now got the opportunity to connect on a deeper level. The singer is drawn to the other person visually, but now that they're in each other's arms, he's taken beyond that surface level attraction and is captivated by the other person's essence.

The second verse is a warning in disguise. The singer believes that the other person may not be truthful about their intentions, or perhaps they have been hurt before by someone else. He encourages her to be honest about what she wants, but also lets her know that he's prepared to offer her everything that he has to give, including emotional support and secrecy.

Overall, the song is an ode to honesty, vulnerability, and the idea that a healthy relationship requires both parties to let their guard down and be truthful with each other.

Line by Line Meaning

I been watchin' you watchin' me
I have noticed you staring at me

I could feel your eyes from way across the room
I sensed your gaze even from a distance

But now that I'm holdin' you close I can see
Being close to you has given me clarity

Ain't no way I'm gonna get around you
I can't resist your allure

I won't tell you I don't need you tonight
I won't hide my desire for you

I won't pretend I ain't burnin' inside
I won't deny my feelings for you

Your skin glowin' soft in the silver moonlight
Your skin is radiant in the moonlight

The shadows where the promises hide
The uncertain future holds many promises

The bittersweet taste of your kiss
Your kiss is both pleasing and painful

It's all more than I can resist
I can't resist you any longer

If you're thinkin' 'bout breakin' my heart
If you plan to hurt me emotionally