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1. BABY BABY BABY (BABY) 2. YOU’RE THE BEST LOVER THAT I EVER HAD 3. THE TENNESSEE KID

4. AIN’T NOBODY’S DADDY NOW 5. BETTER OFF ALONE 6. THE USUAL TIME 7. GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK

8. ACQUAINTED WITH THE WIND 9. BABY’S JUST AS MEAN AS ME (Featuring Eleanor Whitmore)

10. GAMBLIN’ BLUES 11. KING OF THE BLUES

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Lightnin’ Hopkins once said, “The blues is something that’s hard to get acquainted with. Just like death.” Then he declared with his very next

breath, “The blues dwell with you each and every day and everywhere.”

On the surface, the one statement would seem to contradict the next but the blues are anything but superficial. In fact, they run so deep and dark and close to the bone that folks walk around everyday with the blues as though it were perfectly natural for a human being to go on living with a broken heart (apologies to Tony Kushner). There are those who will tell you that they know for a fact that the blues are all about the numbers, socio-economic parameters or rules of musical notation, as if a mathematical equation of some sort could offer any insight into loneliness and despair. Others will swear it’s a matter of geography, which side of the tracks you were born on or the color of the dirt underneath your fingernails. For my part, I’ve only ever believed two things about the blues: one, that they are very democratic, the commonest of human experience, perhaps the only thing that we all truly share and two, that one day, when it was time, I would make this record.And it’s time. Hell, everybody’s sick of all my fucking happy songs anyway.

STEVE EARLENEW YORK CITY, NOVEMBER 2014

BABY BABY BABY (BABY) (3:39)

I GOT A GIRL THAT LIVE WAY DOWN SOUTH A LITTLE TOWN THEY CALL “SHUT MY MOUTH” A THOUSAND MILES DON’T MEAN A DOGGONE THING CALL HER ON THE PHONE AND HEAR IT RING-A-LING-A-LING

AND SHE SAY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY OOH BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY

MY LITTLE GAL SHE STAND FIVE FEET AIN’T I WANNA HOLD HER BUT I KNOW I CAIN’T I ONLY SEE HER WHEN THE MOON IS BLUE CALL HER ON THE PHONE AND TELL HER WHAT I’M GONNA DO AND I SAY….

BABY BABY BABY BABY YOU’RE FINE GOT ME HANGIN’ ON THE TELEPHONE LINE WALKIN’ ON THE CEILIN’ AND BOUNCIN’ OFF THE WALLS BABY BABY BABY CAN’T YOU HEAR ME WHEN I CALL

YOU’RE THE BEST LOVER

THAT I EVER HAD (4 :07)

HEY BABY LET YOUR HAIR HANG DOWN FALLING LIKE SOFT RAIN ALL AROUND HEY HONEY PUT YOUR LIPS ON MINE SMOOTH LIKE SILK AND SWEET LIKE WINE NEVER HAD ANOTHER KISS TASTE LIKE THAT YOU’RE THE BEST LOVER THAT I EVER HAD

HEY BABY WHISPER IN MY EAR WAY UP CLOSE SO I CAN HEAR HEY BABY WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME THE HEAVENS SHAKE AND THE ANGELS SING I KNOW IT’S A SIN BUT I WANT YOU BAD YOU’RE THE BEST LOVER THAT I EVER HAD

HEY BABY WON’T YOU LET ME IN IT’S COLD OUT HERE AND I’M SHIVERIN’ HEY BABY TURN YOUR LIGHT DOWN LOW YOUR MAMA AND THEM AND YOUR MAN WON’T KNOW BREAKS MY HEART WHEN YOU TREAT ME BAD BUT YOU’RE THE BEST LOVER THAT I EVER HAD

THE TENNESSEE KID (4 :05)

ON MARDI GRAS DAY THE TENNESSEE KID AWOKE IN A PUDDLE OF HIS OWN WORST FEARS HAUNTED BY THE GHOST OF VAGUE REMEMBRANCE NO CORPOREAL BEAST HE COULD NAME SO THE KID INVOKED LUCIFER HIMSELF WITH OATHS MOST GRIEVOUSLY DISCOURTEOUS AND CHARGED HIM SUBMIT FORTHWITH TO ATONE AT THE CROSSROADS CELEBRATED IN SONG COME ON

UP JUMPED THE DEVIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THOROUGHFARE “WHO DARES TO UTTER MY MOST SECRET NAME?” HE ROARED BUT THE KID YIELDED NOT SO MUCH AS AN INCH TO UNCERTAINTY STEADFAST HE REJOINED THE ENEMY IN KIND “OLD PATCH THEN, SATAN, MEPHISTOPHELES, BEELZEBUB BY ANY OTHER NAME YOU AIN’T NOTHIN’ LIKE A ROSE” THEN HE GIRDED HIS LOINS FOR THE ENSUING ONSLAUGHT BUT THE DEVIL ONLY SHRUGGED AND THE KID SHUDDERED WHEN HE HISSED HE SAID

HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY THE BALANCE COMES DUE SOMEDAY

WAIT JUST ONE GODDAMN MINUTE CRIED THE KID FROM THE CUMBERLAND YOU NEVER MENTION NOTHIN’ ‘BOUT NO KINDA NOTE JUST SAID - SIGN HERE - IT’S JUST A SOUL - YOU’LL NEVER MISS IT I AIN’T SET FOOT IN A CHURCH SINCE I WAS JUST A LITTLE OL’ THANG RECKONED I WAS HEADED STRAIGHT TO HELL BY THE HIGHWAY NO MATTER HOW LONG AND HOW HARD THAT I PRAYED SO I MIGHT AS WELL LEARN HOW TO MAKE THIS GUITAR TALK SOMEBODY SAID OL’ BOB JOHNSON CAME DOWN THIS WAY DEVIL SAY

AND THE MONSTER RAISED HIMSELF UP TO THE FULLNESS OF HIS STATURE BLACK WINGS ECLIPSING A SANGUINE MISSISSIPPI MOON BEHOLD BEHEMOTH THE TRAMPLER OF INFIDELS, HE WHO SWEEPS AWAY NATIONS WITH A FLICK OF HIS TAIL THEOPOLIS, AGRRIPPA, FAUSTUS, PAGANINI LURID AND LONG IS THE TALE OF MY PREY QUESTION NOT THE IRONCLAD BOND OF MY SURETY SET DOWN HERE IN BLOOD IN YOUR VERY OWN HAND

AND THE TENNESSEE KID CAST AN EYE ON THE LIST WHERE HIS MARK WAS INDEED CLEARLY INSCRIBED AND HE FELL TO HIS KNEES BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO PRAY AND WITH HIS VERY LAST BREATH HE DID SAY

AIN’T NOBODY’S DADDY NOW (2 :29)

STANDIN’ ON THE CORNER BLEECKER AND CARMINE MONEY IN MY POCKET AND WOMEN ON MY MIND I’M FREE CAN’T NOBODY TIE ME DOWN NOTHIN’ EVER WORRIES ME AIN’T NOBODY’S DADDY NOW

NEW YORK CITY WOMEN ARE THE VERY FINEST KIND CLACKIN’ ON THEM HIGH HEELS LIKE AN ENGINE DOWN THE LINE

USED TO HAVE A WOMAN WORRY ME TO DEATH HAND WAS IN MY POCKET AND HER FOOT WAS ON MY NECK

GOT A BABY ON THE EASTSIDE A HONEY ON THE WEST GOT A WOMAN UPTOWN BUT THE DOWNTOWN GALS ARE BEST

BETTER OFF ALONE (4 :27)

GO IF YOU WANT TO THERE’S THE DOOR CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT YOU’RE WAITING FOR ‘CAUSE I KNOW YOU AIN’T THE KIND TO EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND

AND THOUGH I TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW I LEARNED A THING OR TWO MYSELF AND SO I’M GONNA MISS YOU WHEN YOU’RE GONE BUT I’M BETTER OFF ALONE

I CAN’T SAY THAT I’M SURPRISED ‘CAUSE THAT LEAVIN’ LOOK WAS IN YOUR EYES FOR SOME TIME NOW AND I KNEW I WAS LOSING YOU

YOU AIN’T NEVER ANYTHING BUT BLUE AND NOW YOU SAY YOU FOUND SOMEBODY NEW YOU CAN LAY THAT BURDEN ON GUESS I’M BETTER OFF ALONE

SAY WHAT YOU THINK YOU GOTTA SAY JUST DON’T TELL ME YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND AND YOU’RE GONNA STAY I CAN’T TELL YOU WHAT I’D DO THEN ‘CAUSE I JUST CANT GO THROUGH THAT

AGAIN ‘CAUSE IT ALMOST KILLED ME THEN AND I GUESS I SHOULDA KNOWN THAT I’M BETTER OFF ALONE AND IT’S CLEAR THE STORY’S SHOWN I’M BETTER OFF ALONE

THE USUAL TIME (2 :59)

LATE IN THE EVENIN’ YOU’RE JUST ABOUT TO LAY DOWN WHAT’S THAT AT YOUR BACKDOOR DID YOU HEAR A STRANGE SOUND GIRL? HONEY I JUST SAW YOUR LIGHT HERE I COME BABY IT’S THE USUAL TIME OF THE NIGHT

I CAN’T HELP BUT WANT YOU EVER SINCE I‘VE KNOWN YOU I WOULD NEVER HURT YA I DON’T WANNA OWN YOU GIRL I JUST WANNA HOLD YOU TIGHT HERE I COME BABY IT’S THE USUAL TIME OF THE NIGHT

I KNOW YOU DON’T LOVE ME I KNOW YOU DON’T NEED ME BUT IF YOU EVER WANT ME JUST TURN ON YOUR BACK PORCH LIGHT AT THE USUAL TIME OF THE NIGHT

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I BEEN DOWN TO TEXAS I BEEN TO NEW ORLEANS I WAS BORN TO RAMBLE YOU WERE BORN TO HAUNT MY DREAMS ANYTIME THE MOON IS RIGHT HERE I COME BABY IT’S THE USUAL TIME OF THE NIGHT

GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK (3:33)

GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK AND I THINK THAT’S OUTASITE THE KIDS DON’T CALL ‘EM THAT BUT THEY’RE GO GO BOOTS ALRIGHT I WAS JUST A LITTLE BOY THE FIRST TIME THEY COME AROUND BUT MY SISTER HAD HER SOME AND SHE WORE ‘EM UP TOWN AND SHE DID THE DIRTY DOG AND THE BOOGALOO ALL NIGHT GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK AND I THINK THAT’S OUTASITE

LAVA LAMPS WERE FUN BUT I NEVER WANTED ONE ‘CAUSE I HAD A LITTLE PSYCHEDELIC THING OF MY OWN IS IT REALLY ANY WONDER THAT I NEVER FINISHED SCHOOL ‘CAUSE I’M WANDERIN’ THE HALLWAYS AND I’M GRINNIN’ LIKE A FOOL AND I NEVER NEEDED ANY KINDA ARTIFICIAL LIGHT BUT GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK AND I THINK IT’S OUTASITE

WRAP YOURSELF AROUND ME LIKE A CIRCLE ‘ROUND THE SUN TAKE ME UP THE COUNTRY WHERE THE CRIMSON WATERS RUN ‘CAUSE THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER AND A CIRCLE NEVER ENDS EVERYTHING THAT GOES AROUND COMES BACK AROUND AND THEN

MIRROR SHADES ARE IN AND I’M WEARIN’ ‘EM AGAIN THEY KEEP THE MORNIN’ OUT AND THE MYSTERY IN QUICK - TELL ME IF MY EYES ARE BROWN OR IF THEY’RE BLUE ‘CAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK INSIDE ALL YOU’RE GONNA SEE IS YOU BUT YOU’LL KNOW WHERE I’M GOIN’ AND WHERE YOU BEEN ALRIGHT AND GO GO BOOTS ARE BACK AND I THINK IT’S OUTASITE

ACQUAINTED WITH THE WIND (2 :20)

I’M A TRAVELIN’ MAN WHEREVER I ROAM ALL OVER THIS LAND I’M NEVER ALONE ‘CAUSE I’M ACQUAINTED WITH THE WIND AND ME AND HIM KEEP TRAVELIN’ ALONG

NO SHELTER FROM THE STORM NO PILLOW FOR MY HEAD ‘CEPT FOR MAYBE MY ARM BUT I’M SLEEPIN’ LIKE THE DEAD NO CEILIN’ BUT THE SKY AND HERE I LIE AND IN THE MORNIN’ I’LL BE GONE

WHEREVER I WILL WHENEVER I PLEASE I’M HOWLIN’ LIKE A GALE I’M WHISPERIN’ LIKE A BREEZE I’M ACQUAINTED WITH THE WIND AND I RECKON THAT IT’S HIM THAT’S CARRYIN’ ME

I’M THE RAMBLIN’ KIND NO MATTER WHERE I ROLL EVERYBODY STANDS ASIDE LETS ME RUMBLE DOWN THE ROAD AINT GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS BUT I’M ACQUAINTED WITH THE WIND AND WE’RE TRAVELIN’ ALONG

BABY’S JUST AS MEAN AS ME

(Featur ing Eleanor Whitmore) (2 :35)

SOMETIMES MY BABY LOCKS ME OUT SHE STOMPS HER FEET AND SCREAMS AND SHOUTS BUT I KNOW WHAT THAT’S ALL ABOUT MY BABY’S JUST AS MEAN AS ME

SOMETIMES MY MAN DON’T TREAT ME RIGHT SHAME THE WAY WE FUSS AND FIGHT BUT I GIVE AS GOOD AS GET ALRIGHT MY BABY’S JUST AS MEAN AS ME

HE’S KIND OF LOUD AND ROUGH DRINKS WINE AND ALL THAT STUFF SOMETIMES I’VE HAD ENOUGH THEN HE SMILES AND I RECKON I CAN STAY FOR AWHILE

YOU HEARD ‘EM SAY THAT LOVE IS BLIND ESPECIALLY THE PASSIONATE KIND I DON’T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE ‘CAUSE MY BABY’S JUST AS MEAN AS ME

HARD TIMES THEY COME AND GO BUT SHE’S MINE AND I’M HER BEAU IF YOU FIND SOME SCARS THAT SHOW NEVERMIND ‘CAUSE IT AINT NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT MINE

GAMBLIN’ BLUES (2 :04)

PAPA DON’T SHOOT NO DICE PAPA DON’T PLAY NO CARDS PAPA DON’T SHOOT NO DICE HE DON’T PLAY NO CARDS HE SAY THE MONEY’S TIGHT HE SAY THE TIMES ARE HARD

CAUGHT ME COMIN’ IN ONE NIGHT AFTER THE CLOCK STRUCK THREE CAUGHT ME COMIN’ IN LAST NIGHT AFTER THE CLOCK STRUCK THREE YOU BEEN GAMBLIN’ YOU’LL BE THE DEATH OF ME

GAMBLED IN MEXICO GAMBLED IN NEW ORLEANS GAMBLED IN MEXICO DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS PLAYED IN EVERY GAME IN EVERY TOWN BETWEEN

BUT A GAMBLER AIN’T GOT NO FRIENDS WHENEVER HIS LUCK IS DOWN GAMBLER AINT GOT NO FRIENDS WHEN HIS LUCK IS DOWN BUT WHEN HE’S RIDIN HIGH THEY ALL HANG AROUND

KING OF THE BLUES (3:52)

THE DAY I WAS BORN THE MOON CROSSED THE SUN MAMA CRIED SWEET JESUS WHAT HAVE I DONE LORD HAVE MERCY ON MY UNFORTUNATE SON BEFORE I DREW MY SECOND BREATH MAMA KNEW SHE’D JUST GIVEN BIRTH TO THE KING OF THE BLUES

AND ON THAT DAY SOMEWHERE SOMEBODY ELSE DIED ALONE IN A DARK ROOM AND NOBODY CRIED ‘CAUSE THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE AND I CAN’T BE DENIED OUTRIDERS TOLD EVERYBODY THE NEWS THE KING IS DEAD LONG LIVE THE KING OF THE BLUES

I’M THE KING OF THE BLUES THIRTEENTH OF THE LINE THE FIRST OF MY NAME AND THE LAST OF MY KIND ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE AND ONE HAND ON THE HANDLE OF TIME DESCENDED DIRECTLY FROM ST. JOHN THE CONQUEROO I’M THE HIGH PRIEST OF HEARTACHE AND THE KING OF THE BLUES

I’M A LOVER A FIGHTER A PROPHET A FOOL THE KEEPER OF CONFIDENCES THE LORD OF MISRULE A CONSUMMATE JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES OF THE DICKENSIAN SCHOOL BUT THEY AIN’T NEVER MADE NO LOVE I COULDN’T LOSE I’M THE LAST WORD IN LONESOME AND THE KING OF THE BLUES

PRODUCED BY R.S. FIELD

RECORDED BY RAY KENNEDY AT HOUSE OF BLUES STUDIO D NASHVILLE TENNESSEE

ASSISTED BY TOM FREITAG

MIXED AND MASTERED BY RAY KENNEDY AT ROOM AND BOARD NASHVILLE TENNESSEE

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY STEVE EARLE EXILE ON JONES ST. MUSIC (ASCAP) EXCEPT THE USUAL TIME - WARNER OLIVE MUSIC, LLC (ASCAP)

A&R - GARY BRIGGS GUITAR TECH - BRIAN DENNY

MANAGEMENT - DANNY GOLDBERG, JESSE BAUER FOR GOLD VILLAGE ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - KURT VITOLO FOR KV FINANCIAL LEGAL - ROSEMARY CARROLL FOR CARROLL, GUIDO AND GROFFMAN NORTH AMERICA BOOKING - WME EUROPEAN BOOKING - PAUL FENN FOR ASGARD LTD

PUBLICITY NORTH AMERICA - BRADY BROCK FOR GOLD VILLAGE ENTERTAINMENT

UK PUBLICITY - RICHARD WOOTTON FOR RICHARD WOOTTON PUBLICITY

COVER ART BY TONY FITZPATRICK DESIGN BY TIM HOGAN PHOTOS BY TED BARRON

THANKS TO GARY BELZ, WALTER AND CHRISTY CARTER AT CARTER VINTAGE GUITARS - NASHVILLE, ALL AT MATT UMANOV GUITARS - NEW YORK, TOM AND ALEX AT TR CRANDALL GUITARS - NEW YORK, ALL AT MARTIN GUITARS, JAMES TRUSSART GUITARS, HOHNER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, PEAVY ELECTRONICS, FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS, JEFF HOFFEE AT HOFFEE CASES, CHARLIE CHADWICK AT CHADWICK FOLDING BASS, GRETSCH DRUMS, CAMERON STRANG, GEORGE FONTAINE, MIKE RUTHIG, GEORGE FONTAINE JR, PETER JESPERSON, JOEL HABBESHAW, TOMMY ROBINSON, JAY WILLIAMS, JOE BRAUNER, JULIE COLBERT, BEN VAUGHN, JOHN ALLEN, COY MARTIN, JEREMY TEPPER, MARC GEIGER, LAURENT HUBERT AND KATE HYMAN.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ZEKE SCHEIN

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHNNY WINTER

© & P 2015 New West Records, LLC. 3723 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91505. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. SteveEarle.com ★ NewWestRecords.com

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WILL RIGBY - DRUMS

CHRIS MASTERSON - GUITARS STEVE EARLE - GUITARS, MANDOLIN, HARMONICA, VOCALKELLY LOONEY - BASS

ELEANOR WHITMORE - FIDDLE, VOCALS

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