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.
Sometimes She Forgets
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she tells you it's just the lights
That bring her here and not her loneliness
That's what she says but sometimes she forgets
If she tells you she don't need a man
She's had all the comfort she can stand
You'd best believe every word she says
Sometimes she forgets that not too long ago she swore
She wasn't gonna let her heart be broken anymore
So now she keeps it locked away
It grows colder every day
And it won't warm to any man's caress
That's what she says but sometimes she forgets
Yeh sometimes she forgets that not too long ago she swore
She wasn't gonna let her heart be broken anymore
So if you see her out tonight
And she tells you it's just the lights
That bring her here and not her loneliness
That's what she says but sometimes she forgets
Hey now don't give up 'cause sometimes she forgets
The song "Sometimes She Forgets" by Steve Earle is a melancholic ballad about a woman who has been hurt in the past and is trying her best to move on from her heartbreak. The song starts with a warning to the singer's friends that if they see her out at night, and she tells them that she's only there because of the lights and not because of loneliness, that she might be lying. The singer explains that, despite her efforts to move on, "sometimes she forgets" about her past and the pain she went through.
The second verse explains that the woman claims she doesn't need a man and that she's had enough comfort to last her a lifetime. The singer advises the listener to believe her but also warns them not to give up on her. Despite her words, she's not entirely closed off to the idea of love again. The chorus repeats that "sometimes she forgets," referring to the woman's memories of being hurt, which she tries to repress.
The final verse of the song describes that the woman's heart has grown colder every day, and it won't warm to anyone's touch. She may say that she doesn't want love, but sometimes she forgets her past promises and her true desires. The song's repetition of "sometimes she forgets" continues to emphasize the woman's struggle with reconciling her past with her present.
Line by Line Meaning
If you see her out tonight
If you happen to come across her tonight
And she tells you it's just the lights
And she says that she's there because of the lights
That bring her here and not her loneliness
That she's not there due to loneliness but the attraction of the lights
That's what she says but sometimes she forgets
However, she might forget that she's there not because of loneliness and the lights, which could be possible reasons too
If she tells you she don't need a man
If she claims that she doesn't need a man
She's had all the comfort she can stand
Then, she's had enough comfort and support she could cope up
You'd best believe every word she says
It's safe to trust and believe what she utters
But don't give up 'cause sometimes she forgets
Nevertheless, don't surrender since she might change her thoughts
Sometimes she forgets that not too long ago she swore
She sometimes fails to remember her pledge of not getting her heart broken again
She wasn't gonna let her heart be broken anymore
Her objective was to prevent any more heartbreaks
So now she keeps it locked away
Therefore, she locks it up safely
It grows colder every day
However, it's getting colder and colder each day
And it won't warm to any man's caress
Additionally, any man's touch can't make it warm
That's what she says but sometimes she forgets
She conveys that it's not possible to make it warm, but occasionally forgets her assertion
Hey now don't give up 'cause sometimes she forgets
Accordingly, don't lose faith since she can forget what she previously thought or felt
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
julie brtek
Steve Earle will always be greatest song writer. Why I truly enjoy his music. Since start.
Monster Mack
Love both versions both Travis & Steve are up there but Steve really deserves more recognition
dave ricci
one of the greatest blue grass / country songs ever if you want to argue that.... you lose
Ruth Boykin
Oh my, hadn't heard this in a while! Love it. Thanks for having it here, Tom!
Aljoshaaa
great album, great singer, thnxxx for posting :))))
dave ricci
the best steve earle song
DrDirtrx
This is a so much better version than the Travis Tritt version. When I sing this I can't even do the TT version anymore. Start out trying but Steve's overtakes.
Natalie Cote
Sometimes she forgets that not too long ago she swore, she wasn't gonna let her heart be broken anymore.
D'Ascoyne
It's like a classic Hank Williams song. Brilliant!
Michael
Shared this on Facebook.... Great Tune!!!!!!!