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.
Gemini
Tyler Childers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I reckon he knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, friend
Lord, won't you help me carry my load?
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
Now I'm hid out in the upper room
With walls so thin I could bust right through
Give all my buddies a ramblin' to
About things that really blows my mind
Back when I was younger, didn't have a clue
Come to think of it, I still doubt I do
But every now and then I get to thinkin'
"You know, I've got it all worked out"
I used to take my time and burn it in a bong
Iced down with the lights turned off
Somethin' in my speakers I can ponder on
Somethin' I can mull around
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
Check one-two, can y'all hear me?
The sights are somethin' but they ain't for free
Lookin' and I'm wired for sound
The road goes on forever, party 'til ten
Too run forever if you never let it end
A got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
Part of me just wants to live forever on the road
Splittin' down the middle, shed my southpaw home
And if she gets to askin' tell her you don't rightly know
What happened to the rest of me
Aw, weep no more, girl don't cry
Hellfire, you married you a Gemini
This is the half of him you always liked
Lookie here, his heart still beats
The opening lines of Tyler Childers’ song Gemini, “If he knows how it feels to be beginnin' and the end, I reckon he knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then,” set the tone for the song's theme. The titular zodiac sign denotes the duality of the singer’s character, who is struggling to find his place in the world. He feels trapped between a rock and a hard place and needs divine intervention to lighten his burden. As the song progresses, we see the singer reminiscing about his past, the choices he’s made, and where his life is headed. He spends a considerable amount of time contemplating his journey so far, particularly the time he spent doing drugs, which he now regrets.
Tyler Childers’ Gemini is a song about self-exploration, regret, and hope for the future. It’s about looking back at the choices made, learning from them, and moving forward. The road metaphorically represents the journey of the artist’s life, and he acknowledges that it will continue indefinitely. In the last stanza, the singer talks about his dual nature as a Gemini and how it affects his relationship with his partner. Despite this, he assures her that his heart still beats, and there is hope for their future together.
Line by Line Meaning
If he knows how it feels to be beginnin' and the end
If he understands the feeling of starting and finishing
I reckon he knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then
He must know how it feels to be caught between the present and the past
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, friend
I'm in a difficult situation that I can't seem to escape
Lord, won't you help me carry my load?
Asking for help to carry the burden of this difficult situation
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I borrowed a hammer and worked hard for very little money
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
Eventually, I earned enough to claim ownership of something
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
During periods of work and rest
I got to thinkin' heavy on the road
I spent a lot of time reflecting on my life and journey
Now I'm hid out in the upper room
I'm secluded and alone in an upstairs room
With walls so thin I could bust right through
The walls are weak and won't hold me in
Give all my buddies a ramblin' to
Tell my friends a long, wandering story
About things that really blows my mind
Discussing things that are confusing or incredible to me
Back when I was younger, didn't have a clue
When I was young, I didn't know much
Come to think of it, I still doubt I do
I'm not sure I know much more now
But every now and then I get to thinkin'
Occasionally, I reflect on deeper thoughts
"You know, I've got it all worked out"
I sometimes feel like I have everything figured out
I used to take my time and burn it in a bong
I used to waste time and energy on drugs
Iced down with the lights turned off
Chilling out in a dark, cold atmosphere
Somethin' in my speakers I can ponder on
Listening to music that makes me reflect
Somethin' I can mull around
Something to think about
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
I'm energetic and bright
Check one-two, can y'all hear me?
Testing that everyone can hear me
The sights are somethin' but they ain't for free
The experiences are amazing, but they come at a cost
Lookin' and I'm wired for sound
I'm alert and ready for anything
The road goes on forever, party 'til ten
The journey continues indefinitely, so enjoy it while you can
Too run forever if you never let it end
It can feel like an endless run if you don't stop and reflect
A got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I have a part of myself that's questioning
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
When will I no longer have the desire to travel?
Part of me just wants to live forever on the road
I sometimes want to keep traveling without ever stopping
Splittin' down the middle, shed my southpaw home
I'm leaving behind my previous way of life and starting anew
And if she gets to askin' tell her you don't rightly know
If my partner asks what's going on, I may not have a clear answer
What happened to the rest of me
I'm not sure where I ended up or how I got here
Aw, weep no more, girl don't cry
Don't feel sad, don't cry
Hellfire, you married you a Gemini
You married someone with two sides to their personality
This is the half of him you always liked
This is the part of me that you love
Lookie here, his heart still beats
But I'm still alive and going strong
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tyler Childers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amoderndaydrifter
If He knows how it feels to be Beginnin' and the End
I reckon He knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place friend
Lord, won't you help me carry my load?
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
I got to thinkin' heavy on the road
Now I'm hid out in the upper room
With walls so thin I can walk right through
Give all my buddies a ramblin' to
About things that really blow my mind
Back when I was younger I didn't have a clue
Come to think of it I still doubt I do
But every now and then I get to thinkin'
"You know, I've got it all worked out."
I used to take my time and burn it in a bong
Iced down with the lights turned off
Somethin' in my speakers I can ponder on
Somethin' I can mull around
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
Check one-two can y'all hear me?
The sights are somethin' but they ain't for free
Look a here, I'm wired for sound
The road goes on forever, party it 'til ten
Run forever if ya never let it end
Got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
Part-o-me just wants to live forever on the road
Split me down the middle, send my southpaw home
And if she gets to askin' tell'r you don't rightly know
What happened to the rest of me
Aw, weep no more, girl don't cry
Hellfire ya married you a Gemini
This is the half a him you always liked
In this'n here his heart still beats
@erroldeskin9968
Lyrics
Play "Gemini"
on Apple Music
"Gemini"
If He knows how it feels to be Beginnin' and the End
I reckon He knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place friend
Lord, won't you help me carry my load?
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
I got to thinkin' heavy on the road
Now I'm hid out in the upper room
With walls so thin I can bust right through
Give all my buddies a ramblin' to
About shit that really blows my mind
Back when I was younger I didn't have a clue
Come to think of it I still doubt I do
But every now and then I get to thinkin'
"You know, I've got it all worked out."
I used to take my time and burn it in a bong
Iced down with the lights turned off
Somethin' in my speakers I can ponder on
Somethin' I can mull around
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
Check one-two can y'all hear me?
The sights are somethin' but they ain't for free
Look a here, I'm wired for sound
The road goes on forever, party it 'til ten
Run forever if ya never let it end
Got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
Part-o-me just wants to live forever on the road
Split me down the middle, send my southpaw home
And if she gets to askin' tell'r you don't rightly know
What happened to the rest of me
Aw, weep no more, girl don't cry
Hellfire ya married you a Gemini
This is the half a him you always liked
In this'n here his heart still beats
@theforgottenone8807
If he knows how it feels to be beginning and the end
I reckon he knows the feelin' 'tween now and then
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, friend
Lord won't ya help me carry my load
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
I got to thinkin' heavy on the road
Now I'm head out in the upper room
With walls so thin I could bust right through
And give all my buddies a ramblin' to
About the shit that really blows my mind
Back when I was younger I didn't have a clue
Come to think of it I still doubt I do
But every now and then I get to thinkin' you know
I got it all worked out
I used to take my time, I'd burn it in a bong
Iced down with the lights turned off
And something in the speakers I could ponder on
Something I could mull around
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
Check one, two can y'all hear me
The sights are something but they ain't for free
Lookin at 'em wired for sound
The road goes on forever, the part it will tend
To run forever if ya never let it end
I got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
And part of me just wants to live forever on the road
Split me down the middle ship my southpaw home
If she gets to askin' tell her you don't rightly know
What happened to the rest of me
Ah, weep no more. Girl don't cry
Hellfire you married you a Gemini
This is the half of him you always liked
Looky here his heart still beats
@paplinkster1081
If he knows how it feels to be beginnin' and the end
I reckon he knows the feelin' 'tween the now and then
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, friend
Lord, won't you help me carry my load?
I borrowed me a hammer, I swung it for a dime
I got to where I finally could afford me mine
But in between the swingin' and the idle time
I got to thinkin' heavy on the road
Now I'm hid out in the upper room
With walls so thin I could bust right through
Give all my buddies a ramblin' to
About things that really blows my mind
Back when I was younger, didn't have a clue
Come to think of it, I still doubt I do
But every now and then I get to thinkin'
"You know, I've got it all worked out"
I used to take my time and burn it in a bong
Iced down with the lights turned off
Somethin' in my speakers I can ponder on
Somethin' I can mull around
Now I'm lit up like a Christmas tree
Check one-two, can y'all hear me?
The sights are somethin' but they ain't for free
Lookin' and I'm wired for sound
The road goes on forever, party 'til ten
Too run forever if you never let it end
A got a part of me that's wonderin' when
I'll finally kick the urge to roam
Part of me just wants to live forever on the road
Splittin' down the middle, shed my southpaw home
And if she gets to askin' tell her you don't rightly know
What happened to the rest of me
Aw, weep no more, girl don't cry
Hellfire, you married you a Gemini
This is the half of him you always liked
Lookie here, his heart still beats
@Buckethead1074
Many years from now when history is written, they'll tell stories of how Tyler Childress saved country music.
@drewharrison1840
That made me feel a funny way In my heart. I hope you’re right.
@brt1strrbb110
Who ever disliked this probably listens to alot of Florida Georgia Line.
Edit: appreciate people getting the joke. Good to see.
@ryancannon6433
Pop pop l
@kjp2806
I second this lmao
@mohlachi
Or they might be a Virgo
@jaronbascom5258
Stadium country Ain't shit but pop with an accent
@thomfoolery2001
2 years later and this is the realest comment
@johnwayne7476
Young man , I know of the cost of fame. Remember that you were bared to be who and what you are. And you represent your people. My heart rejoices for you . No envy or bitterness will come from me. Only love and best wishes. From a truly humble soul and new found fan. You have found favor. Blessings,,,
@iPodchik001
This is literally my favorite song coming from a fellow Gemini 😉 I like to call this my anthem