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.
It's All Up to You
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's always cold when you're alone
Ain't no candle in the window
You've got to find your own way home
The rain ain't gonna hurt you
It's come to wash away your blues
It's all up to you
No one said it would be easy
But it don't have to be this hard
If you're lookin' for a reason
Just stand right where you are
Now there ain't no one out to get you
They've got to walk in their own shoes
It's all up to you
No one else can get you through
Right or wrong, win or lose
It's all up to you
You can stand out on that highway
Look as far as you can see
But when you get to that horizon
There's always someplace else to be
But don't you stop to look behind you
'Cause you've got some travelin' left to do
It's all up to you
In this poignant ballad, Steve Earle and The Dukes explore the various struggles one faces in life, particularly when they are alone. The opening lines, "No matter which way the wind blows, It's always cold when you're alone," are haunting and powerful, capturing the essence of loneliness and isolation. The absence of a guiding light or a sense of home, as implied by the line "Ain't no candle in the window, You've got to find your own way home," only adds to the desolation and wanderlust felt by the subject.
However, the lyrics also serve as motivation and inspiration for the listener. The lines "The rain ain't gonna hurt you, It's come to wash away your blues. It's all up to you" provide a sense of empowerment, urging the listener to embrace their own destiny and not succumb to feelings of defeat or helplessness. The next verse, "No one said it would be easy, But it don't have to be this hard. If you're lookin' for a reason, Just stand right where you are," speaks to the importance of perseverance and determination in getting through even the toughest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
No matter which way the wind blows
Regardless of how the circumstances turn out,
It's always cold when you're alone
Being alone and feeling abandoned can make any situation uncomfortable and difficult to bear.
Ain't no candle in the window
There is no light at the end of the tunnel that can guide you or make things easier
You've got to find your own way home
You must rely on your own inner strength and resourcefulness to get through tough times.
The rain ain't gonna hurt you
This line represents a positive note that whatever fell from the sky is only meant to cleanse and purify you from any negativity.
It's come to wash away your blues
The hard times and difficulties you face are temporary and will wash away, just like the rain, leaving you with a new perspective on life.
It's all up to you
Ultimately, you are responsible for your life and choices, and how you respond to difficult times.
No one said it would be easy
Life isn't easy, and it takes effort to overcome obstacles and reach your goals.
But it don't have to be this hard
While life is challenging, it's important to remember that it's still possible to find joy and positivity amidst the hardships.
If you're lookin' for a reason
If you are searching for a purpose or explanation for why things are happening,
Just stand right where you are
It might be beneficial to pause and reflect on your life instead of blindly searching for meaning.
Now there ain't no one out to get you
People might be dealing with their own problems or dilemmas, so the challenges you encounter in life might not necessarily be a deliberate attack from others.
They've got to walk in their own shoes
Each person has their own path and life to live, making it essential to understand and accept that there are certain circumstances that people outside of you simply cannot change.
No one else can get you through
It is only up to you to find the motivation to overcome any obstacle you are faced with.
Right or wrong, win or lose
Regardless of whether you come out right or wrong, or you win or lose,
It's all up to you
Ultimately, what happens is reliant on the decisions you make and the actions you take.
You can stand out on that highway
You can be out in the world, chasing your dreams
Look as far as you can see
Holding out hope for new possibilities and opportunities
But when you get to that horizon
Even when you achieve your goals and reach the end of the road
There's always someplace else to be
There will always be a new challenge, a new dream or goal to pursue, and other milestones to hit.
But don't you stop to look behind you
While it's essential to look back on past experiences and learn from them, it's also necessary to keep moving forward and avoid dwelling on the past.
'Cause you've got some travelin' left to do
There's always room for growth and improvement in your life, and there are endless possibilities that you can keep exploring.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE, HARRY EDWARD STINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marie Skin
❤️now the rain ain't gonna hurt ya, it's come to wash away your blues, here's a man that's been through some things. Love music like this to get us through ❣️
kane cook
Ya baby
MIB
Amazing lyrics, beautiful song, typical of Steve's talent and musical ability, fantastic 👍👍👍
Quintin Whitecloud
one of the best song writers of our time.
Dennis
One of ? I can't think of someone better...
Justin Lee
Did he write it? I’ll have to find out. Most in country music are karaoke singers.
Whitecloud Booyakasha
@Justin Lee all him bro. He's a master songwriter.
Dennis
@Justin Lee - Lol, yes he did, he's the real deal. Elvis' band recorded one of Steve's songs when Steve was I believe only 20 yrs old.
Vodena Puška
@Justin Lee yeah, maybe in Korea
Jeff card Card
Hidden gem that lots of people that are casual Steve fans. But real Steve fans have heard it. And I for one can relate to this song still today 👍