Zuma's 50 to 1 Best of Tom Petty/Heartbreakers

Zuma

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I am sure this thread will be of interest to all you rock fans out there, I will be counting down my top 50 tracks from the 13 studio albums of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and 3 Tom Petty "solo" albums. The Wilburys and other live or compilation albums will not feature in my list.

As I count down I will post my thoughts on the song, provide a video/audio clip where possible and look forward to thoughts and discussion of my selected songs.


Song 50 - Won't Last Long - Echo - 1999

Not a particularly well known song from a relatively overlooked album but this rocking tune kicks up the dust with down on his luck yet exuberant Petty assuring that he may be down but it wont last long. There is a nice keyboard break harkening back 60's pop from Benmont Tench then the Heartbreakers go bang again and join Tom with some nice response vocals and guitar work by Mike Campbell as the song fades out. This song is a favourite of mine and got into the list mainly due to the great song structure and defiant attitude by the Heartbreakers.


 

Zuma

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Song 49 - Jammin' Me - Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) - 1987

I have gone with one song from the band's lesser celebrated albums Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) hot on the heels of being Bob Dylan's backing band on tours of the US, UK, Europe, Asia and Australia, Tom co-wrote this tune with Dylan.

Tom goes on the warpath and disses popular and social culture of the day with some straight up rock. There was a video released and it was a minor hit for the band as they went back out on the road in 1987 reinvigorated by the Dylan experience after things were starting to become stagnant.





 

Zuma

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Song 48 - Supernatural Radio - She's The One (Movie Soundtrack) - 1996

It begins with an ominous yet jazzy slow piano and drumbeat then Tom's distorted guitar blends into the mix. The first two lines set the scene: "If there's gonna be trouble tonight, you can meet me at the usual place, If there' gonna be a fight tonight, remember what you said to my face"

Between a rousing chorus the vibe is continued with each subsequent verse from a defiant Petty "No more songs tonight, I'm driving to the break of day, No more words tonight, We've got enough to throw away, Now that we two are together, Don't dream this could go on forever, Like lovers do"

The song takes interesting twists and turns with its tempo and gets heavier towards the end to the point of a blissful Heartbreakers jam featuring some manic guitar work from Campbell as Petty yells "Raw Power"



 

Zuma

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You Got Lucky may feature later down the track as we count down the Petty tunes


Song 47 - The Wild One, Forever - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 1976


Most people remember the first album for staples such as American Girl and Breakdown but one of the real treasures would have to be a song that surprisingly isn't bigger than it is, there are so many like that in the TPATHB catalogue, called The Wild One, Forever. It's one of the more rousing odes to love and that chorus! man! Enjoy it below in an acoustic performance some 12 years after it was released.

 

Zuma

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Song 46 - Yer So Bad - Full Moon Fever - 1989


"My sister got lucky, married a yuppie, took him for all he was worth, now she's a swinger, dating a singer, I cant decide which is worse"

Sounds like a bad sitcom but no, It was the late 80's and Tom was riding high with his smash solo album Full Moon Fever and the Heartbreakers seemed to be a thing of the past, for a while.

Yer So Bad was one of 5 singles and featured a quirky video to match the quirky nature of this acoustic strum along which is a live audience favourite. It's a .so silly its good kind of song that has endeared itself to many fans and catchy to boot.

 

Zuma

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Song 45 - Shadow of A Doubt - Damn The Torpedoes - 1979

Just one of the great rockers from the album that propelled TPATHB into the big time. The song is a little more than a straight up rocker it is built around Tom's emotively yearning vocal phrasing ability which he possessed from the get go. Ron Blair solid on the bass, the exuberant Stan Lynch on drums and providing the harmony vocals, Benmont Tech behind the keys and the tight guitars of Petty and Campbell. The classic Damn the Torpedoes sound blueprint was as good as any at the time and sound has not dated.

 

Zuma

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Song 44 - You and I Will Meet Again - Into The Great Wide Open - 1991

It was Jeff Lynne meets the Heartbreakers in 1991 and whilst Into the Great Wide Open has many tasty mid tempo rock pop offerings this one has long been one of my favourites "A red wing hawk is circling, the black top stretches out for days, how could I get so close to you, and still feel so far away" the harmony vocals accompanying Tom on most of the verse sounds majestic and the song is not bombast like a couple on this record, the keyboard flourishes are very tasteful and spasmodic electric lead from Campbell make for a well crafted, pleasant pop rocker. Check it out



 

Zuma

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Song 43 - Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 1976

Raw and snarling effort from the first album this song was made to be played live and played live it was all over Europe and the UK even before the band made a name in their native US. You can hear their Stones and swampy southern rock influences all over this song.



And 36 years later...

 

Zuma

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Song 42 - Finding Out - Long After Dark - 1982

Great fast tempo rocker from one of the bands overlooked albums but this time the Heartbreaker is the heartbroken "I've had enough of all this hard-core loneliness', I don't think pain is so romantic" This tune would have made a great single and was one of their last early old school rockers before their music changed and matured for better or worse.

 

Zuma

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Classic swampy sultry heartbreakers song

Listen to the unmistakable guitar and musical arrangement on don henleys boys of summer

Stop dragging and Mary Janes last dance were not on studio albums therefore won't be in my list
 

Zuma

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Song 41 - This Old Town - Highway Companion - 2006

A tale of the darker less glamorous side of L.A with its Neil Young Harvest drum beat and engaging piano melody between each verse this song is a nice little gem found on Tom's most recent "solo" album Highway Companion.

 

Zuma

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Song 40 - Grew Up Fast - She's The One (Movie Soundtrack) - 1996

Petty captures the essence of the teenage years and generation disconnect on this song, similar to Supernatural Radio in its structure from slow, stark and harrowing instrumentation to a rousing rocking chorus that builds with emotional impact "well I know what I am, so don't treat me like Im someone else"

 

Zuma

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Song 39 - A Thing About You - Hard Promises - 1981

A romantically cool rave up which was a live favourite back in the early 80's this song is driven by Petty's spirited vocal melody and the band backing him with an exuberant performance. Tom would call the song to a halt with Benmont taking an instrumental, then Stan would join in and then Tom and the boys would have a little bit of fun with the vocals to the delight of the audience.

 

Zuma

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Song 38 - Free Girl Now - Echo - 1999

A straight up 3 chord rocker which some of you might remember Tom posted a free MP3 download on the internet which was soon pulled at the request of his record company. With Tom and the band mostly favouring mellower, moody mid tempo and pop orientated efforts at the time, Free Girl Now sort of turned back the clock with the band returning to its rocking best which no doubt gave this song its appeal.

 

Zuma

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Does anyone besides Mr and Mrs Petty love Tom Petty more than you Zuma?

A who's who of current rock stars and rock legends hold him in high esteem

Think of me what you will I've got a little space to fill :)

Bruce and other contemporaries can have a thread so this one's for Tommy.
 
A who's who of current rock stars and rock legends hold him in high esteem

Think of me what you will I've got a little space to fill :)

Bruce and other contemporaries can have a thread so this one's for Tommy.

my comment wasn't about the merits of a thread for Tom Petty, he's more than worth it.

I'm just very impressed with your love of his music.
 
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