[edit] Career
Wariner began performing as a youth in his father's band and in local clubs. In 1971, he was hired as a bassist for Dottie West's band. He also worked heavily with Chet Atkins (one of his childhood influences) and he played with Bob Luman's band.
His first major recording contract was with RCA Records in 1978. His first single releases failed to chart in the top 40 of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart, although the song "I'm Already Taken" was re-released in 1999, peaking at #3 that year. His first No. 1 hit came in December, 1981, with "All Roads Lead to You."
However, his real popularity didn't take off until the mid-1980s, when he began recording for MCA Records. During his six-year stint with MCA, he scored 19 consecutive top 10 hits, eight of them going to No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart. The most successful of those songs included "Some Fools Never Learn" (1985, his second No. 1 hit), "What I Didn't Do" (1985), "You Can Dream of Me" (1986), "Lynda" (1987) and "I Got Dreams" (1989).
In the early 1990s, Wariner continued his success with Arista Records, with several of his songs reaching the top 10. But his success soon tapered off, as radio programmers became more interested in newer performers.
Wariner, however, continued to maintain his popularity through his instrumental talents. One example was 1991's "Restless," a collaboration with Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill and Mark O'Connor (from O'Connor's album The New Nashville Cats). "Restless" won Wariner (as well as Skaggs and Gill) his first Grammy Award in 1991 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. In 1996, Wariner released an album of all instrumental tracks called No More Mr. Nice Guy. Though well-received by critics, it proved to be Wariner's last album for Arista.
Wariner also remained in the public eye with his songwriting talents. His composition, "Longneck Bottle" (a No. 1 hit by Garth Brooks), along with a No. 1 duet from early 1998 with singer Anita Cochran called "What If I Said" (his first No. 1 in more than eight years) reinvigorated Wariner's career.
The highlight of Wariner's career came in the spring of 1998. Now recording for Capitol Records, his song "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" - a song about dealing with grief of close friends and relatives - promptly shot to No. 2 and won the Country Music Association awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
Wariner also collaborated with other well-known singers and songwriters, including Clint Black and Bill Anderson; he also scored several more hits, most notably 1999's "Two Teardrops" and "I'm Already Taken" (the latter a re-recording of his 1978 debut release).
[edit] Discography
Main article: Steve Wariner discography
[edit] External links
The Official Fan Club Website
Grand Ole Opry Bio
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wariner"
All Roads Lead To You
Steve Wariner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pick up my shove, l put my back to the grind
Got another job in Flagstaff and this one's paid
I work the freeway, the pays all right
But I can't get you off my mind
'Cause every stretch of highway ends the same
I thought I could forget but it's now use
Your memory is there wherever I go, whatever I do
All road lead to you
The boss said one more mile to go
The last one always goes so slow
If I could just turn off my mind I'd be all right
But I keep wondering what went wrong
Whose holding you now that I'm gone
There's not a minute that goes by you don't cross my mind
All roads lead to you
I thought I could forget but it's now use
Your memory is there wherever I go, whatever I do
All road lead to you
The sun's getting to me
I think I see you in every car that passes by
No way around it I'll always love you
Any fool can read the signs
All roads lead to you
I thought I could forget but it's now use
Your memory is there wherever I go, whatever I do
All road lead to you
All roads lead to you
I thought I could forget but it's now use
Your memory is there wherever I go whatever I do
All road lead to you
All roads lead to you
I thought I could forget but it's now use
Your memory is there wherever I go whatever I do
All road lead to you
The song "All Roads Lead to You" by Steve Wariner is a poignant ballad about a man who is struggling to get over a past love. He's taken a job on the freeway to try and distract himself, but no matter where he goes or what he does, he can't seem to forget about her. Every stretch of highway, every mile marker, every long, hot day on the blacktop, it all leads back to her. The lyric "any fool can read the signs" suggests that he knows deep down that he's never going to be able to move on from her, but he can't help hoping that somehow, someday, they'll find their way back to each other.
The first verse sets the scene, with the singer working on the freeway in Flagstaff. He's trying to distract himself from his thoughts of his ex, but nothing seems to be working. He can't stop thinking about her, and everywhere he looks, he sees reminders of her.
In the second verse, he's almost at the end of his shift, but he can't shake the thought of his ex being with someone else. He's tortured by the idea of her being happy without him, and he can't help but think about her constantly. The repetition of the line "all roads lead to you" reinforces the idea that he's never going to be able to escape her memory.
Overall, "All Roads Lead to You" is a haunting and deeply emotional song about the pain of lost love and the lingering power of memory.
Line by Line Meaning
Blacktop's burning, heat waves rise
The hot pavement and rising waves of heat symbolize the intensity of the singer's emotions as he sets out on a new journey.
Pick up my shovel, l put my back to the grind
The singer is leaving behind his old life and starting a new job, but he's still carrying the weight of his memories with him.
Got another job in Flagstaff and this one's paid
The singer has found work in a new town, but his financial gain doesn't bring him peace of mind.
I work the freeway, the pays all right
The singer is working hard on the road to make a living.
But I can't get you off my mind
Despite his efforts, the singer is unable to forget the one he loves.
'Cause every stretch of highway ends the same
No matter where he goes, he always ends up thinking about his lost love.
The boss said one more mile to go
The singer is trying to focus on his job, but can't stop thinking about his past.
The last one always goes so slow
Time seems to crawl when he's on his own.
If I could just turn off my mind I'd be all right
The singer is trying to find a way to ease his pain and start fresh.
But I keep wondering what went wrong
He can't stop thinking about the past and what led to the end of his relationship.
Whose holding you now that I'm gone
He's haunted by the thought of someone else filling his place in her life.
There's not a minute that goes by you don't cross my mind
The singer is consumed by thoughts of his lost love, she's always on his mind.
The sun's getting to me
The heat is affecting the singer physically, but it's also a metaphor for the overwhelming emotions he's experiencing.
I think I see you in every car that passes by
His memories of her are so strong that he starts seeing her in everything around him, even in passing cars.
No way around it I'll always love you
The singer accepts that he'll never be able to stop loving her, even if he tries to forget.
Any fool can read the signs
The singer knows that it's obvious he's still in love with her and can't move on.
All roads lead to you
No matter where he goes, his thoughts always lead him back to his lost love.
I thought I could forget but it's no use
The singer is trying to forget her, but he knows it's pointless.
Your memory is there wherever I go, whatever I do
Her memory is an ever present reminder, no matter where he goes or what he does.
All road lead to you
The title and refrain of the song, reiterating that all of his paths lead back to his lost love, and he can't escape her memory.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS W. MORGAN, RHONDA KYE FLEMING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christina Wilson
Steve Wariner is still on my playlists in 2022. This song will always be a definite favorite!
Patricia Guth
One of the smoothest voices in country music ever!!!
Kelly Dixon
Steve was so underrated. Still love him in 2019!
Bobbi Marsh
Agree..
Anthony Sipes
Anyone that thinks he was underrated knows nothing of Country music. It's such a stupid cliche statement. Steve Wariner is highly respected among the country music industry.
Chris
Steve Wariner always will be one of my favorites!
Dave Wollenberg
Hit #1 in Billboard, Dec. '81. Steve's very 1st #1. God bless you, brother Steve!
BuzzDailey
You know it, my friend. Steve Wariner should have been at the top of the charts several times. I personally wore this tune out as a D J in the 80s.
Banditnip03
Almost like Witchita Lineman by Glen Cambell.
Donna Marie Pszoniak
Steve Wariner love all his music 💓💓💓💓