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.
You Broke My Heart
Steve Earle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you're pain'ted up and gone to town
Won't be walkin' up and down and wonderin' where you are
Used to sit up waitin' by the door
I don't worry 'bout that anymore
Like I used to 'cause it was before you broke my heart
I used to be a happy guy
But then every lie you ever told me did it's part
Then you come around and make amends
Can you promise not to stray again
And I always took you back and then you broke my heart
I should have known you would never change
My poor heart won't ever be the same
All I can do is blame it on the moon again
For a memory that never ends
Of one evening gone forever when you broke my heart
Days will pass, seasons come and go
I expect no less than nothin' so
I got nothin' left that I can
Show for all my tears and pain
But the emptiness it still remain
And I'll never love again because you broke my heart
In "You Broke My Heart," Steve Earle sings about a broken heart and the pain that ensues when a lover leaves. The lyrics talk about how the singer used to wait up for his lover by the door, but he doesn't do that anymore because he's been hurt too many times. He remembers the lies she told him and the promises she broke, leaving him heartbroken.
The song is about coming to grips with the fact that someone you thought would always be there for you has left you behind. The singer has been forced to accept that his lover is gone, and he can't do anything about it. He blames himself for not knowing better and for taking her back over and over again.
The song's tone is sad and reflective, and its powerful vocals and guitar melody emphasize the importance of the lyrics. Earle's delivery, combined with the lyrics, conveys the powerful emotions that a person feels after a breakup or loss.
Overall, "You Broke My Heart" is a moving and poignant portrayal of lost love and a broken heart. The song's emotional depth and authenticity make it a classic, and it continues to resonate with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
This evening when the sun goes down
At the end of the day
And you're pain'ted up and gone to town
You've put on makeup and left for the city
Won't be walkin' up and down and wonderin' where you are
I won't be searching for your whereabouts anymore
Used to sit up waitin' by the door
I used to wait for you by the door
I don't worry 'bout that anymore
I'm not concerned about that anymore
Like I used to 'cause it was before you broke my heart
My outlook has changed since you broke my heart
I used to be a happy guy
I was formerly happy
Not too sad and never cry
I wasn't too sad and I never cried
But then every lie you ever told me did it's part
Each lie you told me played a role in breaking my heart
Then you come around and make amends
You apologize and try to fix things
Can you promise not to stray again
Can you assure me that you won't cheat again
And I always took you back and then you broke my heart
I always forgave you, only to have my heart broken again
I should have known you would never change
I should have been aware that you could never change
My poor heart won't ever be the same
My heart will never be the same after what you did
All I can do is blame it on the moon again
I can only attribute it to celestial forces with no control over it
For a memory that never ends
For a memory that lingers on forever
Of one evening gone forever when you broke my heart
Of one night that destroyed me
Days will pass, seasons come and go
Time will keep moving forward
I expect no less than nothin' so
I don't have any expectations
I got nothin' left that I can
I have nothing else
Show for all my tears and pain
To show for all the tears and agony I've experienced
But the emptiness it still remain
But the void still lingers
And I'll never love again because you broke my heart
You've shattered my heart so I'll never be able to love again
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steve Earle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind