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.
Mystery Train Part 2
Steve Earle Lyrics
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Hear them tracks a hummin' There's a train a comin'
Can't you hear her blowin' Can't you hear her blowin'
Wonder where she's goin' Can't you hear her blowin'
Run down the station Run down to the station
Dread and fascination Run down to the station
Wonder what's inside her Don't you want to ride her
She ain't bound for nowhere She ain't bound for nowhere
Engineer just don't care She ain't bound for nowhere
She run down the mountain She run down the mountain
She won't even slow down mmm down the mountain
There's a train a comin' There's a train a comin'
Hear them tracks a hummin' There's a train a comin'
The lyrics of Steve Earle's "Mystery Train Part 2" capture the excitement and anticipation of waiting for a train. The repetition of the phrase "there's a train a comin'" creates a sense of urgency and anticipation, while the description of the tracks humming suggests the power and force of the locomotive as it approaches. The lyrics also convey a sense of mystery, as the singer wonders where the train is going and what is inside. The line "run down to the station, dread and fascination" captures the conflicting emotions of waiting for the train, as the singer feels both excitement and fear.
The lyrics suggest that the train is not bound for any particular destination and that the engineer is unconcerned about the train's final location. This further adds to the sense of mystery surrounding the train and creates a feeling of freedom and adventure.
Overall, the lyrics to "Mystery Train Part 2" capture the excitement and sense of anticipation that comes with waiting for a train. The repetition of the phrase "there's a train a comin'" creates a sense of urgency and anticipation, while the description of the tracks humming and the freedom of the train itself suggest the possibility of adventure and the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a train a comin'
A locomotive is approaching
Hear them tracks a hummin'
The train can be heard because of the vibrations it causes on the tracks
Can't you hear her blowin'
The whistle of the train can be heard
Wonder where she's goin'
Curious about the destination of the train
Run down to the station
Hurry up to the train station
Dread and fascination
Feeling both scared and intrigued by the train
Don't you want to ride her
Wouldn't it be exciting to ride on this train?
Wonder what's inside her
What cargo or passengers are being transported in the train?
She ain't bound for nowhere
The train is not headed to any particular destination
Engineer just don't care
The driver of the train doesn't have any specific route or schedule to follow
She run down the mountain
The train is moving down the mountain at a great speed
She won't even slow down mmm down the mountain
The train is not slowing down as it descends the mountain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind