Steve Earle

[fox69]

"Harlan Man"

"Harlan Man"



I'm a Harlan Man
Went down in the mine when I was barely grown
It was easy then
'Cause I didn't know what I know now
But I'm a family man
And it's the only life that I've ever known
But I'm a Harlan Man
Just as long as my luck and lungs hold out

I'm a mountain man
Born in east Kentucky and here I'll stay
And if it's the good Lord's plan
I'll wake up in the mornin' and find
I'm lookin' at the end
Of another long week and I can draw my pay
'Cause I'm a Harlan Man
Never catch me whinin' cause I ain't that kind

I'm a union man
Just like my daddy and all my kin
I took a union stand
No matter what the company said
I got me two good hands
And just as long as I'm able I won't give in
'Cause I'm a Harlan Man
A coal minin' mother 'til the day I'm dead

 

[fox69]

"Have Mercy"

"Have Mercy"



He was standin' on the corner
A hundred dollar bill in his hand
Said I could feed a lot of these people with this
But that ain't the business at hand
Ain't but one reason for a white boy to be
Over on this side of town
He gave that money to the man and he
Bought a little mercy for now
Have mercy on me
Have mercy on me
I'm a sinner Lord can't you see
Have mercy on me

Old Joe don't know how it got started
I guess it was the fire in her eyes
He loved his wife and children
And he wasn't into telling all these lies
But she gave herself so freely
In that room at the top of the stairs
He'd go to her in hope he'd find a little mercy there

Tears were made to fall
Hearts made to break
Sometimes it feels
Like they just want to know
How much you can take
She was all alone that evening
What was she thinking about
Her mind was made up and
I guess it was the only way out
There's a pistol in a pawn shop window
Made of cold, blue steel
She took it home to find out
How warm a little mercy could feel
God knows that mercy ain't free
Have mercy on me

 

[fox69]

"Heaven Or Hell"

"Heaven Or Hell"



I’m rollin’ down a blacktop highway
Hole in my chest cause my heart’s in your hands
I know it ain’t OK but I can’t stop wantin’ you
I do the best that I can
I’m starin’ in a highbeam headlight
Burnin’ your name on the back of my brain
I swear I hear you callin’
I might have to turn around
Cause I’m goin’ insane

I love you baby but i just can't tell
This kinda love comes from heaven or hell
Heaven or hell
Heaven or hell

New moon against a long dark midnight blue
ain't a star any brighter than you
I look in your eyes and I see that spark inside
and it's all I can do to keep tellin' myself
there ain't no way you're gonna do me like you did then
I’m standin’ my ground on feet of clay
Oh no, here I go again

There ain’t nothing nobody can do
There ain’t nothing nobody can say
Get down on their knees and pray
OOH

 

[fox69]

"Here I Am"

"Here I Am"



Here I Am
On my way
Down another road I've have paved
With every good intention I've saved
And hearts that I broke
As for me I got scars
For every mile I've traveled so far
And some blood on my hands
Here I am

With a song in my heart
And an attitude from the start
I took everybody apart
To see how they work
I got friends that I owe
I ain't namin' names
Cuz they know where they stand
Here I am

Here I am
Here I am
Here I am

If I went back where I've been
And I knew what I know now then
Well I'd probably do it again
Cuz I'm just a man
At the end of the day
I ain't got nothing to say

Here I am
Here I am
Here I am

Here I am
Here I am
Here I am

 

[fox69]

"High Fashion Queen"

"High Fashion Queen"



There's a place everyone of us can go to
Maybe you have been there once or twice
Where all your friends just look at you and whisper
And they want to give you nothing but advice

When you walk in they all know what you're after
And the higher that you get the more they'll see
In a dark room filled with music, wine, and laughter
Your eyes keep searching for her constantly

Is it that one in the corner with her eyes filled with tears
Or is she the one who's having fun drinking too much beer
Every night it's the same sad old procedure
The doorman winks at you on your way out
'Cause deep inside he knows just what you're after
And he's got something you can't live without

There's nothing new that can be said about dirt
And there's nothing left inside your heart but the same old hurt
Of an old love's fancy life that left you stranded in a dream
Ain't you glad you're a high fashion queen
Ain't you glad you're a high fashion queen

 

[fox69]

"Hillbilly Highway"

"Hillbilly Highway"



My grandaddy was a miner, but he finally saw the light
He didn't have much, just a beat-up truck and a dream about a better life
Grandmama cried when she waved goodbye, never heard such a lonesome sound
Pretty soon the dirt road turned into blacktop, Detroit City bound
Down that hillbilly highway
That hillbilly highway
Hillbilly highway
Goes on and on

He worked and saved his money so that one day he might send
My old man off to college, to use his brains and not his hands
Grandmama cried when she waved goodbye, never heard such a lonesome sound
But daddy had himself a good job in Houston, one more rollin' down

Down that hillbilly highway
That hillbilly highway
Hillbilly highway
Goes on and on

Grandaddy rolled over in his grave the day that I quit school
I just sat around the house playin' my guitar, Daddy said I was a fool
My mama cried when I said goodbye, I never heard such a lonesome sound
Now I'm standin' on this highway and if you're going my way
You know where I'm bound

 

[fox69]

"Home To Houston"

"Home To Houston"



When I pulled out of Basra they all wished me luck
Just like they always did before
With a bulletproof screen on the hood of my truck
And a Bradley on my back door
And I wound her up and shifted her down
And I offered this prayer to my lord
I said "God get me back home to Houston alive
And I won't drive a truck anymore"

Early in the mornin' and I'm rollin' fast
Haulin' nine thousand gallons of high test gas
Sergeant on the radio hollerin' at me
Look out up ahead here come a R.P.G.
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore

I've driven the big rigs for all of my life
And my radio handle's "Train"
Down steep mountain roads on the darkest of nights
I had ice water in my veins
And I come over here 'cause I just didn't care
Now I'm older and wiser by far
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore

Great God A'mighty what was wrong with me
I know the money's good but buddy can't you see
You can't take it with you and that ain't no lie
I don't wanna let 'em get me I'm too young to die
If I ever get home to Houston alive
Then I won't drive a truck anymore

 

[fox69]

"Hometown Blues"

"Hometown Blues"



I wish I'd never come back home
It don't feel right since I've been grown
I can't find any of my old friends hangin' 'round
Won't nothin' bring you down like your hometown

I spent some time in New Orleans
I had to live on rice and beans
I hitched through Texas when the sun was beatin' down
Won't nothin' bring you down like your hometown

Home is where the heart is
Ain't that what they always say
My heart lies in broken pieces
Scattered along the way

So don't think about me when I'm gone
I don't mind travelin' alone
You are the sweetest little thing I ever found
Won't nothin' bring you down like your hometown

 

[fox69]

"Hopeless Romantics"

"Hopeless Romantics"



You can love most of the people
Most of the time
Now and again if you're lookin' I'm sure
You will find
Someone who's helplessly hoping
That someday
They'll finally find the one
Hopeless romantics keep hoping that
Someday will come
Used to be you could be sure that a
Warrior was true
Nowadays everyone knows that it's cool to be blue
Constantly circling close to the flame And then stopping on a dime
Hopeless romantics will go down in flames every time
Hopeless romantics drop everything and run
When they find a broken heart
Always afraid that they're missing someone
With time on their hands and a missing part
So one of these nights when you're
Sitting at home all alone
And you've finally admitted you're lonely
Right down to the bone
You might as well get on out in it
'Cause you've got everything to lose
And hopeless romantics are always
At home with the blues
And a broken heart
Find the missing part
Hopeless romantics are usually
Hopelessly true

 

[fox69]

"Hurtin' Me, Hurtin' You"

"Hurtin' Me, Hurtin' You"



Here I am, out in the rain
I know I can't ever wash out the pain
I never meant to be cruel or untrue
I'm just hurtin' me when I'm hurtin' you
Girl I won't say, I'm hurtin' more
I know that you've heard all that before
So go on believe what you wanna believe
But I'm hurtin' you then I'm hurtin' me

I know it's hard to keep hanging on
You think that I hold all of the cards; I know you're wrong
And girl just like me, you ain't got a clue
I'm just hurtin' me when I'm hurtin' you

You know I love you baby
God only knows that I do
I know I've been bad baby
I never, ever meant to be bad to you
I never meant to be cruel or untrue
I'm just hurtin' me when I'm hurtin' you