Justin Townes Earle - "Mama's Eyes"

Justin Townes Earle released his third album 'Midnight at the Movies' in 2009 and that was my first taste of his music. At times he can be too 'traditional country' for me and at other times he is just downright brilliant... in no way disrespecting 'Townes Van Zandt' from whom he was named. 'Mama's Eyes" is a stark and honest song about his relationship with his father. Quite brave, considering his father is the outspoken rock n' roll outlaw Steve Earle. The lyrics give us an insight into the broken down relationship and his drug addiction from an early age (as young as 12 years old), which has similarities to his father's past drug addictions. I wonder how the next family Christmas or Thanks Giving dinner was after this was released.



Lyrics
I am my father's son
I've never known when to shut up
I ain't foolin' no one
I am my father's son

We don't see eye to eye
I'll be the first to admit I've never tried
And sure it hurts but it should hurt sometimes
We don't see eye to eye

I was a young man when
I first found the pleasure and the feel of a sin
And I went down the same road as my old man
But I was younger then

Now it's 3 am and I'm standing in the kitchen
Holding my last cigarette
I strike a match and I see my reflection in the mirror in the hall
And I say to myself:

I've got my mama's eyes
Her long thin frame and her smile
And I still see wrong from right
Cause I've got my mama's eyes

Yeah I've got my mama's eyes