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.
Transcendental Blues
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If it was in my power I'd step into the light
Candles on the altar, penny in your shoe
Walk upon the water - transcendental blues.
Happy ever after 'til the day you die
Careful what you ask for, you don't know 'til you try
Hands are in your pockets, starin' at your shoes
If I had it my way, everything would change
Out here on this highway the rules are still the same
Back roads never carry you where you want 'em to
They leave you standin' there with them ol'
Transcendental Blues.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The song "Transcendental Blues" by Steve Earle is a contemplative piece that evokes the idea of transformation and self-discovery. The lyrics speak of darkness, loneliness, and the longing to break free from the monotonous routine of life. The opening words, "In the darkest hour of the longest night," sets the tone of the song, and the use of imagery like "Candles on the altar" and "penny in your shoe" creates an almost spiritual atmosphere, implying that the singer is searching for a deeper meaning in life. The line "Walk upon the water - transcendental blues" could be interpreted as a metaphor for breaking free from the mundane and transcending to a higher plane of existence.
The second verse talks about the importance of being careful what one wishes for, as it may have unforeseen consequences. The use of the phrase "transcendental blues" in the chorus reinforces the idea that the singer is yearning for something more significant than what is apparent. The final verse suggests that the singer wants change, but even on the highways (which symbolize the journey of life), the rules remain unchanged, and the back roads only lead to a dead end. This final verse might suggest that the singer has come to terms with the idea that transformation only comes from within.
Overall, "Transcendental Blues" is an introspective song that explores existential themes of transformation and the search for deeper meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
In the darkest hour of the longest night
During times of great darkness and despair, when it seems like there is little hope and the night will never end.
If it was in my power I'd step into the light
If it were possible to escape the darkness and find the light, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Candles on the altar, penny in your shoe
In times of prayer and ceremony, candles are lit to represent a higher power. People sometimes add a penny to their shoes as a form of good luck or protection.
Walk upon the water - transcendental blues
To transcend one's earthly existence and experience a higher state of mind, represented here by walking on water.
Happy ever after 'til the day you die
The idea that happiness will last forever, until the end of one's life.
Careful what you ask for, you don't know 'til you try
Be cautious with what you wish for, as you never truly know what the consequences will be until you experience it for yourself.
Hands are in your pockets, starin' at your shoes
Feeling lost, alone, and unsure of oneself, with no clear direction or purpose.
Wishin' you could stop it - transcendental blues
Longing for a way to escape this stagnant existence and transcend to a more meaningful life.
If I had it my way, everything would change
Expressing a desire for immense change and transformation, if only one had the power to make it happen.
Out here on this highway the rules are still the same
No matter where one goes or what they do, the fundamental rules of life still apply.
Back roads never carry you where you want 'em to
Sometimes, taking the less-traveled road will not lead you to where you hoped it would.
They leave you standin' there with them ol' Transcendental Blues
Those who stray from the beaten path may find themselves searching for meaning in the same type of existential struggle as before, represented here as the 'Transcendental Blues.'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: STEPHEN F. EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KMC
In the darkest hour of the longest night
If it was in my power I'd step into the light
Candles on the alter, penny in your shoe
Walk upon the water - transcendental blues
Happy ever after 'til the day you die
Careful what you ask for, you don't know 'til you try
Hands are in your pockets, starin' at your shoes
Wishin' you could stop it - transcendental blues
If I had it my way, everything would change
Out here on this highway the rules are still the same
Back roads never carry you where you want 'em to
They leave you standin' there with them ol' transcendental blues
Gary Taylor
Steve Earle is the real deal and is one of the few who has never sold out.
Tris Mac Carran
@Gary Taylor...love this man. First time I'd gotten emotional in years was upon listening to another song off this album, Lonelier Than This
Tine Tannies
What does it even mean to "sell out"? If you're an artist and you become successful and because of that success you make a lot of $$$, is that "selling out"? Sometimes it seems like the only way people can be considered to be "legit" is to be failures.
XKAHAN1
Um, I think if you look, you’ll see Steve’s debut went to #1 with a bullet on the 80’s country charts. Had he sold out then?
I’ve seen him 1/2 dozen times over the years. The man waded through a RIVER of shit to get to where he is today. Is he more of an artist than say, Kenny Chesney because KC sells out arenas? To each his own.
SE does things pretty much on his terms but if Jerusalem didn’t make a profit you wouldn’t have Transcendental Blues. You savvy? Art is short, death is long. Don’t worry about who sold out and who didn’t. Enjoy every sandwich. Enjoy every song.
🦊🖤🐾☕️ 🚬
Randyl Bishop
This song is one of my all time favorites. Got me through some tough times.
Scott Conyer
My fave Earle album. No question.
Front to back it’s on point.
KMC
In the darkest hour of the longest night
If it was in my power I'd step into the light
Candles on the alter, penny in your shoe
Walk upon the water - transcendental blues
Happy ever after 'til the day you die
Careful what you ask for, you don't know 'til you try
Hands are in your pockets, starin' at your shoes
Wishin' you could stop it - transcendental blues
If I had it my way, everything would change
Out here on this highway the rules are still the same
Back roads never carry you where you want 'em to
They leave you standin' there with them ol' transcendental blues
Rusty Johnson
I've looked forever for this song because I heard it on Longmire and I finally found it I really like it
Sue Natewa
Rusty Johnson: I watched some older movie and this song was on the list of the side track. Really fell in love with the song. Happy we like the same song with the other 9, :D Hope you are well. Take Care.
Rusty Johnson
@Sue Natewa thank you hope you are well too