A former staff writer for PolyGram Publishing in Nashville, Pettis' musical career was started in 1979 when Joan Baez covered his song, "Song at the End of the Movie", on her album Honest Lullaby. Following that release, Pettis became heavily involved in the "Fast Folk movement" in New York in the 1980s alongside artists such as Shawn Colvin and Suzanne Vega.
In 1984, Pettis released his first independent solo album, Moments, followed by a string of releases for High Street Records; While the Serpent Lies Sleeping, Tinseltown and Chase the Buffalo. None of these releases have made Pettis a household name, but his music has become extremely popular with other artists. His songs have been covered by artists like Dar Williams ("Family" on Mortal City), Garth Brooks ("You Move Me" on Sevens), Dion & the Belmonts, Sara Groves, Randy Stonehill and others.
In the early 1990s, Pettis developed a working relationship with songwriter and producer Mark Heard. Pettis was performing with Heard at the Cornerstone Festival in July of 1992, when Heard had a heart attack on stage. Heard finished the show, but collapsed off-stage afterwards and died the following August. That loss led to the start of a tradition for Pettis, who has started off each of his albums with one of Heard's songs since 1993's Chase the Buffalo, where he recorded Heard's "Nod Over Coffee". Other Heard covers include "Satellite Sky" (1996's Making Light of It), "Tip of My Tongue" (1998's Everything Matters), "Rise from the Ruins" (2001's State of Grace) and "Another Day in Limbo" (2004's Great Big World.) Pettis also appeared on a 1994 tribute to Heard entitled Strong Hand of Love.
In 1996, Pettis signed on with Compass Records and released Making Light of It, produced by David Miner (T-Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello), and featuring Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of The Choir.
Two years later Everything Matters was released, produced by Grammy award winning Gordon Kennedy (who is best known for co-writing Eric Clapton's "Change the World.") Pettis followed that release with State of Grace in 2001, which featured cover art by the late southern folk artist Howard Finster.
2001 saw Pettis' most regionally oriented album, State of Grace released. 2004's Great Big World record saw Pettis collaborating with a number of other songwriters. In 2009 That Kind of Love included less of a regional focus. 2013 saw Pettis, along with Tom Kimmel and Kate Campbell, form the New Agrarians and release a debut album on the independent Due South label.
2019 saw the release of his album "Father's Son".
Pettis tours frequently, alternating between solo shows, concerts with the New Agrarians, and a double bill with his daughter Grace Pettis.
Black Sheep Boy
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I love him for his wicked grin and the mischief in his eyes,
He would not harm a soul, no, he would not hurt a fly,
It's just beyond his control to walk a straight line,
He's a black sheep boy,
He's a black sheep boy, yeah.
A delight to all the ladies and trouble for the men,
He's bound to break some hearts, kiss the girls and make them cry,
Just hope one of those hearts doesn't turn out to be mine.
Oh, the black sheep boy,
Oh, the black sheep boy, yeah.
I can see the hurt that he tries to hide,
Even when he laughs out loud, he blames himself inside,
Can't stop his hands or make his feet be still,
Tells himself he won't, but he knows he always will…
Be the black sheep boy,
The black sheep boy, yeah.
Skipping out my door is the black sheep boy,
Whichever way he runs, he's gonna make a lot of noise,
And I'm startled by the silence the minute that he's gone,
I pray for his protection and leave the porch light on…
For my black sheep boy,
For my black sheep boy, yeah,
Oh, the black sheep boy,
Curly-headed black sheep boy.
Oh, the black sheep boy,
Curly-headed black sheep boy,
Oh.
The song "Black Sheep Boy" by Pierce Pettis is a heartfelt tribute to a son who struggles to conform to societal expectations. The lyrics detail the singer's love for his "black sheep boy" son, despite the mischief-making tendencies and inability to walk a straight line. The singer acknowledges that his son would not harm a soul, but his non-conformist nature often leads him astray. The black sheep boy's charm and ability to win over the ladies, as well as his tendency to break hearts, gives him the reputation of a troublemaker.
The song captures the universal struggle of individuals who feel like black sheep, ostracized by their peers, but yearning to find a place to belong. The black sheep boy in the song is depicted as someone who tries to hide his hurts and blame himself inwardly, even when he's laughing out loud. The song conveys the sadness of a parent watching their child walk a difficult path, yet still loving and supporting them every step of the way.
Overall, "Black Sheep Boy" is a poignant and moving tribute to those who don't quite fit in with mainstream society. It's about accepting and loving people for who they are, even if they don't fit the mold. The song is a reminder that, while it's essential to strive for good behavior, conformity isn't the only path to happiness, and there's beauty in rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the black sheep boy, he's a son of mine,
The person singing the song is the father of the 'black sheep' boy, but he still loves him despite his constant trouble-making behavior.
And I love him for his wicked grin and the mischief in his eyes,
The father takes pleasure in seeing his son's mischievous nature, and finds joy in his smile despite his actions.
He would not harm a soul, no, he would not hurt a fly,
Despite his mischievous nature, the 'black sheep' boy is harmless and wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone.
It's just beyond his control to walk a straight line,
The 'black sheep' boy struggles with following the rules and sticking to what is expected of him, despite his efforts to behave.
He's a black sheep boy,
The son is called the 'black sheep' boy because he consistently behaves differently from what is considered normal or appropriate.
Oh, the black sheep boy strikes again,
The son's mischievous behavior continues, despite his best efforts to behave.
A delight to all the ladies and trouble for the men,
The 'black sheep' boy's mischievousness is generally enjoyed by women, but can be problematic for men.
He's bound to break some hearts, kiss the girls and make them cry,
The son tends to break hearts and cause pain to the women he interacts with.
Just hope one of those hearts doesn't turn out to be mine.
The father hopes that his son won't unintentionally cause him pain or heartbreak.
I can see the hurt that he tries to hide,
Despite his mischievous nature, the son is clearly struggling with his own pain and feelings that he tries to keep hidden.
Even when he laughs out loud, he blames himself inside,
The son feels guilty for his behavior and has a tendency to blame himself for any negative outcomes.
Can't stop his hands or make his feet be still,
The son struggles with controlling himself, despite his best efforts to behave differently.
Tells himself he won't, but he knows he always will…
The son tries to convince himself that he won't give in to his mischievous impulses, but he knows he likely will eventually.
Skipping out my door is the black sheep boy,
The son tends to leave without warning, and often causes commotion as he goes.
Whichever way he runs, he's gonna make a lot of noise,
The son's behavior is always noticed, and he tends to draw attention to himself no matter where he goes.
And I'm startled by the silence the minute that he's gone,
Despite his son's mischievousness, the father is still concerned for his safety and well-being when he is not around.
I pray for his protection and leave the porch light on…
The father worries about his son and hopes that he will remain safe, despite his behavior.
For my black sheep boy,
The father still loves and cares for his son despite all of his misbehavior.
Curly-headed black sheep boy.
The son is described as having curly hair, and is once again referred to as the 'black sheep' because of his behavior.
Contributed by Ian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.