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

[Zuma]

Song 24 - Walls (Circus) - She's The One Soundtrack - 1996

Perhaps the finest song Tom wrote in the mid 90's, but not a massively known song Walls has to be heard in both its original jangly pop form including Lindsay Buckingham on harmonies and then acoustically where every word hits you

 

[Zuma]

Song 23 - A Woman In Love (It's Not Me) - Hard Promises - 1981

Stan Lynch and Mike Campbell kick off this song with hard hitting drums and screaming guitar riff then on cue Stan and Mike let up leaving Ron Blair's bass to anchor Petty's vocals. Tom becomes the guy in the song delivers every verse with such conviction from the perspective of young heartbroken man who's girl has fallen for someone else. The song alternates between urgent and heavy to tender and mournful which greatly enhances the emotive quality of the track. This was released as the second single from the album but stalled somewhat as the duet with Stevie Nicks "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" shot up the charts.



and a nice live version

 

[Zuma]

Song 22 - Insider - Hard Promises - 1981

Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks were so great together and Tom wrote this song intended for Stevie Nicks debut solo album but could not part with it, the lyric is so beautiful. The pair were hot with their hit "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" which Petty did provide for Nicks' solo album they also did a great cover of "Needles and Pins" in the mid 80's. Enjoy their version from TPATHB 30th Anniversary Homecoming concert back in 2006

 

[Zuma]

Song 21 - Room At the Top - Echo - 1999

A great choice as an album opener the song starts out gently with Tom singing then Bang! the song cranks up and rocks out and alternates from tender and heartfelt to rocking and inspiring with Tom putting a lot of emotive emphasis into his phrasing which is a feature on the Echo album. He sings like he means every word, some say his lyrics on this album were very close to what was happening in his own life, pain through art with a s**t happens but life goes on attitude.

"I've got a room at the top of the world tonight and I ain't comin' down"

 

[Zuma]

Song 20 - It's Good To Be King - Wildflowers - 1994

"Yeah the world would swing, If I were king, Can I help it if I, Still dream time to time"

The Heartbreakers jam out on this sprawling and somewhat mellow tune at the centre of the Wildflowers album which featured a haunting piano signature from Benmont and a swirling strings arrangement from the late Michael Kamen closes out the song nicely. Campbell plays a stinging guitar solo in the middle.

Epic live extended jam, I know Jefflynnesbeard digs this one


Album version

 

[mellowyellow]

Enjoying your countdown Zuma . Forgotten how good the body of work tom produced Very solid catalogue

 

[Zuma]

Song 19 - Don't Come Around Here No More - Southern Accents - 1985

During the making of the Southern Accents album TPATHB hooked up with Dave Stewart and went on a trip with this song which was unlike anything the band had ever recorded. It was a bizarre time where a lot of other people were hanging around the band who were taking a long time to record after a break from relentless touring. The story goes that Petty's former producer Jimmy Iovine was doing a song with Stevie Nicks who had the phrase "Don't Come Around Here No More" Tom came around to work on the tune then ran off and developed it into the song that was one of their biggest hits. It received a lot of airplay and still does and an Alice in Wonderland video was filmed which remains one of their best. The song is very 80's with drums, synth and sitar but the guitar rocks out as the song comes to a pulsating rocking climax.

The music video


And quite the live show stopper

 

[Zuma]

Song 18 - You Wreck Me - Wildflowers - 1994

A Live staple and one fine rocker from the Wildflowers album featuring driving rhythm guitar from Petty and a short but frenetic guitar from Mike Campbell. The songs high energy lets up a bit when Tom grinds the song to almost a halt with just the drums and his guitar then sings "I'll be the boy in the corduroy pants, you be the girl at the high school dance, run with me, whee ever I go, just play dumb, what ever you know" then another winning chorus as the song rocks out.

 

[Zuma]

Song 17 - Runnin Down A Dream - Full Moon Fever - 1989

From the instantly recognisable riff this song will hook you with its upbeat and brisk tempo, Petty's patented drawl, a catchy acoustic rhythm and chorus and a frenetic guitar solo from Mike Campbell that goes forever. This song was one of the big hits from Petty's first solo album and remains a live staple.

 

[Zuma]

Song 16 - Into The Great Wide Open - Into The Great Wide Open - 1991

And now I'd like to tell you the story of Eddie and his adventures in the great wide open. The title track from the album of the same name follows a young man fresh out of high school venture to Hollywood on an eye opening journey full of danger and temptations to hit the big time and find that fame and fortune ain't what it all seems.

In what was one of the bands best music videos Petty had Johnny Depp play Eddie Rebel with Faye Dunaway playing the Fairy Godmother. Matt Le Blanc and Gabrielle Anwar also were among the all star ensemble. Julian Temple and Petty ended up with a lengthy video and one problem, the song was not long enough to fit the footage, so Petty and they boys too another pass getting the song to around 7 minutes featuring and extended instrumental break and some piercing guitar work from Mike.

Would MTV play a video 7 minutes long? Petty sent in the tape and it ended up being on heavy rotation for months. If not for the engaging narrative and supporting video the song would not be as good as it is. Someone approached Tom to turn the song into a movie, the response was "It already is"

 

[Zuma]

Song 15 - Breakdown - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 1976

Stan Lynch and Ron Blair immediately lock into a seductive groove then Mike kicks in with a bluesy lick that becomes this songs signature and Benmont providing some swampy organ. Petty whispers, croons and shouts his vocal to great effect becoming another highlight in their live show where they would create suspense, change tempos, extend the instrumental break allowing Petty to come alive as a showman and storyteller depending on his mood. A popular early radio hit capturing the band in their young and desperate prime.

 

[Zuma]

Song 14 - Even The Losers - Damn The Torpedoes - 1979

Well, it was nearly all summer we sat on your roof
Yeah, we smoked cigarettes and we stared at the moon
And I'd show you stars you never could see
Baby, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me

Baby, time meant nothing, anything seemed real
Yeah, you could kiss like fire and you made me feel
Like every word you said was meant to be
No, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me

Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
They get lucky sometimes

Two cars parked on the overpass,
Rocks hit the water like broken glass
I should have known right then it was too good to last
God, it's such a drag when you're livin' in the past

Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
They get lucky sometimes

Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
Yeah, they get lucky sometimes

Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers get lucky sometimes

Even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers get lucky sometimes

 

[Zuma]

Song 13 - You Got Lucky - Long After Dark - 1982

Good Lovin Is Hard To Find. In 1982 the lead off hit single from Long After Dark was rhythmically driven by a synthesizer and 80's drum pattern however these are thankfully played by the Heartbreakers and not machines and manages to retain their distinctive sound including a just as prominent killer guitar tone on solo and fills. The lyrics are excellent and Tom's vocal is very engaging. The music video was one of the first to be featured on MTV when the medium was in its infancy and ground breaking in that there was a film sequence before the song kicks in. The song plays well live especially the bands performance of it on their 1985 tour as shown below.

One of my favourite live renditions of any Heartbreakers tune


Here is the music video

 

[Zuma]

Song 12 - Here Comes My Girl - Damn The Torpedoes - 1979

Raw and passionate love song with a timeless sound. Tom speaks a lot of the verses sounding like an older bluesman then he ups it a few notches and sings like a young man in love ala Wilson Picket. The interplay between the Heartbreakers is at an all time high here. In particular Benmont's piano and Mike's twelve string Rickenbacker really shine and I have included a video clip that recounts the making of this song. One of the standout tracks from Damn The Torpedoes. There is something magical about the chorus in this song and TPATHB certainly had something with this song which still sounds great to this day.



A look back at the recording of the song

 

[Zuma]

Song 11 - Straight Into Darkness - Long After Dark - 1982

The Heartbreakers combine nicely for the soothing instrumental intro with some of Benmont's best piano work followed by Ron's anchoring bass, Stan's measured drums and Mikes timely guitar fills then things ascend straight into darkness with Petty's intense delivery of the verses. The song is very much like a Bruce and E-Street song with Bruce actually praising the song at the time. The chorus has a great hook and has a knack of staying in your head long after you give this song a spin. It has some great lyrics

I don't believe the good times are over
I don't believe the thrill is all gone
Real love is a man's salvation
The weak ones fall the strong carry on

 

[Zuma]

And now comes the time for my Top 10 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers album tracks.

Hope you have had as much fun discovering or re-discovering them as I have dusting them off for y'all.

 

[Zuma]

Song 10 - Crawling Back To You - Wildflowers - 1994

Crawling Back to You is a deep album track and probably a song the casual Tom Petty fan is unaware of but well worth acquainting themselves with. It's a beautiful mid tempo ballad featuring sublime instrumentation from Benmont Tench on piano, the rich yet demurred tone of Mike Campbell on guitar adding the right texture to Tom's lament on a love that he lost and the right touch from new at the time drummer Steve Ferrone. "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I keep, Crawling Back to You" The lyrics are full of metaphors and imagery and will resonate which many people who have experienced such dilemmas with love can relate to. "Most things I worry about, never happen anyway"

 

[Zuma]

Song 9 - Swingin' - Echo - 1999

This great song from Echo has a real Mid Western saloon feel. Petty defiantly strums his distorted Gibson electric guitar as he sings about a young women who gets into strife but didn't go down without a fight, she went down swingin'. A bluesy harmonica wails in and out of the song, bar room piano with some great harmony singing from bassist Howie Epstein and epic guitar fills soloing by the ever economical Mr Campbell. This song thematically similar deserves to be in the company of more well known tunes such as I Wont Back Down. Like many of their songs great live and one of the last real music videos the band ever did. She went down, swingin'

 

[Zuma]

Song 8 - Learning To Fly - Into The Great Wide Open - 1991

"I'm Learning to Fly, but I don't have wings, and coming down, is the hardest thing"

Popular radio hit from the bands 1991 album produced by and co-written with Jeff Lynne adding "the" and "and" to this song that has an instantly recognisable sound and memorable lyrical hook and some scorching slide guitar. It has become somewhat of a jubilant sing along at recent concerts when performed in an acoustic format. This was at the height of the bands radio friendly and hugely successful rock/pop and has that Jeff Lynne sound but the lyrics are mostly Petty and there are some great phrases in there. My favourite part of the song is the mini drum solo it puts goosebumps on my neck. The song was used on the Chicago Bulls NBA video's back in the 90's and is amongst the bands most popular work.

 

[Zuma]

Song 7 - Rebels - Southern Accents - 1985

A highly underrated song IMO rate it their best rocker from the 80's brilliant lyrics and passionately delivered Petty even shattered the bones in his left hand during the recording of this song when frustrated that the demo sounded better than what they were recording. The song came out great and live performances even better and one of their songs enhanced by the horn section on the 85 tour.

At its rocking best


Accoustic re working


Honey don't walk out I'm too drunk to follow
You know you won't feel this way tomorrow
Well - maybe I'm a little rough around the edges
Inside a little hollow
I get faced with somethings sometimes
That are so hard to swallow - Hey!

I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah - with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel.

Well she picked me up in the morning
And she paid out my ticket
Yeah she screamed in the car
And threw me out in the thicket
Well - I never would've dreamed
That her heart was so wicked
Oh - but I keep coming back
'Cause it's so hard to kick it.
Hey, hey, hey

I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah - with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel.

Even before my father's fathers
They called us all rebels
Burned our cornfields
And left our cities level
I can still see the eyes
Of those blue bellied devils
When I'm walking round tonight
Through the concrete and metal.
Hey, hey, hey

 

[Zuma]

Song 6 - I Won't Back Down - Full Moon Fever - 1989

Tom Petty delivers an honest insight into who he is on this ever so popular pop/rocker from his first solo album. Due to the lack of ambiguity in his lyrics Petty even contemplated releasing the song at all but aren't we all glad he did?

Ever appealing the song can be applied to any situation in life. In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy TPATHB performed a sombre yet defiant rendition of this song. The music video was a lot more light-hearted and fun and featured George Harrison and Lynne on backing vocals, which they sung on the record, Ringo makes a cameo appearance in the video but didn't drum on the record. Mike Campbell plays a great slide solo.

"Hey baby!, There ain't no easy way out, Hey I, Will Stand my Ground, and I Won't Back Down"

 

[Zuma]

Here Comes the Top 5

Song 5 - Listen to Her Heart - You're Gonna Get It! - 1978

Effortless and stunning tune from the band and clearly the standout track from the 2nd album. Petty said they were influenced by the Searchers. Its not too rock and not too pop, you will never tire of this song and you will find it hard not to have Tom's lyrics long after even the first listen. Remaining a regular slot in their set list, including as the opener he shimmering Guitars of Tom and Mike are anchored by one of Ron Blair's best bass lines and a nice instrumental outro which was a friendly nod to another band who were making it big at the time, Elvis Costello and The Attractions.

 

[Zuma]

Song 4 - The Waiting - Hard Promises - 1981

Turn on the radio in 1981 and the long gone sound of a chiming 60's Rickenbacker Guitar intro is not what one would expect. Then the killer first line set's the tone for this song about pent up energy and frustrations of waiting for something that you so badly want to happen "Oh baby don't it feel like heaven right now?" Ron Blair is playing his bass so melodically mimicking Mike's guitar fill and Stan Lynch orchestrating the mood with his playing. Tom sings raw and cocksure that some things that are so close can seem far out of reach (sic) This song was big for the school boy Eddie Vedder who heard the song, brought the record at lunchtime, got home from school and learned to play it as he recounts like a kid in a lolly shop on the TPATHB Anthology Documentary DVD. Other than its infectious jangle, the song features a nice moody change up "Don't Let It Kill You Baby, Don't Let it Get To You" which builds up to a rousing guitar solo then the band rock out till the end.



Bad ass

 

[Zuma]

Song 4 - The Waiting - Hard Promises - 1981

Turn on the radio in 1981 and the long gone sound of a chiming 60's Rickenbacker Guitar intro is not what one would expect. Then the killer first line set's the tone for this song about pent up energy and frustrations of waiting for something that you so badly want to happen "Oh baby don't it feel like heaven right now?" Ron Blair is playing his bass so melodically mimicking Mike's guitar fill and Stan Lynch orchestrating the mood with his playing. Tom sings raw and cocksure that some things that are so close can seem far out of reach (sic) This song was big for the school boy Eddie Vedder who heard the song, brought the record at lunchtime, got home from school and learned to play it as he recounts like a kid in a lolly shop on the TPATHB Anthology Documentary DVD. Other than its infectious jangle, the song features a nice moody change up "Don't Let It Kill You Baby, Don't Let it Get To You" which builds up to a rousing guitar solo then the band rock out till the end.



Bad ass

and one with Eddie who got the opportunity to play the song he loved

 

[Zuma]

Song 3 - Free Fallin' - Full Moon Fever - 1989

Californian pop poetry set to 3 chords strummed majestically and one of the most awesome vocal chorus hooks in rock pop history gave Petty his biggest charting and arguably most popular hit.