Appalachian Bloodlines
Pierce Pettis Lyrics


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Appalachia where the dark sky rolls
Coal fields lie so barren and mean
Mountaintops that reach like thorns
And prick the sky until it bleeds

Soot-black faces, rolled up sleeves
Undefeated football teams
From the coal mines up to the major leagues
The land is torn from shovels and cleats

Appalachian bloodlines
They run dark and they run deep
Deeper than than the furrows
Where the ground is hard and steep
Deeper than the worry lines
On a poor dirt farmer's face
More solemn than a hungry family
When they pause for grace

Carter family singing Amazing Grace
I'll never forget Mama Maybelle's face
Mountain wisdom in her crinkly smile
Its a face I could pick out of any crowd

Churches are full on Sunday morn
Speaking in tongues of Old King James
Family bibles weathered and worn
With ten generations of family names

(CHORUS)

Gets hot around here in the summertime
Hotter than a rocket on the Fourth of July
Hotter than the scenes that twist and wind
In the tortured dreams of a young man's mind

June bug bride at age sixteen
Soon grown old in her faded jeans
With a life of hard work, mouths to feed
Family reunions 'neath the poplar trees





(CHORUS)

Overall Meaning

The song "Appalachian Bloodlines" by Pierce Pettis is a poignant, descriptive ballad about the rugged beauty and difficulties of life in Appalachia, a region in the eastern United States known for its mountains, coal mining, and poverty. Pettis begins by painting a picture of the stark landscape, with its dark skies, barren coal fields, and mountain peaks that resemble thorns. The people who live in this area are depicted as tough, hardworking individuals represented by soot-black faces and rolled-up sleeves. They have an indomitable spirit represented by undefeated football teams and people who have risen from the mines to the major leagues.


The song also touches on the theme of inheritance, as the deep, dark bloodlines of Appalachia run deeper than the furrows in the earth. The people of the region have weathered many hardships, which is reflected in the worry lines on a poor farmer's face, and yet they remain solemn and proud. The song illustrates a deep sense of community, with families coming together for church on Sunday mornings and family reunions under poplar trees. The chorus, which repeats several times, speaks to the resilience of the people in the region and the power of their heritage.


Line by Line Meaning

Appalachia where the dark sky rolls
The place where the sky is seen as dark, uninviting, and unfriendly


Coal fields lie so barren and mean
The coal mines are empty and harsh


Mountaintops that reach like thorns
The mountains are dry, sharp, and unforgiving


And prick the sky until it bleeds
The mountains seem so high they could hurt the sky


Soot-black faces, rolled up sleeves
Coal workers have faces that are black with coal, and they roll up their sleeves for their work


Undefeated football teams
Despite living in a harsh environment, the people find solace in their sports team winning


From the coal mines up to the major leagues
Despite their difficult living conditions, some people from the area succeed in reaching fame in big sports leagues


The land is torn from shovels and cleats
The ground is physically and metaphorically dug up from people working in the mines and playing sports


Appalachian bloodlines
The traits of the people from this area are passed down from generation to generation


They run dark and they run deep
The shared experiences and hardship of the people give them a strong sense of identity


Deeper than than the furrows
This sense of identity runs deeper than the furrows in the earth from all the mining


Where the ground is hard and steep
The ground and mountains are challenging to live or work on


Deeper than the worry lines
The people's sense of identity is buried even deep compared to the physical marks of stress on their faces


On a poor dirt farmer's face
The stress on the skin of poor dirt farmers is still apparent


More solemn than a hungry family
This identity is something that is very important to the people - it's deeper than the worry on a hungry family's faces


When they pause for grace
They actively take a moment to be grateful for what they have


Carter family singing Amazing Grace
A reference to Appalachian musicians and the influence of religion on the region


I'll never forget Mama Maybelle's face
A personal anecdote to emphasize the power of creating memories with other people


Mountain wisdom in her crinkly smile
The people of Appalachia have wisdom unique to their culture and lifestyle


Its a face I could pick out of any crowd
The individuality of people in this shared culture stands out from others


Churches are full on Sunday morn
Religion is still an important aspect of the people's lives


Speaking in tongues of Old King James
They worship in a style that promotes tradition and unity


Family bibles weathered and worn
Their religious traditions are preserved in their worn bibles


With ten generations of family names
The importance of family and family names is emphasized


Gets hot around here in the summertime
Appalachia is still geographically hot and uncomfortable in the summer


Hotter than a rocket on the Fourth of July
An example of how people use humor to cope with difficulties


Hotter than the scenes that twist and wind
The hardships and challenges in their daily lives cause stress, anxiety or worry


In the tortured dreams of a young man's mind
The difficult life can be incredibly difficult to escape


June bug bride at age sixteen
Marriage at a young age is common in many rural areas


Soon grown old in her faded jeans
People work hard for their families, causing them to look older than their years


With a life of hard work, mouths to feed
The people must work hard every day to provide for themselves and their families


Family reunions 'neath the poplar trees
They cherish being together, especially with the family that they hold dear


Appalachian bloodlines
The people from this area have a deep emotional connection to and sense of pride in their cultural identity


They run dark and they run deep
Their history and traditions span back generations and carries a lot of weight emotionally and even physically




Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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