Tyler Childers was born and raised in Lawrence County, Kentucky. His father worked in the coal industry and his mother is a nurse. He learned singing in church where he sang in the church choir. He started to play guitar and write songs when he was around 13. He moved from Lawrence County to Paintsville, Kentucky, where he attended Paintsville High School and graduated in 2009. Fellow country musicians Chris Stapleton and Loretta Lynn (Van Lear, KY) also hail from Paintsville. He studied for a semester at Western Kentucky University, and enrolled at Bluegrass Community and Technical College for a few semesters. He dropped out of college and did odd jobs for some time while pursuing a music career.
Childers began performing in Lexington, Kentucky and Huntington, West Virginia. In 2011, when he was 19, Childers released his first album, Bottles And Bibles. He has also released two EPs recorded in 2013 at Red Barn Radio, a radio show from Lexington. The two EPs were later released as one after the success of his album Purgatory, and reached No. 5 on Heatseekers Albums.
He had his first success with Purgatory, a breakthrough album released on August 4, 2017. The album was produced by Sturgill Simpson and David Ferguson and recorded at The Butcher Shoppe in Nashville. Simpson also played guitar and sang backing vocals on the album, with Miles Miller on drums, Stuart Duncan on fiddle and Russ Paul on other instruments. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart, No. 17 on the Country albums chart and No. 4 on the Americana/Folk albums chart. In September 2018, Childers won Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 Americana Music Honors & Awards, where he gave an acceptance speech noted for its criticism of the Americana genre label, saying that "as a man who identifies as a country music singer, I feel Americana ain't no part of nothing and is a distraction from the issues that we're facing on a bigger level as country music singers. It kind of feels like purgatory."
Country Squire, a second album under the Hickman Holler label, and Childers' third overall, was released on August 2, 2019, after being announced in May 2019. This album was again produced by Simpson and Ferguson. The video of the lead single from the album "House Fire" was also released on May 16, 2019.
Childers' music is influenced by his home state of Kentucky and its connection to country music and bluegrass. He often writes about coal mining, which was his father's occupation, and its effects. Rebecca Bengal, writing for The Guardian, described Childers' songs as a "counternarrative to the outsiders who seek to perpetuate stereotypes of backwardness and poverty." Childers emphasizes lyrical content in songs, comparing the songwriting process to telling short stories.
Born Again
Tyler Childers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chewin' on an ancient leaf
Before we took the notion
To keep up with the times
And leave 'em all behind
Chisel to the paper
Tattoos on the ether
Fadin' in the light
All the while, I'd gorge my gut
Come the time then I would rut
Runnin' high and low to find my pre-historic queen
To keep me warm 'til Spring
When I'd go out with my friends
Graze the land and wonder when I'd see your face again
'Til the day I met my doom
I took one in the boiler room
To put food on the table of a dying breed of man
Once I was a broken heart
And once I tore your heart apart
Once my heart put out before I ever got to breathe
But my soul returned to seed
And come to Earth again
Clucking out a livin' as the favorite layin' hen
'Til the day I met my doom
A fox got in the chicken coop
Doin' all he knew to do to feed a hungry den
On and on, down the line
I've swam canals and bore the hide
Plenty births along this ride of being born again
Once I was and you were too
And we were both the word of truth
We built this world together with a loud and mighty bang
Lord, it sounded like a train
And echoed o'er the land
And we came up with a game to play of being born again
In Tyler Childers's song Born Again, the lyrics describe the cycle of life and death, and how this cycle can be seen in both our personal lives and society as a whole. The song begins by referencing a time when people were more in tune with nature and their primal instincts, represented by the line "Once I was a dying breed, chewin' on an ancient leaf." This is contrasted with the modern world, where people are more focused on the latest trends and leaving the old ways behind. The line "chisel to the paper, tattoos on the ether" could be interpreted as a reference to the prevalence of technology and social media in our lives.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing for simpler times, as the singer talks about searching for his "pre-historic queen" and "graz[ing] the land." However, the reality of the situation is that we must adapt and change with the times, represented by the line "to put food on the table of a dying breed of man."
The second half of the song takes a more personal turn, as the singer talks about his own journey of growth and rebirth. He acknowledges past mistakes and heartbreak, but ultimately finds a sense of hope and renewal through the phrase "being born again." The imagery of a fox getting into a chicken coop represents the inevitable struggles and obstacles that must be faced in life, but ultimately serve to strengthen us and prepare us for the journey ahead.
Overall, Tyler Childers's Born Again is a poignant meditation on the nature of life and change, and encourages listeners to embrace the ups and downs of the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was a dying breed
I used to be a rare type or group of people that was slowly disappearing from existence.
Chewin' on an ancient leaf
I would hold on to old traditions and beliefs that were deeply rooted in history.
Before we took the notion
Before we decided to embrace new ideas and ways of life.
To keep up with the times
To adjust and adapt to the changes of the present era.
And leave 'em all behind
And to discard the old ways of life and move forward with the new ones.
Chisel to the paper
Creating permanent marks and messages through writing and art.
Tattoos on the ether
Making lasting impressions on the digital world through various means.
Fadin' in the light
Gradually disappearing or losing their significance.
All the while, I'd gorge my gut
All the while, I would indulge myself in pleasures and comforts.
Come the time then I would rut
When the time came, I would engage in sexual activity.
Runnin' high and low to find my pre-historic queen
I would go to great lengths to find a woman who shared my old-fashioned values.
To keep me warm 'til Spring
To provide me with comfort and companionship until the next cycle of life.
When I'd go out with my friends
When I would spend time with my peers and socialize.
Graze the land and wonder when I'd see your face again
Wandering the world aimlessly and longing for the company of a loved one.
'Til the day I met my doom
Up until the day I met my inevitable end of life.
I took one in the boiler room
I engaged in dangerous activities to provide for my livelihood and family.
To put food on the table of a dying breed of man
To provide sustenance for a group of people who were slowly losing their way of life and existence.
Once I was a broken heart
I was once consumed by grief and emotional pain.
And once I tore your heart apart
I caused someone I loved a great deal of emotional pain and suffering.
Once my heart put out before I ever got to breathe
I was born into a world of heartache that I couldn't escape from.
But my soul returned to seed
However, my spirit never truly died and continued on to be reborn.
And come to Earth again
And returned to the physical world once more.
Clucking out a livin' as the favorite layin' hen
I made a living in a simple way, but with great purpose, as a valuable member of society.
A fox got in the chicken coop
I faced unexpected dangers and obstacles in life, like a predator infiltrating my safe space.
Doin' all he knew to do to feed a hungry den
Others would do whatever it takes to survive and take care of those they love.
On and on, down the line
Continuing through life, continuously reincarnated, and reborn.
I've swam canals and bore the hide
I have experienced many hardships and struggles throughout my many lives.
Plenty births along this ride of being born again
I have been reborn many times and have lived countless new lives.
And we were both the word of truth
Together, we were a force that represented and upheld the truth in the world.
We built this world together with a loud and mighty bang
Together, we created the world we live in today with great energy and zeal.
Lord, it sounded like a train
It was a magnificent and powerful sound that echoed widely through the world.
And echoed o'er the land
And had a resounding, far-reaching impact throughout the land.
And we came up with a game to play of being born again
Together, we embraced and enjoyed the concept of reincarnation, and enjoyed the idea of being reborn into a new life.
Writer(s): Timothy Tyler Childers
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jeremy
on Honky Tonk Flame
Burning my barn in this honky tonk flame. What does this mean?
Catherine
on Deadman's Curve
Love this song. So raw.
Mike oxlong
on Good Thing Windin' Down
Gotta love it
Douglas Luedeman
on Charleston Girl
He left his money with a thrash grass band.