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.
This Ain't Love
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hanging long and loose
And I'm not above what fools call love
Underneath the moon
She is like the sunshine
When she smiles at me
Lighting up this warm night
With possibility
When I hear that crooked tune
I dance my crooked dance
I could be her total fool
Given half a chance
Any fool can make up a story in his mind
And anything will trip you up
When you are running blind
Chorus
Damn her eyes, I was fine
Right here by myself
This ain't love, this ain't love
This is something else
It's something else
Oh it's something else
People say they're OK
When you know they're not
Just one kiss and you will risk
Everything you got
Should have learned this lesson
From headaches I've been through
She is no exception
Oh and I have no excuse
Chorus
Her hair was tossed like Spanish moss
Hanging long and loose
I'm not above what foots call love
Underneath the moon
In the beginning of Pierce Pettis's song "This Ain't Love," the singer describes the physical appearance of a woman he sees. Her long, flowing hair is compared to "Spanish moss," a plant often found hanging in tree branches in the southern United States. He admits that he is not above the feeling of love, which he considers foolish. There is a sense of possibility as he describes the woman's smile and how it lights up the night.
The second verse finds the singer struggling to resist the woman's pull on him. He dances a "crooked dance" when he hears a certain tune and knows that he could be a fool for her if given the chance. He realizes that he is creating a story in his mind and the power of her pull can trip him up. The song's chorus features the phrase "This ain't love," as the singer struggles with his feelings for this woman. He knows that he was fine on his own before he met her, but something about her draws him in.
In the final verse, the singer recognizes that people often say that they are okay when they are not. This woman is a risk to him, but he cannot resist. He knows that he should have learned from past experiences, but she is "no exception." The song ends with the same description of the woman's appearance as the beginning, showing that the singer is still under her spell.
Line by Line Meaning
Her hair was tossed like Spanish moss
Her hair was hanging long and loose
Hanging long and loose
Her hair was not tied in any way
And I'm not above what fools call love
I am not immune to the feeling of love
Underneath the moon
In the nighttime
She is like the sunshine
She brightens up my life
When she smiles at me
When she shows me her beautiful smile
Lighting up this warm night
Making this night seem even better
With possibility
With hope for something more
When I hear that crooked tune
When I listen to that strange melody
I dance my crooked dance
I dance in an unconventional way
I could be her total fool
I am willing to risk it all for her
Given half a chance
If I had the opportunity
Any fool can make up a story in his mind
Anyone can imagine a reality where they are in love
And anything will trip you up
Anything can jeopardize your chances of being together
When you are running blind
When you are unaware of the risks
Damn her eyes, I was fine
I was content before seeing her
Right here by myself
Without needing anyone else
This ain't love, this ain't love
This is not true love
This is something else
This is a different type of emotion
Oh it's something else
Something unique and different
People say they're OK
People claim to be okay
When you know they're not
When you sense their inner struggles
Just one kiss and you will risk
A single kiss could jeopardize everything
Everything you got
Everything that is important to you
Should have learned this lesson
I should have known better
From headaches I've been through
From past experiences that caused me pain
She is no exception
She is not different from the others
Oh and I have no excuse
Oh, and I cannot justify my actions
Her hair was tossed like Spanish moss
Her hair was hanging long and loose
Hanging long and loose
Her hair was not tied in any way
I'm not above what foots call love
I am not immune to the feeling of love
Underneath the moon
In the nighttime
Contributed by James T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.