While the Serpent Lies Sleeping

Description

While the Serpent Lies Sleeping is the sophomore album the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Pierce Pettis, originally independently released on CD by Small World Records in 1988. The album was produced and recorded by label owner Doug Jansen Smith at Sound Cell Studios in Huntsville, Alabama. (Smith did also produce Pettis’ debut album, Moments.) While the Serpent Lies Sleeping was picked up by Windham Hill and re-issued in September the following year, distributed by A&M Records.

Backing vocals provided by Mac McAnally and Robert Byrne, while “Legacy” features harmony vocals by Claude McKnight III of Take 6 fame. “Legacy” was as well included as the opening track of the Windham Hill CD sampler Legacy: A Collection of New Folk Music released in 1989. Pierce Pettis was soon to be signed to High Street Records, a brand new Windham Hill imprint focusing on the emerging “fast folk” singer/songwriter genre spearheaded by artists like Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman and Shawn Colvin. The new label was actually created with Pettis and another singer-songwriter – John Gorka – in mind, who both had been included on the Legacy: A Collection of New Folk Music compilation.

Pierce Pettis first gained attention in Christian music circles on last year’s ‘Twelve New Faces‘ sampler. That’s a bit of a misnomer in Pettis’ case, since he’s been a professional musician for 10 years, and an oft-recorded songwriter – Joan Baez, Dion and Randy Stonehill are a few who have covered Pettis’ tunes.

‘While The Serpent Lies Sleeping’ is an acoustic-based rock disc, similar in tone to Stonehill’s ‘Return to Paradise‘. Pettis writes about a variety of subjects on ‘Serpent’, including immorality («He Burns For Her»), racism («Legacy», where he’s joined by Claude McKnight III of Take 6) and the self-centeredness of modern society («When I Grow Up»). Two of the discs’ most moving tracks – «Come Home» and «The Longing» – deal with a yearning for the return of the Lord. Other strong material includes Pettis’ version of the delicate ballad «Don’t Ever Want To Be Without You» (first heard on the Stonehill album), and «7 x 70», from the ‘Twelve New Faces‘ release. Pierce has a charming voice with a husky drawl that displays his southern roots. Pettis is a welcome addition to the increasingly crowded “nu-folk, singer-songwriter” field and ‘While The Serpent Lies Sleeping’ is a terrific disc, well worth tracking down. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, January 1990]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/while-the-serpent-lies-sleeping/1673842786)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “When I Grow Up” – 3:53
A2. “Come Home” – 3:37
A3. “Don’t Ever Want To Be Without You” – 4:17
A4. “7 X 70” – 3:10
A5. “Wandering Moon” – 2:56

Side Two
B1. “He Burns For Her” – 3:45
B2. “Thin Red Line” – 3:22
B3. “Ghost Town” – 2:57
B4. “Legacy” – 4:07
B5. “The Longing” – 3:02

Note: Originally released on CD only by Small World Records in 1988. Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by High Street Records in 1989 featuring the same cover artwork.

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CREDITS. Produced by Doug Jansen Smith. Recorded at Sound Cell Studios, Huntsville, Alabama. Engineered and mastered by Doug Jansen Smith. Assistant Engineers: Hershey Reeves and Paul Mann. Mastering with Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA. Design and Artwork by Steve Vance. Photos by Dennis Keeley. All songs written by Pierce Pettis except “When I Grow Up” co-written with David Rudolf.

Musicians: Pierce Pettis (Vocals, Electric, Flat-top, E-tuned and High-String Guitars, Harmonica, Percussion, Keyboard and Drum Programs), “Doug-eat-Doug” Smith (Drum and Keyboard Programming), Brandon “Soul Man” Barnes (Keyboards), Avery Burdette (Keyboards), Bill Hines (Electric Guitar), Gary “Knopfler” Burnette (Electric, Gut-String, and Twelve String Guitars, Dobro, Mandolin), David Anderson (“Whammy Bar” Bass), Mike Brignardello (Fretless Bass), Jeff “Ringo” Collier (Drums, Percussion, Various Metal Objects). Backing Vocals: Robert Byrne, Mac McAnally, Hershey “Oink!” Reeves. Claude McKnight III provided beautiful vocals on “Legacy”.