I can still conjure that same feeling I used to get 35 years ago, driving around with my friends with the windows rolled down in the hot summer sun; headed to the lake, or cruising for girls, with a nickel-bag stashed under the front seat, or maybe a 12-pack of whatever was on sale at the State Store that week. We'd put a couple bucks in the tank, and cruise for miles, and miles; all while cranking Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. They played the soundtrack to our summer afternoons. Today I left a doctors appointment and realized it was one of those gorgeous Midwest summer afternoons, and so I cranked up some Petty and instead of driving home, I got on the highway and drove about 50 miles out of my way. Ahhhh....bliss! I started thinking about if I had to list my Top 5 TPatHb's tunes. Not an easy task; but I'll give it a try. What are yours?
1) You Got Lucky. Back in the early '80s, I was just starting to come into my own with the girls. I'd had a few girlfriends up to that point, but one summer I went through a heartache at the hands of sweet, sweet Patty McMillan. She wore this awesome cherry lip gloss that I used to love kissing off her wonderful lips. She was the first girl to "bite" my lip while making out, and it sent me over the moon. We broke up because she was going away for the summer, and she said she ''couldn't stand being away from me that long", so rather than miss me, she dumped me. I didn't understand the logic and was crushed, but I quickly rebounded with a girl named Robin Boles, who dumped me two weeks later because another guy from the previous summer was in town visiting his grandparents, and they'd had a "thing" the summer before. WTF?? Summer romance was a bitch!! I couldn't wait until school started back that fall! Also during the early 80's, the Heartbreakers started experimenting with their sound on Long After Dark. What evolved was the song, "You Got Lucky." The cadence and texture of that song are perfect, and that line is one of the most pointedly-barbed one-liners in the history of music. Just what I needed to hear that summer of broken love. Even today, "You got lucky babe, when I found you" is still bad-assed. Great, great song.
2) American Girl. Whats so amazing is this song was on Side 2 of the album, but it got airplay, and continues to now for nearly 40 years!! Fast driving, and definitely, one of those, "put the top down, and hit the gas" songs. It got unfairly tied to Silence of the Lambs for forever, but on it's own, it's a great tune.
3) Refugee. The entire "Damn the Torpedoes" effort kicks major ass, driven primarily by this killer tune. Petty's vocals are almost violent on the chorus; and Mike Campbell took full advantage of his new role on lead guitar.
4) Mary Janes Last Dance. Great riff, great chorus, and great visualized lyrics. Most of us know that girl from that Indiana town, with that good lookin' momma, who grew up with those Indiana boys. And how many songs can get away with a line of "Oh my, my..Oh hell yes!" There are years of wisdom and innuendo in that line.
5) TIE Sue me...I can't decide!
Free Fallin'. Talk about a break-up song! This time about a guy who realizes he screwed up by dumping the "right" girl. The vocals soar and the layers of this song really do float in and out and keep it moving.
Breakdown. That drum beat at the beginning that drags that extra measure is classic as hell, and sets the tone of this moody song. Toms vocals are awesome in that pouty and snide sort of way he emotes. If anything the song is too short in duration on the album. Live, this song really takes off, and the four times I've seen Petty live, they crank this bad boy for nearly ten minutes.
Topic: Top 5 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Read 708 times)