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.
Veracruz
Pierce Pettis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm holding you again on nights in Veracruz,
When the train whistle blows, it blows me clean away, back to old Mexico,
Sometimes I call your name.
Oh, mi corazon, what am I to do? (mi vida, mi corazon)
If I could only hold on to nights in Veracruz.
Where, as lovers, we would meet,
You were my passion fruit,
With that smile on your face, how could I refuse?
Now I long for one more taste of nights in Veracruz.
Oh, mi corazon, what am I to do? (mi vida, mi corazon)
If I could only hold on to nights in Veracruz.
Now the sun's coming up,
Dogs are barking; rooster crows,
I got black coffee in my cup and a chill down in my bones,
Oh, but once upon a time, there's a place that I once knew,
Where dark eyes still shine on those nights in Veracruz.
Oh, mi corazon, what am I to do? (mi vida, mi corazon)
If I could only hold on to nights in Veracruz,
Oh, mi corazon, what am I to do? (mi vida, mi corazon)
If I could only hold on to nights in Veracruz,
Oh, nights in Veracruz.
The song "Veracruz" by Pierce Pettis is a nostalgic ballad about longing for a past love and the memories associated with a specific time and place. As the night rolls in, the singer's thoughts inevitably turn back to their former partner and the nights spent together in Veracruz, Mexico. The train whistle serves as a potent reminder of their time in Mexico, transporting the singer back to those unforgettable nights. The lyrics suggest that the passion and connection felt between the two lovers during those nights were one of a kind, and the singer is yearning to recapture the feelings they shared.
The second verse continues to describe Veracruz as a place that embodied passion and romance for the singer. The streets are cobbled, and the moon is named Rosa Linda, creating a picturesque scene for the lovers to meet. The mention of the passion fruit alludes to the vibrancy and sweetness of their love. Despite the beauty of the past relationship, the singer is left wanting more, and the longing for one more taste of nights in Veracruz is evident.
The final verse brings the listener back to the present day, where the singer is faced with the reality of their situation. Although they now live in a world without their former partner, the memories of their love still exist. The lyrics mention the sounds of a rooster crowing and dogs barking, creating a stark contrast to the romantic imagery of Veracruz. The song ends with the singer still yearning to hold on to those moments and wondering what they could do to recapture them.
Line by Line Meaning
When the night comes rolling in my thoughts roll back to you,
Whenever night falls, my thoughts inevitably return to you.
And I'm holding you again on nights in Veracruz,
I'm transported back to the nights I held you in Veracruz, where we were both happy.
When the train whistle blows, it blows me clean away, back to old Mexico,
Whenever I hear the sound of a train whistle, my mind is taken back to Mexico.
Sometimes I call your name.
At times, I find myself calling out your name in memory of our past together.
Oh, mi corazon, what am I to do? (mi vida, mi corazon)
Oh, my heart, what should I do? (my life, my heart)
If I could only hold on to nights in Veracruz.
If I could only cling on to memories of the happy times we spent together in Veracruz.
Down the old cobbled streets ran the Rosa Linda moon,
The moon named Rosa Linda shone brightly down the old, cobblestoned streets.
Where, as lovers, we would meet,
We used to rendezvous there as lovers.
You were my passion fruit,
You were the source of my passion and desire.
With that smile on your face, how could I refuse?
It was impossible for me to refuse you when you smiled that way at me.
Now I long for one more taste of nights in Veracruz.
I yearn for just one more chance to experience the happy nights we had in Veracruz.
Now the sun's coming up,
Now that the sun is rising,
Dogs are barking; rooster crows,
The dogs are barking, and the roosters are crowing.
I got black coffee in my cup and a chill down in my bones,
I'm drinking black coffee and feeling a chill in my bones.
Oh, but once upon a time, there's a place that I once knew,
Once upon a time, there was a place I knew very well.
Where dark eyes still shine on those nights in Veracruz.
Where dark eyes still sparkle on those happy nights we spent together in Veracruz.
Oh, nights in Veracruz.
Oh, the memories of those happy nights in Veracruz.
Contributed by Makayla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.