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.
I Am Nothing
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to shout out loud, but I just cry inside,
Sometimes it feels so holy; sometimes so absurd,
So who am I to try and put that into words?
I am nothing, but the angels sometimes whisper in my ear,
Yeah, they tell me things and then they disappear,
Though I am nothing, I sometimes like to make believe I hear.
I stumble when I try to walk the straight and narrow,
I've heard it said, God's eye is on the lowly sparrow,
Who, in spite of everything, will sing for all he's worth,
You know, sometimes I feel exactly like that bird.
I am nothing, but the angels sometimes whisper in my ear,
Yeah, they tell me things and then they disappear,
Though I am nothing, I sometimes like to make believe I hear.
Yeah.
Oh,
Oh.
I am nothing,
I am nothing,
I am nothing.
Pierce Pettis's "I Am Nothing" is a contemplative song about one's personal struggles with expressing themselves in the language of life. The feeling of being lost and incapable of articulating the deep emotions they have inside. The lyrics in the song describe the singer's attempts to communicate with the world but failing to do so. The first two lines of the verse captures the dilemma the singer faces, "I stutter when I try to speak the language of life/I want to shout out loud, but I just cry inside." These lines express the inadequacy the singer feels in expressing themselves, despite having so much to say. Sometimes they find it absurd and other times a holy thing to communicate their innermost thoughts, but they struggle to put it into words.
The chorus of the song talks about the singer's self-perception of being nothing — a feeling of inadequacy compared to others. However, they listen to the angels that whisper in their ear, telling them things before disappearing. These angelic voices offer moments of hope and guidance, however fleeting. It's possible that these "angels" offer a sense of meaning and value to the singer, reassuring them that they are more than what they think of themselves. The second verse continues with the theme of personal struggles. The singer stumbles while trying to walk the straight and narrow, highlighting the difficulty they experience while trying to lead a life of integrity. They find solace in the story of the sparrow that keeps on singing despite everything. The line "You know, sometimes I feel exactly like that bird" shows the commonality between the singer's struggles and the sparrow's troubles in life.
Overall, the song highlights the personal struggles of expressing oneself and leading a meaningful life. The singer feels inadequate and struggles to communicate with the world, but the angels' whispers provide moments of hope and guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
I stutter when I try to speak the language of life,
I struggle to communicate effectively about the complexities of existence.
I want to shout out loud, but I just cry inside,
I feel overwhelmed and helpless when attempting to express deep feelings or emotions.
Sometimes it feels so holy; sometimes so absurd,
The mysteries and contradictions of life can elicit both reverence and confusion.
So who am I to try and put that into words?
I question my ability to capture the essence of life experiences through verbal communication.
I am nothing, but the angels sometimes whisper in my ear,
I feel insignificant, but occasionally hear divine guidance.
Yeah, they tell me things and then they disappear,
The messages I receive from the divine are fleeting and ephemeral.
Though I am nothing, I sometimes like to make believe I hear.
Despite my feelings of insignificance, I find comfort in imagining divine communication.
I stumble when I try to walk the straight and narrow,
I struggle to maintain a morally upright path.
I've heard it said, God's eye is on the lowly sparrow,
I am aware of the idea that divine attention is given to even the most insignificant creatures.
Who, in spite of everything, will sing for all he's worth,
The sparrow serves as a model of resilience and strength in the face of challenges.
You know, sometimes I feel exactly like that bird.
I relate to the sparrow's experiences and emotions.
I am nothing, but the angels sometimes whisper in my ear,
I feel insignificant, but occasionally hear divine guidance.
Yeah, they tell me things and then they disappear,
The messages I receive from the divine are fleeting and ephemeral.
Though I am nothing, I sometimes like to make believe I hear.
Despite my feelings of insignificance, I find comfort in imagining divine communication.
Oh,
Interjection used to express a range of emotions including wonder, surprise or longing.
Oh.
Interjection used to express a range of emotions including wonder, surprise or longing.
I am nothing,
I feel insignificant.
I am nothing,
I feel insignificant.
I am nothing.
I feel insignificant.
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Allastar Sevan
Awesome song Mr. Pettis, pure angel-speak!
Brian E. Reinecke
Well done!