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.
Nowhere Road
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straighter than a preacher
Longer than a memory
And it goes, forever onward
Been a good teacher
For a lot of country boys like me
I push that load from here to someday
I'll push as long as I'm alive, but I don't know how long I'll last
I'm blowin' by the double five
I know I'm going way too fast
I been down this road just searching' for the end
It don't go nowhere, it just brings you back again
Leaves you lonely and cold, standin' on the shoulder
But you've come too far to go back home
So you're walkin' on a nowhere road
Some folks say, if you keep rollin'
And keep it on the yellow line
It'll take you on the big highway
But there's a toll to pay, if you're going
The keeper of the gate is blind
So you better be prepared to pay
The song Nowhere Road by Steve Earle is a melancholic reflection on the aimless journey of life on a long and straight road in Oklahoma. Earle uses vivid imagery to describe the road as longer than a memory, and it seems to go forever onward. The road may be a good teacher for a lot of country boys like Earle himself, but it is just a road, not a highway. As he drives down the road, blowing past double-five speed limits, he ponders the futility of his journey, unsure of how long he can keep pushing the load from here to someday.
The second verse sees Earle question the possible destination or goal of the road, as he has been down the road searching for the end, only to find it leads you back again, leaving you lonely and cold on the shoulder. Despite this, he has come too far to go back home, and thus he keeps walking down the nowhere road. The final verse speaks of the toll one must pay for going on such a journey, with the keeper of the gate being blind. Earle advises his listeners to be prepared to pay the toll if they want to keep on this road.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a road, in Oklahoma
The song is about a specific road in Oklahoma
Straighter than a preacher
The road is remarkably straight
Longer than a memory
The road seems to go on forever
And it goes, forever onward
The road continues without a clear end in sight
Been a good teacher
The road has taught many lessons to country boys like the singer
For a lot of country boys like me
The singer relates to other individuals who have traveled this road
I push that load from here to someday
The singer has been traveling down the road for a long time
I'll push as long as I'm alive, but I don't know how long I'll last
The singer plans to keep traveling, but acknowledges that he may not make it to the end of the road
'Cause it's just a road, it ain't no highway
The road is not one of the major highways
I'm blowin' by the double five
The singer is driving too fast
I know I'm going way too fast
The singer is aware that he is driving too fast
I been down this road just searching' for the end
The singer has been on this road for a long time, searching for a clear end or destination
It don't go nowhere, it just brings you back again
The road ultimately does not lead to a specific destination, and instead loops back around
Leaves you lonely and cold, standin' on the shoulder
The road leaves the singer feeling isolated and abandoned
But you've come too far to go back home
The singer has traveled too far to simply turn back and go home
So you're walkin' on a nowhere road
The singer is continuing down the road even though it appears to lead nowhere
Some folks say, if you keep rollin'
There are people who believe that eventually the road will lead to a major highway
And keep it on the yellow line
To reach the supposed highway, one must stay on the center line
It'll take you on the big highway
Staying on the yellow line is thought to lead to a major highway
But there's a toll to pay, if you're going
There is a price to pay for following this path
The keeper of the gate is blind
The person or entity who controls the entrance to the supposed highway is not reliable or trustworthy
So you better be prepared to pay
Those who follow the path should be aware that there may be a high cost associated with doing so
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Earle, Reno Kling
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jescobedo36je
Lyrics
There's a road, in Oklahoma
Straighter than a preacher
Longer than a memory
And it goes, forever onward
Been a good teacher
For a lot of country boys like me
I push that load from here to someday
I'll push as long as I'm alive, but I don't know how long I'll last
'Cause it's just a road, it ain't no highway
I'm blowin' by the double five
I know I'm going way too fast
I been down this road just searching' for the end
It don't go nowhere, it just brings you back again
Leaves you lonely and cold, standin' on the shoulder
But you've come too far to go back home
So you're walkin' on a nowhere road
Some folks say, if you keep rollin'
And keep it on the yellow line
It'll take you on the big highway
But there's a toll to pay, if you're going
The keeper of the gate is blind
So you better be prepared to pay
@UCqkdtMiE5ZquD_lF9prae4Q
হলুদ লাইনে রাখুন এটি আপনাকে বড় হাইওয়েতে নিয়ে যাবে....
Lyrics:
There's a road, in Oklahoma
Straighter than a preacher
Longer than a memory
And it goes, forever onward
Been a good teacher
For a lot of country boys like me
I push that load from here to someday
I'll push as long as I'm alive, but I don't know how long I'll last
'Cause it's just a road, it ain't no highway
I'm blowin' by the double five
I know I'm going way too fast
I been down this road just searching' for the end
It don't go nowhere, it just brings you back again
Leaves you lonely and cold, standin' on the shoulder
But you've come too far to go back home
So you're walkin' on a nowhere road
Some folks say if you keep rollin'
And keep it on the yellow line
It'll take you on the big highway
But there's a toll to pay if you're going
The keeper of the gate is blind
So you better be prepared to pay
ওকলাহোমায় একটি রাস্তা আছে
একজন প্রচারকের চেয়ে সোজা
স্মৃতির চেয়েও দীর্ঘ
এবং এটি চিরতরে এগিয়ে যায়
ভালো শিক্ষক হয়েছেন
আমার মত অনেক দেশের ছেলেদের জন্য
আমি এই লোড এখান থেকে কোন দিন ঠেলে দেব
আমি যতদিন বেঁচে আছি ততক্ষণ ধাক্কা দেব, কিন্তু আমি জানি না কতক্ষণ আমি বেঁচে থাকব
কারণ এটা একটা রাস্তা, এটা কোন হাইওয়ে নয়
আমি ডাবল ফাইভের দ্বারা প্রস্ফুটিত
আমি জানি আমি খুব দ্রুত যাচ্ছি
আমি শেষের জন্য এই রাস্তায় নেমে এসেছি
এটি কোথাও যায় না, এটি আপনাকে আবার ফিরিয়ে আনে
কাঁধে দাঁড়িয়ে আপনাকে একাকী এবং শীতল ছেড়ে দেয়
কিন্তু আপনি বাড়ি ফিরে যেতে অনেক দূরে এসেছেন
তাই আপনি কোথাও কোথাও হাঁটছেন
কিছু লোক বলে আপনি যদি ঘুরতে থাকেন
এবং হলুদ লাইনে রাখুন
এটি আপনাকে বড় হাইওয়েতে নিয়ে যাবে
কিন্তু আপনি যাচ্ছেন যদি দিতে একটি টোল আছে
ফটকের রক্ষক অন্ধ
সুতরাং আপনি আরও ভাল অর্থ প্রদানের জন্য প্রস্তুত থাকুন
@paultaflinger1875
Steve's songs tell a story about life. All you have to do is listen. He is beyond talented.
@mcrystal1383
I know exactly what you mean.
@kevinparker9848
one of the greatest singer/ songwriters of all time!
@terriwatson3993
Yes i couldnt agree more. Ive got to make it to our family reunion this year
@terriwatson3993
Yes he is one of the greatest. I'm on a towns and steve roll. When i stop to listen to their music, my world stops and all i can do is listen to their music for hours they are dear to my heart. Always and 4-ever. I hope all is good they are in my heart. 4hrs listening and cant turn off their music i love it heart and soul. I feel the presence of towns thru is music its a good feeling......
@douglasgay4497
AMEN.!!
@danielmims8467
He had some really good teachers and it shows.
@fatabby13
I wish this song was longer...I love it and always end up playing twice in a row while I'm trucking.
@dickthedalek
driving this afternoon, this song came on - over too soon - played it again..
@JeffreySykes
I been listening to it like 10 times in a row the last week or so.