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.
Talk Memphis
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bet you come from way down south,
Please don't tell me; let me guess,
You're from the town I love best.
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
Talk Memphis.
Let's discuss some barbecue, talk about the Tigers too,
Every little sweet thing you say just turns me on like .D.I.A.
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
Talk Memphis.
Bet you bought some blue suede shoes,
Bet you know West Memphis too,
Cross that bridge on just two wheels,
I bet you know how good that feels.
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
Talk Memphis.
I recall when Elvis died; a lot of folks just stopped and cried,
I don't mind telling you, oh, I did a little crying too.
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
Talk Memphis.
Pierce Pettis's song "Talk Memphis" is a love letter to the city of Memphis, Tennessee. The singer of the song is infatuated with a person whom he assumes is from Memphis based on the way they talk. He begs the person to keep talking because he loves the sound of their accent and the stories they tell. The singer of the song loves Memphis too and wants to discuss all the things that make it great: from the barbecue, to the Memphis Tigers (the University of Memphis's sports team), to Elvis Presley, who is famously associated with the city. The singer even assumes that the person he is speaking to has "bought some blue suede shoes" and knows "West Memphis too," suggesting that these are things that are common knowledge among Memphis locals.
The song is an ode to the city of Memphis and its unique cultural identity. From the high bluff where the city is situated to the specific accent and slang of its inhabitants, the song celebrates what makes Memphis special. The city's history and mythology are also mentioned, both by referencing Elvis Presley's death and the fact that the singer assumes the person he's talking to has crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas by way of the "two wheels" of a motorcycle or perhaps a bicycle.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt tribute to a city and a region that holds a particular place in the hearts of many Americans. The song's simple structure, catchy chorus, and romantic lyrics make it an easy crowd-pleaser for those who love Memphis or simply love good storytelling.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to you move your mouth,
I'm enjoying hearing you talk and express yourself
Bet you come from way down south,
I bet you grew up in the southern United States
Please don't tell me; let me guess,
Don't tell me where you're from, I want to try and guess
You're from the town I love best.
I think you're from my favorite city, Memphis
Talk Memphis – wish you would,
I want you to talk about Memphis
Talk Memphis – sounds so good,
I love hearing people talk about Memphis
Talk Memphis – high on a bluff,
Memphis is situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River
I swear I can't get enough, listening to you talk that stuff,
I could listen to you talk about Memphis all day
Let's discuss some barbecue, talk about the Tigers too,
Let's talk about two of the things Memphis is known for: BBQ and University of Memphis sports teams
Every little sweet thing you say just turns me on like .D.I.A.
The things you say about Memphis are making me really happy
Bet you bought some blue suede shoes,
I bet you have a pair of Elvis-inspired blue suede shoes
Bet you know West Memphis too,
I bet you're familiar with the city of West Memphis, Arkansas
Cross that bridge on just two wheels,
I bet you've ridden a motorcycle or bike across the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge
I bet you know how good that feels.
I'm sure it feels great to cross the bridge on a motorcycle or bike
I recall when Elvis died; a lot of folks just stopped and cried,
I remember when Elvis died and how many people were deeply affected by it
I don't mind telling you, oh, I did a little crying too.
I admit that I also shed a few tears when Elvis died
Contributed by Camden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.