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.
Until the Day I Die
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love shined like a diamond in your eyes
I swore I'd never hurt you - then I did
Now I'm all alone with all my lies
I promised that I'd never be untrue
I'd never make you cry
The only promise that I didn't break
Was to love you until the day I die
I wish I'd never seen those city lights
A sight for a country boy to see
For every one that you see shinin' bright
Another is burnin' out like me
I wouldn't listen though you told me dear
I couldn't see the lie
But all the same I still love you tonight
And I'll love you until the day I die
They built this prison just for fools like me
Who don't know a treasure from a stone
I killed a man now I won't ever see
The green rollin' hills where I was born
No I won't ever see your face again
But if I close my eyes
I can almost hear you call me back to then
And I'll love you until the day I die
The song "Until the Day I Die" by Steve Earle talks about a love that was once pure and true, but was eventually tainted and lost due to the singer's own doing. The lyrics are particularly poignant, as they narrate the regret and longing that comes after one realizes the mistakes they have made, but at the same time, feel helpless and trapped in their own life. Steve Earle paints a picture of two young lovers, who had a bright future ahead of them, shining like a "diamond in your eyes." The singer swore to never hurt his lover, but ultimately ended up doing just that. He is now alone with his lies, and the only promise that he has kept is to love her until the day he dies.
The refrain of the song reminisces about the past and what could have been. The singer wishes he had never left the hills and seen the city, as it brought nothing but sorrow and heartache. He alludes to the fact that for every city light that shines bright, there are those that are burning out, a metaphor for what has happened to his own life. He realizes that he did not heed his lover's warnings, but he still loves her tonight, and he will continue to do so until the day he dies.
In the final verse, the singer accepts his fate and the consequences of his actions. He acknowledges that he is in a prison, built for people like him who do not know a treasure from a stone. He has killed a man and won't be able to see the green rolling hills where he was born or his lover again. However, he is comforted by the fact that he can almost hear her calling him back to then. This final line is powerful in that it suggests that the memories of what once was, and the love that was once shared, is something that he will carry with him until his dying day.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the hills when we were only kids
When we were young and carefree, living in the rural area
Love shined like a diamond in your eyes
You had a special love which was easily recognizable in your eyes
I swore I'd never hurt you - then I did
Despite my promise never to cause you pain, I ended up hurting you
Now I'm all alone with all my lies
I am now isolated and burdened by the deceitful things I have done
I promised that I'd never be untrue
I gave my word that I would always be faithful
I'd never make you cry
I assured you that I would never cause you to shed tears
The only promise that I didn't break
Out of all my promises, the only one I kept was to love you until the end of my life
Was to love you until the day I die
I pledged to love you forever, even after my demise
I wish I'd never seen those city lights
I regret moving from our rural home to the city
A sight for a country boy to see
I was fascinated by the bright lights and the urban life that it offered
For every one that you see shinin' bright
For every person who seems to be living their best life in the city, there is another struggling to survive
Another is burnin' out like me
Like so many others, I am on the verge of collapsing from the pressures of city life
I wouldn't listen though you told me dear
Despite your wise counsel, I refused to heed your advice
I couldn't see the lie
I was blinded by my desire for the city life and failed to recognize the dangers that came with it
But all the same I still love you tonight
Nevertheless, I still have feelings of love for you this very evening
And I'll love you until the day I die
I will always cherish and adore you, even beyond my earthly life
They built this prison just for fools like me
This confinement was designed for people who made foolish and reckless decisions such as myself
Who don't know a treasure from a stone
For people like me who are unable to differentiate between that which is valuable versus what is worthless
I killed a man now I won't ever see
I am responsible for taking someone's life, and because of this, I will never experience the joys of freedom or seeing you again
The green rollin' hills where I was born
The natural beauty of the countryside, where I was born and raised
No I won't ever see your face again
Due to my actions, I will never have the chance to gaze upon your countenance once more
But if I close my eyes
Despite this cruel fate, I can still find some solace...
I can almost hear you call me back to then
...by thinking of times when you called out to me in the past and reliving those memories
And I'll love you until the day I die
and through it all, I will always love you, even until the end of my days
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind