Tom Petty: His Top 50 Songs, Ranked (2023)

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Tom Petty was a bit like Tom Hanks: he was so handsome that after a while you almost took his size for granted. In compiling this list, we kept in mind that the man made great music right to the end, and we wanted to highlight some of his gems that didn't get as much love as they should, including some of his final recordings.

We decided that everything he wrote was fair game: his songs with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, of course, as well as his three solo albums. We also recorded songs by Mudcrutch, his pre-Heartbreakers band (which included Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench), who broke up in 1975 after recording a few songs; They got together in 2007 and released two albums. Of course we included the Traveling Wilburys and focused on the songs Tom was the lead singer on and the songs he wrote for Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison and Roger McGuinn. We decided to record mainly in the studio, but despite that, we can wholeheartedly recommend the 2008 box set.Die Live-Anthology. We also decided not to record covers (although we included her covers of the Byrds "So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star" and "Feel A Whole Lot Better," her cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," and her duet with Stevie Nicks on " Needles and Pins" by Jackie Love DeShannon, to name a few). It is worth noting that we have frequently referred to Paul Zollo's excellent book,Conversations with Tom Pettyoften, and we would definitely recommend this book, as would Warren Zanes'Tom Petty: Die Biography.

Did we miss some songs? Sure, Petty has had over 50 great ones (and we're sure he'll let us know on social media what we've been missing). But now he enjoys these, there may be some you may have forgotten about or some you may not have even heard of.

• 50. „Don't Come Around Here No More“ aus „Southern Accents“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1985)

  Reuniting Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart sounded like an odd idea at the time, but it worked incredibly well. Stewart produced several tracks on Southern Accents (as did the band's Robbie Robertson and Jimmy Iovine) and also co-wrote several songs, including this one. The song was originally written with Stevie Nicks in mind, but Petty was the right guy to sing it, and it peaked at number 13 on the pop chart (thanks in part to MTV, who sent the Alice in Wonderland-themed video to of the Wonders to a high rotation). ). brought). Fun fact: The song featured backing vocals by Marilyn Martin, who at the time had a hit with her Phil Collins duet "Separate Lives." Also in the background: Sharon Celani from Nick's touring band.

• 49. "Jammin' Me" aus "Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)" de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1987)

  After touring supporting Bob Dylan, Petty and Dylan co-wrote this jam, the culmination of Let Me Up (I've Had Enough). diss track" against some celebrities of the time: Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo and Vanessa Redgrave. It also appeared constantly on MTV, reaching number 18 on the charts.

• 48. „You take my breath away“ aus „Vol. 3' (1990)

  A sweet tribute to a fallen Wilbury...or at least that's how many fans interpreted it. The big difference between the Wilburys' first album (1988's 'Vol. 1') and its follow-up was the absence of Lefty Wilbury, aka Roy Orbison, who died just weeks after the Wilburys' debut. Some of the group's magic went with him, but "Vol. 3" still had great moments and this was the best of them, inspired by Orbison's absence.

• 47. „King of the Hill“ by Roger McGuinns „Back From Rio“ (1991)

  Tom Petty has always been artistically indebted to the Byrds and their frontman Roger McGuinn in particular. But in 1991 he did McGuinn a huge favor: For Roger's first album in ten years, Petty co-wrote "King Of The Hill," which they performed as a duet. Interestingly, Petty later went on to star in the animated series King Of The Hill; His character's name, Lucky, was a reference to Bob Dylan's nickname in The Traveling Wilburys.

• 46. ​​„Walls – Circus“ aus „Songs and music from the film „She’s The One“ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers“ (1996)

  The song was written for the Ed Burns film She's The One (starring Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz), but was probably inspired by Petty, who was surviving her divorce. "Some days are diamonds/Some days they're rocks/Some doors are open/Some roads are blocked/Sunsets are golden/Then they fade" sounds like the lyrics of someone who has overcome a difficult emotional time. There were two versions of the song in the film and on the album, but this one, with Lindsey Buckingham on backing vocals, is the better version.

• 45. „Red River“ aus „Hypnotic Eye“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (2014)

  Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' last album was also the only one to top the charts. Here they reconnected with their Byrds-esque slightly psychedelic garage rock sound.

• 44. "I Should Have Known" from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Mojo" (2010)

  For Petty and the Heartbreakers' first album in eight years, they recorded old-school style: mostly live, with few overdubs. The Heartbreakers' last two albums are sadly underrated, but they both had some serious gems. "I Should Have Known It" was a great addition to their live performances.

• 43. „Last Night“ aus „Vol. 1' (1988)

  The song, which was the baddest of the Wilburys' debut, told the hilarious story of a wild night in a bar. Petty did most of the lead vocals, but gave Roy Orbison the best line: "I asked him to leave me." marry; She smiled and pulled out a knife / 'The party has just started,' she said to her / 'Your money or your life'."

  (Video) Top 10 Tom Petty Songs

• 42. „The Wrong Thing To Do (live)“ de Mudcrutchs „Extended Play Live“ EP (2008)

  The pain of Petty's death certainly remains unbearable for his bandmates and family, but hopefully a full live album from one of Mudcrutch's two tours will finally see the light of day. Mudcrutch was, of course, Petty's pre-Heartbreakers band - he played bass and sang, and future Heartbreakers Mike Campbell (guitar) and Benmont Tench (keyboards) were also members, along with guitarist Tom Leadon and drummer Randall marsh. On his tours, Petty dropped his solo songs and stuck with the Mudcrutch catalogue; He clearly enjoyed performing concerts without the catalog expectations of him. That's what you hear on this EP for 27 minutes and 50 seconds, and "The Wrong Thing To Do" is the highlight.

• 41. „Saving Grace“ aus Tom Pettys „Highway Companion“ (2006)

  On "Highway Companion," Petty reunited his "Full Moon Fever" crew: Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell and Traveling Wilburys' Jeff Lynne. Unlike “Full Moon Fever” there were no guests: the three of them played all the instruments (Petty was the drummer on the record!). It wasn't a radio hit like Petty's solo debut, but there were some great songs, including this bluesy pounder, an homage to ZZ Top's "La Grange" (which itself was an homage to a couple of John's songs). Lee Hooker, including "Boogie Chillen" and "Boom Boom").

• 40. „Runnin‘ Down A Dream“ como „The Live Anthology“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (2009)

  One of Petty's rockier songs, it features perhaps Mike Campbell's best guitar work; The studio version of "Full Moon Fever" is great, but it really comes to life as a live Heartbreakers jam. Petty references Del Shannon in the line, "Del and I were doing some 'Runaway' singing." It was a nice touch, since he stole Del Shannon's bassist, Howie Epstein, a few years before the song was recorded.

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• 39. „The Last DJ“ as „The Last DJ“ (2002) by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  The title track from Petty's angriest album, he told British magazine MOJO that "the radio in the song was just a metaphor" for American society. "The Last DJ was really about losing our moral compass, our moral center."

• 38. „Wake Up Time“ de Tom Pettys „Wildflowers“ (1994)

  In an interview with this author, Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench balked at the idea of ​​"Wildflowers" being a Petty solo record: "You have to ask him why it's a solo record," he said. But that song that closed the LP isn't really a Heartbreakers jam. Petty Plays Piano: Producer Rick Rubin felt that Tench played it too skillfully and needed him to be a bit more raw and fundamental. Petty was joined by future Heartbreaker Steve Ferrone on drums, Mike Campbell on bass, and Michael Kamen conducting an orchestra. As Petty told writer Paul Zollo: "You talk about your list of things you've ever done. This song is just one of my best songs."

• 37. „You and I will meet again“ aus „Into The Great Wide Open“ (1991) by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  The song did not garner much praise in 1991 when "Into The Great Wide Open" was released: the title track and "Learning To Fly" were the dominant songs on the album. But it was always a beautiful composition. And the lyrics certainly apply differently today: "You and I will meet again when we least expect it / Someday in a far away place I'll know your face / I won't say goodbye, my friend, for you and I we will meet again. "

• 36. „You Got It“ de Roy Orbisons „Mystery Girl“ (1989)

  There's a lot to love about the Traveling Wilburys, and one of the best things about them is how they got Roy Orbison back to the top of the charts: both on his debut Vol. 1" and on Roy's latest album for his life, "Mystery Girl." Co-written by Roy, Petty, and Jeff Lynne, You Got It was the man's last classic and smashed the top 10 on the pop charts. Petty sings backing vocals and also plays rhythm guitar on the clue.

• 35. „It's good to be a king“ aus Tom Pettys „Wildflowers“ (1994)

  A melancholy jam, Petty refers to his own rock star with a certain cynicism: "It's good to be king, if only for a little while/Be there at Velvet, yeah, to give them a smile/It's good to get high and never come back." . down / It's good to be the king of your own little town. The strings, led by Michael Kamen, who has worked with Pink Floyd and Metallica, give the song gravity and a cinematic feel.

• 34. „Learning To Fly“ como „Into The Great Wide Open“ de Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1991)

  On "Into The Great Wide Open", Petty decided to combine his two worlds: he had fellow Traveling Wilburys (formerly Electric Light Orchestra) Jeff Lynne produce Heartbreakers. It was an inconsistent album, but "Learning To Fly," one of Petty's simpler songs, is an undisputed classic.

• 33. „Hungry No More“ aus Mudcrutch ‚2‘ (2016)

  The last song on the last album Petty released during his lifetime. It felt like a great ending to the Mudcrutch story when it released in 2016; Petty never indicated that there would be a third album. But like many of his lines, "Nobody Cry for Me, It's All Done Now" feels different today, a few years after his tragic death.

• 32. „A Wasted Life“ aus „Long After Dark“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1982)

  Petty's output in the late '70s and early '80s was almost pristine, so it's understandable that you've missed that lovely ballad that closes "Long After Dark."

  (Video) Every Tom Petty/Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Album Ranked Worst to Best

• 31. „I Will Run To You“ aus Stevie Nicks‘ „The Wild Heart“ (1983)

  It's not Stevie Nicks' most famous collaboration with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, but it's a classic. She told this author that Petty is her favorite songwriter and that she loves to sing her songs. He wrote this for her at her request.

• 30. „Insider“ aus „Hard Promises“ (1981) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  When Petty was asked to write a song for Nick's solo debut Bella Donna, he came up with the song and later decided he didn't want to part with it. So Nicks sang it and Petty kept it for him...then gave him another song that he didn't really like: "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."

• 29. „Deliver Me“ como „Long After Dark“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1982)

  One of Petty's catchiest songs of the era, it should have been a hit.

• 28. „Letting You Go“ como „Hard Promises“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1981)

  This song for the abandoned has such a singing chorus that it's surprising Petty hasn't performed it in concert (according to Setlist.fm, he only performed it once).

• 27. „Into The Great Wide Open“ aus „Into The Great Wide Open“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1991)

  Possibly Tom Petty's best music video, which tells the story of "Eddie" (played by Johnny Depp) who comes to Los Angeles to make his rock 'n' roll dreams come true... and they do. And yet it's not a happy ending (although as the narrator, Petty says dead at the end of the video, "and they all lived happily ever after"). However, the song is great without the visuals and is one of Petty's best songwriting collaborations with Jeff Lynne.

• 26. „El salvaje, para siempre“ aus Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ „Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers“ (1976)

  Tom Petty fans can't complain that the radio didn't support their boy, but when you look through his albums, it's surprising how many great songs weren't hits on the FM station. But that's what happens when you're a great songwriter: Petty's catalog is, as the saying goes, an embarrassment of riches. This song from Petty & The Heartbreakers' debut is about a one-night stand, which must have been an amazing one-night stand (and it's not even their most famous one-night stand song, but more on that later). . . The song begins menacingly: "Well the moon went down as the wind blew / And the street lights slowly went out / They call you the savage / They said 'stay away from her' / They said 'I couldn't love nobody if I tried' ". Obviously the narrator is not left out! Years later, he recalls, "I'll never forget how good it felt when you finally held me. / I'll never regret these few hours, darling. / It will grow in my mind forever."

• 25. „Echo“ como „Echo“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1999)

  Petty has been ambivalent in the years since the release of Echo's full album, and it's understandable: It was his reaction to his divorce. It was also the end of bassist Howie Epstein's era in the band: he didn't even show up for the album cover photo shoot. We can understand why Petty didn't like it, but that doesn't make it a bad album: it's probably the most overlooked. And the title track, where he says goodbye to his ex, is just heartbreaking. He still loves her, but too much has happened. Relationship can't be fixed: "Well I woke up right here in a puddle of sweat / To a box of pills and you / Yeah, and I'll keep my head / I'll keep my cool / Oh, I'm so in love with you / yeah and in another world nothing was like that / there could have been a girl... there was never a kiss".

• 24. „Angel Dream (No. 4)“ aus „She's The One (Songs and music from the film)“ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  This album felt a bit like a collection of "Wildflowers" outtakes, but it contains some real gems, including different versions of "Angel Dream." At less than two and a half minutes, "Angel Dream (No. 4)" is one of her sweetest ballads.

• 23. „I forgive everything“ aus Mudcrutch ‚2‘ (2016)

  Tom Petty has had a lot of amazing videos, and you've probably seen most of them. You may not have noticed this one: It was directed by Sean Penn and starred Anthony Hopkins (the band doesn't appear in it). It's a short film that appears to be about someone looking back at the end of his life. "People are what people make of them and that is not going to change," he laments. "There is nothing you can do, nothing you can change." But he concludes at the end of the song: "With her, I forgive everything." The fact that it was on the last album Petty released during his lifetime makes the song all the more haunting. And it may have brought comfort to some people in his life.

• 22. „I Need To Know“ aus „You're Gonna Get It“ (1978) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  At the start of their career, no one seemed to know how to categorize Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Were they southern rock? New wave? punk rock? On the first single from their second album, the answer seemed to be "everything and nothing."

• 21. "Don't Do Me Like That" from Damn The Torpedoes (1979) by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  Originally written and recorded with Mudcrutch, Petty toyed with the idea of ​​giving it to the J. Geils Band a few years later. Until his producer Jimmy Iovine convinced him to record a new version with the Heartbreakers. That guy Iovine had a good ear. Did you ask me what happened to him?

  (Video) Top 10 Tom Petty Songs

• 20. „Scare Easy“ aus Mudcrutchs „Mudcrutch“ (2008)

  The pinnacle of Mudcrutch's debut/reunion album (they only recorded a few singles before disbanding in the early '70s). Unfortunately, many have written off Mudcrutch as a side project. If Petty had kept "Scare Easy" for the Heartbreakers, it could have been a huge hit. He has never played Heartbreakers songs with Mudcrutch and vice versa, which is a shame. […]

• 19. „You Got Lucky“ como „Long After Dark“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1982)

  Petty apparently enjoyed the video for this song, which was ubiquitous on MTV in 1982. However, he disliked the song and the band rarely performed it live in the '80s, '90s, and '00s (although it began appearing on song charts in the 2010s). The song was dominated by Benmont Tench's synths, though Mike Campbell's spaghetti western lead guitar is unforgettable.

• 18. „Here Comes My Girl“ como „Damn The Torpedoes“ (1979) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  Mike Campbell has said that this song and "Refugee" were written in the same week. "Tom wasn't sure how to do the verse," the guitarist noted. "He kept trying to sing it in different ways and eventually found himself half saying it and then the song seemed to come to life." Petty perfectly described how being in love can make everything else seem better: "It just seems so useless to have to work so hard and nothing ever seems to come of it / But then he looks me in the eye and says, 'We're going to last forever. / And man you know I can't begin to doubt it / No, 'cause it feels so good and so free and so right / I know we'll never change our minds about it."

• 17. „A Woman in Love (Not Me)“ as „Hard Promises“ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1981)

  It's one of Petty's biggest and most distinctive hits, but it was obviously somewhat ambivalent: he only performed the song twice between 1983 and 2002, when he reintroduced it in his sets. However, the song was not a huge pop hit and Petty felt it could have been stymied by another big hit of the time: his collaboration with Stevie Nicks, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around". He told writer Paul Zollo: "They came out around the same time and Stevie's record was huge. And so it was an awkward position for us because it was billed as "Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" and a lot of radio programmers didn't want to two Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers songs at the same time. Especially when you have that extreme amount of airplay. So it was a bit embarrassing for us."

• 16. "Waiting For Tonight": Outtake of Tom Petty's "Full Moon Fever" released on the 1995 "Playback" box set

  How good was Petty Full Moon Fever's solo debut? Good enough to be able to release this obvious hit, which featured one of the most popular bands of the day, The Bangles, on backing vocals. The funky bass came from Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell.

• 15. "Built to Last" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers; "In the great width" (1991)

  Well, it sounds a bit like "Stand By Me". But hey, originality is sometimes overrated! It's a sweet, no-nonsense love song for a longtime couple: "So come to me darling, hold me in my sleep/I know you're feeling lost, but you're not too deep in it."

• 14. "The Best of Ever" from "Southern Accents" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1985)

  It sounds a bit like the band, and there's a good reason for that: Robbie Robertson produced the song, and his former bandmates Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson made guest appearances on the track, each providing backing vocals and keyboards.

• 13. "You Don't Know How It Feels" from Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" (1994)

  One of Petty's last big pop hits, it was a steady stream on MTV during an era when Petty's peers were sidelined by Pearl Jam, Nirvana and other alternative rock bands. But Petty has always been cool, it's no surprise that he's always pushed the trends.

• 12. "Mary Jane's Last Dance" as "Greatest Hits" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1993)

  Usually, extra songs for "best of" collections get "wasted" a bit, but that was definitely not the case with "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Petty's first collaboration with producer Rick Rubin. It was also the last Heartbreakers track to feature original drummer Stan Lynch. Years later, rumors circulated that Petty was about to sue the Red Hot Chili Peppers over their song "Dani California," which sounded a bit like "Mary Jane" (Rubin produced both songs). Petty didn't complain...and "Mary Jane" sounded a bit like "Waiting For The Sun," Petty's Jayhawks opening act anyway (and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench played keyboards on that song). Like I said: originality is overrated!

• 11. „Stop Draggin‘ My Heart Around“ de Stevie Nicks‘ „Bella Donna“ (1981)

  The first single from Nick's solo debut was a huge success, reaching number 3 on the pop charts. Petty said, "Stevie Nicks really wanted a song for a couple of years. So I wrote him this song called Insider. And I really liked that song. I played the song for him. She says, 'I love it. Can you leave it for me? '" But she liked it too much to give it away. "I said, 'Could I sound really silly if I said, 'I want to keep this one and write you another one?'" She said, 'Not at all.' She had a few songs where I thought -- I wasn't going to use it and "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" was one. I played it and she said, "I like it." It was credited to Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, although bassist Ron Blair didn't show up. on the song; Legendary Booker T. and MG bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn replaced him on the track.

• 10. „I Won't Back Down“ by Tom Pettys „Full Moon Fever“ (1989)

  Petty's first solo single was a huge success, reaching number 12 on the pop charts. The song featured Petty, backed by Heartbreakers Mike Campbell on guitar and Howie Epstein on backing vocals, along with fellow Wilburys Jeff Lynne (bass and backing vocals) and George Harrison (acoustic guitar and backing vocals). For the video, George's old friend Ringo played drums (and stole the show), but it was Phil Jones who played on the record.

  (Video) Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Mary Jane's Last Dance (Official Music Video)

• 9. „Breakdown (live)“ aus „Pack Up The Plantation: Live“ de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1985)

  The original version from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' 1976 debut is, of course, a classic. But this live version is even better. He has the audience sing through the entire first verse and then says dryly, "You're going to put me out of a job," which is a fun "lighter" arena rock moment. And we love those moments! But a few minutes later, things take a darker turn when he begins to rant about a breakup: "You wanna go, just go, baby/ You wanna go, just go, baby... Just start the car, you you Take all the money, take everything I have, take all the lawyers, just go… See you later, you know, I'll handle it pretty well, you know?” But you know he can't go on like this. He melts even more: "I can manage on my own, you know? I'll handle it pretty well I think, you know? I'll Handle This Like a Man: This is an adult situation and I'll handle it like an adult! Do you want to go? You go! You have your life, I have my life, if you want to go...AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!" In 1985, "Breakdown" played continuously on the radio for nearly a decade, and the live version served as a reminder of how painful it was. the song.

• 8. „Refugee“ aus „Damn The Torpedoes“ (1979) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  "It didn't take long to write it," Petty once remarked. "But it was hard to record the song... And [producer] Jimmy Iovine did a great job of making a great record out of this song. It's really a beautiful sound. Jimmy really believed in the song. He wouldn't take anything less than the size ... And he got it". Mike Campbell agreed: "It took us a long time to cut the track. We must have recorded that 100 times. I remember one day I was so frustrated that, I think it was the only time I ever did it, I just walked out of the studio and out of the studio." city ​​for two days. I just couldn't take the pressure anymore, but then I came back and when we regrouped we recorded it." The band's patience definitely paid off. As Petty commented, "It's really one of our best records; definitely one of our best records. one of the best singles we've ever done."

• 7. „Listen To Her Heart“ como „You're Gonna Get It“ (1978) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  Petty reportedly wrote the lyrics based on a story his wife, Jane, told him: she was at a party thrown by R&B legend Ike Turner. A few hours after the party, Turner locked the doors of her house from the inside so no one could get out. Petty turned the story into a song about a guy who doesn't care about a woman's feelings (and if you've seen the Tina Turner documentary "Tina," this story is below). The song was controversial because Petty mentioned cocaine, which he was asked to change to "champagne". He didn't keep up. "What women would leave a man for money and champagne?" Petty said at the time, according to Rolling Stone. "I mean, champagne is only $4 a bottle."

• 6. "For Real" - Recorded by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in 2000 and released on The Best Of Everything in 2021

  After recording it in 2000, did Petty keep the song because it sounded like a final bow? Up to you. In it, he sings: "I didn't do it for no magazine / I didn't do it for no video / I never did it for a CEO / But I really did it / I would have done it for nothing / I did it for." I / Because it was all that rang true / I really did / And I did it for you. It's one of his best songs, and if you missed it when it was released, check it out today.

• 5. „Wildflowers“ by Tom Pettys „Wildflowers“ (1994)

  The poet Allen Ginsberg coined the phrase "first thought, best thought," stating that spontaneous writing leads to authentic work. (Easier said than done, my friend!) But that seems to have worked here: as Petty said in an interview: "I just put it on a tape recorder and played the whole song and never played it back. In fact, I only played three minutes and a half into this whole song.”

• 4. „Free Fallin“ de Tom Pettys „Full Moon Fever“ (1989)

  Petty's biggest hit single reached #7 on the charts - it's nice when the best music is also the most popular! As Petty told Billboard, "Jeff Lynne and I were sitting down with the idea of ​​writing a song, and I was playing the keyboards, and I came across this main riff, the intro of the song, and I think Jeff said something like :'It's a really good riff, but there's one chord too many, so I think I cut it one chord and then just to amuse Jeff, I sang the first verse. Then he starts laughing." But what started as a joke turned into an anthem: "I got to the chorus of the song and he leaned into me and said the word 'Free fall.' At that point, I had tripped over something. Pretty good."

• 3. „The Waiting“ aus „Hard Promises“ (1981) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  In the song, Petty seems to be referring to looking forward to a relationship: "Well yeah, I might have chased some women/All that got me was down/Yeah, then there were those who gave me a good one." But he said in Paul Zollo's Conversations with Tom Petty (a must-read for any Petty fan, by the way) that he was inspired by a Janis Joplin statement. "I love being on stage and everything else just waits."

• 2. „Even The Losers“ aus „Damn The Torpedoes“ (1979) de Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  A classic song about a memorable one-night stand, but this one has a very different vibe to "The Wild One, Forever." In this song he sounds heartbroken. Here he's a little down, but he gets over it: he sings, "Couldn't have been so easy to forget me!", but he's glad he got to the romp because he hears, "Even losers get lucky sometimes!" .

• 1. „American Girl“ como „Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers“ (1976)

  "Well she was an American girl / Grew up with promise / Couldn't help but think there was / a little more to life / somewhere else." Haven't all children felt this way at some point in their youth? Legend has it that when Roger McGuinn of the Byrds first heard this song, he said, "When did I write that?" (Years later, he would give Petty the ultimate compliment by doing a cover of her.) by the Byrds, noting that there are no 12-string guitars on the song (the Rickenbacker electric 12-string guitar was an integral part of the Byrds' early sound). He also pointed out that the drumbeat is practically a Bo Diddley homage. Regardless of what influenced it, the closing song on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' 1976 debut album would become an American classic, one of Petty's greatest moments and the last song he performed on stage.