Customer Reviews

Steve Earle Songbook

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This is a great guide to some of Steve Earle's finest songs. Don't worry if you cannot read music, tablature is also provided. It would be nice if a CD were included--not a CD of the original songs as sung and played by Steve, but rather a CD of just the guitar parts played according to the tab in the book. It is difficult at times to decipher the tab by listening to the original song, as Steve's gruff voice can be a little distracting. Also, one isn't 100 percent certain that the tab in the book is a perfect transcription of the way Steve plays. I think Luttjeboer (the author) has given us his interpretations for at least a couple of songs, adding his own notes here and there to create a fuller sound. If one had a CD of the tunes as played by Luttjeboer, there would be less head scratching when the tab doesn't seem to match Steve.
One surprising thing was how many songs in the book are in alternate tunings. Whenever I've seen him live, he seems to play in the key of G (not ALWAYS, but pretty often), so I was taken aback when I saw so many alternate tunings in the book. But don't let this scare you away-- alternate tunings are easy to get the hang of.
I have been playing guitar for two years, and have found this book to be right at my level-- so if you're a beginner, do not hesitate to buy this book. One can only hope that Steve will come out with another version with more songs from all of his great albums, especially the newer ones (Jerusalem and Transcendental Blues), which had not yet been created when this book was produced.

I am a big fan of Steve Earle, and although I can figure most of his music out by ear, I was hoping this book would make it easier.

I was not disappointed: the tablature is great and for the most part accurate.

In addition, Steve Earle songs are great for beginning to intermediate level guitar players. The songs are interesting to play (mainly because of the great lyrics), but the level of guitar playing is not out of reach for most decent guitarists.

When most people think "Country Music" they envision the Rhinestone "New" Country that dominates the airwaves. Steve Earle is a different sort of Country. One that goes back to Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and all the other Country musicains that merged Country and Rock and never fit in with the Nashville set but had too much twang to be Rock. As seen in this compilation of his song lyrics he doesn't write typical songs about crying in his beer or technicolor Roy Rogers landscapes. His lyrics have a poetic quality and touch on themes as far ranging as the Civil War to getting high in New York City. Although I prefer to hear Steve Earle sing his lyrics this book is enjoyable on its own.