Though born in New York, Peter's was raised in Boulder, Colorado, and then moved to Nashville in the late 1980s. There, she found work as a songwriter, composing hits for Martina McBride, Etta James, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Anne Murray, as well as for Neil Diamond and co-writing songs with Bryan Adams. She has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, in 1995 and 1996, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 2003.
Peters has released a string of studio albums of her own. The title track of her 1996 debut album The Secret of Life was later recorded by Faith Hill in 1999.
In the case of her new album, 'Blackbirds,' "juice" is certainly understatement. Recorded in Nashville, the album features a who's who of modern American roots music: Jerry Douglas, Jason Isbell, Jimmy LaFave, Will Kimbrough, Kim Richey, Suzy Bogguss and more. But it's not the guests that make 'Blackbirds' the most poignant and moving album of Peters' storied career; it’s the impeccable craftsmanship, her ability to capture the kind of complex, conflicting, and overwhelming emotional moments we might otherwise try to hide and instead shine a light of truth and understanding onto them.
'Blackbirds' is, in many ways, an album that is unafraid to face down mortality. But rather than dwell on the pain of loss, the music finds a new appreciation for the life we're given.
If anyone can open up that conversation, it's Peters. Inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, she has long been one of Music City's most beloved and respected artists, known never to shy away from darkness and struggle in her writing. Martina McBride's recording of her stirring "Independence Day," a song that deals with domestic abuse, was nominated for a Grammy and took home Song of the Year honors at the CMAs, and her work has been performed by everyone from Etta James and Neil Diamond to George Strait and Trisha Yearwood. "If Peters never delivers another tune as achingly beautiful as 'On A Bus To St. Cloud,'" People Magazine wrote, "she has already earned herself a spot among country's upper echelon of contemporary composers."
'Blackbirds' follows Peters' 2012 album 'Hello Cruel World,' which NPR called "the album of her career" and Uncut said "establishes her as the natural successor to Lucinda Williams." If anything, though, 'Blackbirds' truly establishes Peters as a one-of-a-kind singer and songwriter, one in possession of a fearless and endlessly creative voice.
Pretty Things
Gretchen Peters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dulled the pain with wine and pills
Took that slow ride down the hill to nowhere
She said Pompeii crumbled and Athens fell
Heathens stormed the citadel
A girl like me ain't got a chance in hell against 'em
Oh pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin
Rained three days, when we awoke
Sun came out and the levee broke
Like some cruel and cosmic joke God's playing
Now I don't pretend that I believe
I know there ain't no guarantees
Still morning finds me on my knees and praying
Oh pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin
Come the flood you build an ark
Come the night you curse the dark
Inside your broken heart you bear the crosses
Some of us have got it made
Some of us have more than paid
But we're all marching in this slow parade of losses
Oh pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin
In Gretchen Peters’s song “Pretty Things”, the lyrics paint a picture of a girl who once believed that beauty brings the end of things. She had to use alcohol and drugs to ease her pain and troubles. The girl believed that history would repeat itself, and that someday, like Pompeii and Athens, she would be destroyed by the heathens who would storm the citadel. The girl felt helpless and had no chance against them. The lyrics “pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin” reflect on how superficial things in life can easily be destroyed, and how beauty and glamour can become insignificant.
The song continues with a metaphor relating to the aftermath of a flood. The singer sees the flood as a cruel and cosmic joke. She doesn’t believe in guarantees but prays nonetheless. The chorus “pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin” repeats as a reminder of how quickly things can change. The singer advises that when the flood comes, one should build an ark. When the night comes, curse the dark. Inside your broken heart, bear the crosses. The song concludes by pointing out that some may have it easy, but for many of us, we’ve more than paid our dues. In the end, we’re all marching in a slow parade of losses.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a girl who said that beauty kills
I once met a girl who believed that beauty can be a dangerous thing
Dulled the pain with wine and pills
In an attempt to cope with the difficulties of life, she turned to alcohol and drugs
Took that slow ride down the hill to nowhere
As a result of her struggles, she began to lose hope in life and fell into a state of despair
She said Pompeii crumbled and Athens fell
She pointed out that even the greatest and the most beautiful civilizations have eventually fallen or crumbled over time
Heathens stormed the citadel
She recognized the fact that sometimes powerful and destructive forces can overcome even the most protected and fortified places
A girl like me ain't got a chance in hell against 'em
She felt helpless and vulnerable in the face of these powerful and destructive forces
Oh pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin
The beauty and goodness of the world can sometimes be destroyed or corrupted, leaving nothing but ruins
Rained three days, when we awoke
It had been raining heavily for three days before they woke up
Sun came out and the levee broke
But when the sun finally came out, the floodwaters rose, and the levee was unable to hold them back
Like some cruel and cosmic joke God's playing
It felt like the universe was playing a cruel trick on them
Now I don't pretend that I believe
I don't claim to have absolute faith or certainty about things
I know there ain't no guarantees
I understand that life is unpredictable and uncertain
Still morning finds me on my knees and praying
But even in the face of uncertainty and difficulty, I still find myself turning to prayer
Come the flood you build an ark
When disaster strikes, it's important to prepare and protect oneself in any way possible
Come the night you curse the dark
When things get tough, it's perfectly natural to feel frustrated, angry, or sad
Inside your broken heart you bear the crosses
When you're hurting, it can feel like you're carrying a heavy burden or experiencing a great deal of emotional pain
Some of us have got it made
Some people are fortunate enough to have lives that are relatively easy, comfortable, and free of major challenges or struggles
Some of us have more than paid
But for others, life has been extremely difficult, and they have had to endure suffering, pain, and hardships that few others have experienced
But we're all marching in this slow parade of losses
Despite our different experiences and circumstances, we are all moving forward in life, experiencing both good and bad along the way
Oh pretty things, pretty things gone to ruin
The beauty and goodness of the world can sometimes be destroyed or corrupted, leaving nothing but ruins
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rhona Davidson
One of those songs that seems to have been written just for me, like a soundtrack to my life. Thank you, Gretchen, I totally love this.
msukulele
AWESOME. I am in awe. Soul moving video, naturally the melody fitting lyrics are gripping. Another masterpiece by our Hall of fame award winning Gretchen!
Manos DE PIEDRA
Heard this on the radio for the first time today (BBC Radio 2). Just love the poetry and the haunting gentle melody. Beautiful.
John Jackson
Magnificent song, lyrics, music, voice, video. Bravo.
David Gardiner
Another work of genius from you, Gretchen.
Tammy Marcum
wow powerful, love this song, Gretchen! Saw you at Natalie's in Columbus Ohio. I love your voice and your lyrics and arrangements, ok I love it all!
Stevie B
beautiful song, beautiful voice, heard for the first time, will want to listen to lots more of grtechen
Stevie B
Gretchen
DARKSPARX
OH MY GOD, IVE HEARD ALOT OF SONGS IN MY TIME BUT THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. CHORD CHANGES FROM HEAVEN. WISH I COULD WRITE SOMETHING AS GOOD AS THIS. THANKYOU GRETCHEN FOR THIS LIFE TREAT.
Howard Zuckerman
Too bad she stole the melody from Alice Cooper “ Only Women Bleed “