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.
Tom Dooley
Steve Earle Lyrics
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Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
You left her by the roadside
Where you begged to be excused;
You left her by the roadside,
Then you hid her clothes and shoes.
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
You took her on the hillside
For to make her your wife;
You took her on the hillside,
And ther you took her life.
You dug the grave four feet long
And you dug it three feet deep;
You rolled the cold clay over her
And tromped it with your feet.
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
"Trouble, oh it's trouble
A-rollin' through my breast;
As long as I'm a-livin', boys,
They ain't a-gonna let me rest.
I know they're gonna hang me,
Tomorrow I'll be dead,
Though I never even harmed a hair
On poor little Laurie's head."
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
"In this world and one more
Then reckon where I'll be;
If is wasn't for Sheriff Grayson,
I'd be in Tennesee.
You can take down my old violin
And play it all you please.
For at this time tomorrow, boys,
Iit'll be of no use to me."
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
"At this time tomorrow
Where do you reckon I'll be?
Away down yonder in the holler
Hangin' on a white oak tree.
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang your head and cry;
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
And you know you're bound to die.
"Tom Dooley" is a traditional American folk song, which tells the story of Tom Dula (Dooley), a former Confederate soldier who was hanged for the murder of his lover Laura Foster in North Carolina in 1868. The lyrics are sung from Tom's perspective, as he laments his fate and recounts the events that led to his execution.
The song begins with Tom being urged to hang his head and cry for his crime, as he is guilty of killing Laurie Foster and knows he is destined to die. The lyrics describe how Tom left Laurie by the roadside and hid her clothes and shoes. He had taken her to the hillside with the intention of marrying her, but instead he killed her.
The song ends with Tom accepting his fate and acknowledging that he will be hanged for his crime. He speaks about his hopes and fears for the afterlife, and how he knows that his violin, which brings him joy in life, will be of no use to him in the next world.
Overall, "Tom Dooley" is a haunting and melancholy ballad that reflects on the fragility of life and the consequences of our actions. Through Tom's story, it explores themes of love, betrayal, and the darkness that can lie within us all.
Line by Line Meaning
Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Tom should hang his head in shame for killing Laurie Foster.
Hang your head and cry;
Tom should be remorseful and ashamed for his actions.
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
Tom is responsible for Laurie Foster's death.
And you know you're bound to die.
Tom knows he will be punished for his crime.
You left her by the roadside
Tom abandoned Laurie's body on the side of the road.
Where you begged to be excused;
Tom tried to justify his actions to Laurie before leaving her.
Then you hid her clothes and shoes.
Tom tried to cover up the evidence of his crime by hiding Laurie's belongings.
You took her on the hillside
Tom led Laurie into the hills.
For to make her your wife;
Tom had romantic intentions with Laurie.
And ther you took her life.
Tom committed murder on the hillside.
You dug the grave four feet long
Tom prepared a shallow grave for Laurie.
And you dug it three feet deep;
Tom did a poor job of burying Laurie's body.
You rolled the cold clay over her
Tom covered Laurie's body in dirt.
And tromped it with your feet.
Tom packed the dirt down with his feet.
"Trouble, oh it's trouble
Tom is troubled by the consequences of his actions.
A-rollin' through my breast;
Tom is anxious and disturbed.
As long as I'm a-livin', boys,
The feeling of distress will follow Tom for the rest of his life.
They ain't a-gonna let me rest.
Tom will never find peace or comfort because of his guilt.
I know they're gonna hang me,
Tom is aware that he will be executed.
Tomorrow I'll be dead,
Tom knows his execution is imminent.
Though I never even harmed a hair
Tom claims he did not harm Laurie.
On poor little Laurie's head."
Tom is trying to deny responsibility for his crime.
"In this world and one more
Tom believes in the afterlife.
Then reckon where I'll be;
Tom wonders where he will end up after death.
If is wasn't for Sheriff Grayson,
Tom would try to escape if it were not for Sheriff Grayson.
I'd be in Tennesee.
Tom wishes he was somewhere else where he could escape punishment.
You can take down my old violin
Tom no longer cares about his beloved violin.
And play it all you please.
Tom won't be around to enjoy music anymore.
For at this time tomorrow, boys,
Tom will have already been executed by this time tomorrow.
Iit'll be of no use to me."
Tom's violin will have no meaning or value after his death.
"At this time tomorrow
Tom knows the exact time of his execution.
Where do you reckon I'll be?
Tom questions where he will be after death.
Away down yonder in the holler
Tom believes he will be in hell.
Hangin' on a white oak tree.
Tom believes he will be hung on a tree as punishment in the afterlife.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dave Guard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind