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.
No More Sad Songs
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let some other fool sing these songs
Let some other guy take my place
I've done this for too long
Done this for too long
I've given them twenty odd years
They took the best years of my life
Is songs that make you cry
Songs that make you cry
No more sad songs, no more sad songs ... no more
Never again do I want to see
My own children hanging onto me
Tear drops on my collar and sleeve
Daddy don't go, Daddy don't go
How much money do I have to make
How much of this do I have to take
You tell me is it worth the cost
Of what has been lost What has been lost
No more sad songs, no more sad songs
Sing the one about the guy that lost his true love
Play the one about the girl he left behind
Everybody wants to hear the sad ones
Everybody wants to hear the sad ones
And for the life of me I don't know why
What the hell was I thinking of
To ever leave your love
I must have been out of my mind
I must have been blind
Must have been blind
What the hell did I ever do
To deserve to be loved by you
Sweetest music there could ever be
Is standing next to me
Standing next to me
No more sad songs, no more sad songs ... no more
In Pierce Pettis's song "No More Sad Songs," the singer expresses his exhaustion with the road life and the heart-wrenching music he's made as a result. He's been doing this for 20 years, and he's given it his all, but he has nothing to show for it except songs that make you cry. He's tired of seeing his own children cry when he leaves, and he questions whether the toll it's taken on him and his family is worth it. He refuses to sing any more sad songs, despite the fact that audiences always request them. He's had enough, and he's not going to do it anymore.
Throughout the song, the singer reflects on his past decisions and the people he's loved that he's lost, including a "true love" he left behind. He regrets leaving her and wonders what he ever did to deserve her. The sweetest music he's ever heard, he realizes, is standing next to him - presumably his loved ones who have supported him throughout his career.
Line by Line Meaning
Not going on the road no more
I have decided to stop traveling for work
Let some other fool sing these songs
I am tired of performing these songs for people
Let some other guy take my place
I want to step away from my career and let someone else have my spot
I've done this for too long
I have been a musician for an extended period of time
I've given them twenty odd years
I have been in the music industry for over twenty years
They took the best years of my life
The music industry has consumed my best years
And all I got to show for all this
I do not have much to show for my time spent as a musician
Is songs that make you cry
The songs I have written are emotional and sad
No more sad songs, no more sad songs ... no more
I am done writing and performing sad songs
Never again do I want to see
I do not want to repeat my past mistakes
My own children hanging onto me
I do not want to put my children through the hardships of my career
Tear drops on my collar and sleeve
I do not want to see my children cry because of my work
How much money do I have to make
I am reflecting on the cost of my career
How much of this do I have to take
I am questioning how much more I can handle
You tell me is it worth the cost
I am seeking guidance to determine if my career was worthwhile
Of what has been lost, what has been lost
I am recognizing that I have lost important things in my life due to my career
Sing the one about the guy that lost his true love
People enjoy sad songs about heartbreak and loss
Play the one about the girl he left behind
Sad songs about lost love are popular for some reason
Everybody wants to hear the sad ones
It seems that people are attracted to emotional and melancholy music
And for the life of me I don't know why
I do not understand the attraction to sad and depressing music
What the hell was I thinking of
I am questioning my past decisions
To ever leave your love
I am recognizing that I may have made a mistake in a past relationship
I must have been out of my mind
I acknowledge that I may have made a mistake when I left this person
I must have been blind, must have been blind
I realize that I should have seen the value in this relationship
What the hell did I ever do
I am questioning my worthiness for love
To deserve to be loved by you
I am acknowledging the love of someone special
Sweetest music there could ever be
The person I love is more important than anything else
Is standing next to me, standing next to me
I am grateful to have this person by my side
No more sad songs, no more sad songs ... no more
I am done with writing and performing sad songs
Contributed by Evelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@catherineadams6863
I love this song.