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.
Steve's Last Ramble
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hangin' up my highway shoes
Lately when I walk they make a hollow sound
And they carry me away from you
Every night I lay my body down
My empty arms just leave me blue
So I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
And find my way back home to you
I have always been the travelin' kind
A million miles behind me now
I kept on followin' that thin white line
But now I want to turn around
I only lived to hear that highway sound
High and lonesome - low and blue
Now I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
And find my way back home to you
So say goodbye to all my ramblin' pals
Ol' Highway Dave and Southside Sue
I don't believe they'll miss me anyhow
What's one less wayward soul or two
Down the road they'll pass the jug around
And they'll sing them lonesome highway blues
But me I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
And find my way back home to you
Steve Earle's "Steve's Last Ramble" is a song about a restless musician who has spent his life on the road, but now finds himself yearning for something more grounded. The opening lines describe the singer's feelings of weariness and detachment from the world around him. He is literally thinking about giving up his rambling lifestyle and returning to his hometown to be with his loved one. The lyrics talk about the singer's "highway shoes" making a "hollow sound" and carrying him away from the place he truly wants to be. He has grown tired of this wayfarer lifestyle, and longs for the comfort of home.
In the second verse, Earle illustrates the distance that has come between the singer and his old life. The singer mentions having traveled for miles and miles, but he now feels like he needs to retrace his steps. His love for the highway sounds that once served as balm for his longings are now replaced by an overpowering feeling of melancholy. Steve has reached the point where he firmly wants to put a stop to his "rambling and wandering" and go back to the origin.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' round
I am contemplating putting an end to my wandering ways
Hangin' up my highway shoes
I won't be needing my shoes for travelling anymore
Lately when I walk they make a hollow sound
My shoes make a sound that indicates they have travelled a lot
And they carry me away from you
My shoes take me farther away from my loved one
Every night I lay my body down
I go to bed every night
My empty arms just leave me blue
I feel sad and lonely without my loved one
So I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
I want to settle down and be with my loved one
And find my way back home to you
I want to return to my loved one
I have always been the travelin' kind
I have always loved to travel
A million miles behind me now
I have travelled a lot in my life
I kept on followin' that thin white line
I kept following the road
But now I want to turn around
But now I want to change direction and go back home
I only lived to hear that highway sound
I used to love the sound of the road
High and lonesome - low and blue
But now I feel sad and lonely
Now I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
I want to stop travelling and go back home
And find my way back home to you
I want to return to my loved one
So say goodbye to all my ramblin' pals
I will say farewell to my travelling friends
Ol' Highway Dave and Southside Sue
Two of my travelling companions who I will miss
I don't believe they'll miss me anyhow
I don't think my friends will miss me when I'm gone
What's one less wayward soul or two
Losing one or two wandering souls won't make much of a difference
Down the road they'll pass the jug around
My friends will continue their travels and drinking
And they'll sing them lonesome highway blues
They will sing sad songs about the road
But me I'm thinkin' 'bout givin' up this ramblin' 'round
But I want to settle down and be with my loved one
And find my way back home to you
I want to return to my loved one
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Steve Earle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@denisdossantos9098
It is absolutely criminal that Steve and his band aren't more widely recognized
@margaretgraves5109
Being recognised worldwide is not enough? 😂 Love this post, you are so cool x
@shirleycanady4130
Love every song Steve does BUT I believe this one is #1 for me .
@neilbuscher
Great Song!!
@Putin6655
Magic!
@margaretgraves5109
Time was 0658
I woke up to my Steve Rambling this song.
Is it a good sign.
Hell yeah !
The only man who is mine ❤️
@margaretgraves5109
Fucking love this so much.
Fucking love my Steve Earle so much
Come lets ramble together 😂😂😂😂
@margaretgraves5109
♥️♥️
@margaretgraves5109
Heart rate rises
I fuckimg love you My Steve Earle.
Woke up at 0658 with my babe in my ear
Sign that today's going to be a great one 🥰😍😘😘😘😘😘 😘😘
@joannehack7588
😎