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.
The Firebreak Line
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Well, I'm a wildfire fighting fool
From the Yellow mountain hotshot crew
I can swamp and fell, I can walk through hell
When the wind's blowin hot and dry
And the sparks and the cinders fly
I'll make my stand with twenty good men
A better band of brother's you'll never find
Got their back and they got mine
I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Well, I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Ed Pulaski is a friend of mine
When I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
He invented this thing like an axe I swing
And he never left a member of his crew behind
When the fire jumped across the line
Took 'em down in an abandoned mine
Then he drew his gun, said he'd shoot the first one
That got it in his head to try and step outside
Got everybody out alive
Ed Pulaski is a friend of mine
And I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
Cuttin out a firebreak line, whoo!
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
Cuttin' out a firebreak line, whoo
Gotta pray that the wind'll die
And it rains down from on high
Oh, we'll raise a glass to the hotshots past
In hotshot heaven up above the sky
They're watching over me when I'm
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Now I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Whoa, I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
Cuttin' out a firebreak line
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
In this song, Steve Earle speaks from the perspective of a member of the wildfire-fighting crew, the Yellow Mountain Hotshots. The crew's job is to cut out a firebreak line, which helps contain the fire by removing any flammable material in its path. The singer is dedicated to his work and recognizes that his job requires him to be a "wildfire fighting fool." In addition to cutting out the firebreak line, the singer is also an EMT and torchman, able to handle other aspects of the job.
The singer also pays tribute to the inventor of the Pulaski tool, Ed Pulaski, who was a firefighter in the late 19th century. The tool was a combination of an axe and a mattock (a type of digging tool), and it was widely used in the firefighting industry. Pulaski is remembered for his bravery during the Great Idaho Fire of 1910, where he saved 40 members of his crew in an abandoned mine.
The song also acknowledges the tragedies that can occur during wildfire season. The singer prays for the wind to die and for rain to come down to help extinguish the flames. He also raises a glass to the hotshots who have passed away and now watch over the singer as he continues to work.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm cuttin' out a firebreak line
I am creating a path in the vegetation that will slow or stop the spread of a wildfire
Digging down deep to the clay and lime
I am digging a trench deep enough to reach fire-resistant soil
Well, I'm a wildfire fighting fool
I am highly skilled at fighting wildfires
From the Yellow mountain hotshot crew
I am part of a highly-trained firefighting crew
I'm an EMT and a torchman too
I am trained in emergency medical response as well as igniting controlled fires to help contain a wildfire
When the wind's blowin hot and dry
During unfavorable conditions for containing a wildfire
And the sparks and the cinders fly
When the airborne embers from the wildfire are a significant danger to the surrounding area
I'll make my stand with twenty good men
I am ready to work with my fellow firefighters to protect the area from the wildfire
A better band of brother's you'll never find
The bond between firefighters is strong and we work together as a close-knit team
Got their back and they got mine
We support and protect each other while fighting wildfires
Ed Pulaski is a friend of mine
Ed Pulaski was a firefighter and inventor of the Pulaski tool, which I use in my work, and I respect and admire him
Then he drew his gun, said he'd shoot the first one
In a dangerous situation, Ed Pulaski took drastic measures to protect his team, showing his dedication and bravery
That got it in his head to try and step outside
Ed Pulaski's priority was getting his team to safety, and he would not tolerate anyone risking their lives unnecessarily
Got everybody out alive
Thanks to Ed Pulaski's bravery and quick thinking, his entire team survived a difficult situation
Gotta pray that the wind'll die
Sometimes, the best we can do is hope for favorable weather conditions to help contain the wildfire
And it rains down from on high
Rain can be a huge help in containing wildfires and preventing them from spreading further
Oh, we'll raise a glass to the hotshots past
We honor the legacy of firefighters who have come before us and their sacrifices
In hotshot heaven up above the sky
A poetic reference to a place where fallen firefighters are remembered and honored
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Earle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DannyLeeAndersonMusic
Steve, this song is epic bad assery. I can’t even put into words to describe what you did for those men. Plus it’s fire in itself, the song, itself, is on fire. On point and nailed.
@whalemoth
True national treasure.
@heikotheubert4452
Steve earle is marvellous
Listen to hin since 1988
Never got dusappointed
@ryanbeirness5267
So cool man i so want to have a beer with that guy
@skootempaw10
Where do you put the next Earle song. I am running out if room. Never disappointed, another great tune.
@valtermaggioni9574
Great!
@roymack4890
I raise a glass to all my hotshot brothers and sisters! How about a round of Jager Bombs for 20!!
@skootempaw10
Hard workin sonofaguns
@cdawg116
as an actual former hotshot, my only beef with this song is the phrase "hotshot heaven". there is no hotshot heaven, we all go to Hell
@whalemoth
Edgelord.