By Brady Miller
Who's the best rocking Tom out there? Tom Jones? Nope. Tommy Lee? Hell no. The answer is Tom Petty, and that's final.
I first discovered Mr. Petty on MTV, way back in the eighties--he was wearing a big hat and glasses whilst serving up Alice like a birthday cake. "Don't Come Around Here No More" is certainly not his best song (nor is Southern Accents among his best albums), but it did catch my ear and make me a fan at an early age. Over the next several years he released a couple masterpieces in Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers, sandwiching a very good album, Into the Great Wide Open.
Although many of Petty's greatest songs came in the late seventies and early eighties ("Breakdown", "Don't Do Me Like That", "The Waiting", and my co-favorite "Here Comes My Girl"), his late eighties/early nineties period represents the peak of his oeuvre, IMHO. Not only did he release a boatload of great tracks during this time, but they were all parts of good-to-great albums. Here are some highlights from that period, along with some stuff from another favorite Petty album of mine, Highway Companion.
Full Moon Fever - This was the first non-Heartbreakers album, essentially a super-slick collaboration between Petty and producer/songwriter Jeff Lynne. It's an absolute masterpiece through and through, with only one dud ("Zombie Zoo") and three larger than life rock anthems ("Free Fallin'", "I Won't Back Down", and "Runnin' Down a Dream"). Here's my favorite track:
This one's right up there with the best Petty songs ever: it's uber-simple, concise, with carefully crafted (and hilarious) lyrics. It also features one of Petty's best hooks, and that's from a guy who really mastered the art of a memorable rock chorus.
Into the Great Wide Open - Jeff Lynne also produced this Heartbreakers album, and perhaps went a little overboard with the layered production. I love it though, especially the way that the drums were pieced together by stacking separate tracks over each other (I know Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch hated recording this one). It's not an amazing album overall, but it's still a really good one...I may have a soft spot in my heart for it, since it was also one of my first ever cd's.
I don't know why I like this song, but I just do. It makes me really happy, even though it doesn't really stand out from a lot of his other stuff. Sue me.
This is one of my favorites of Petty's annoying rock songs about nothing at all. Again, I'm not sure why I like it. I certainly dig the opening guitar riff and the hilarious cowbell, but I guess overall it just makes me feel happy. That's what music's all about, eh?
Wildflowers - Here's the real shit. This is one of all time favorite albums, a bona fide desert island pick and one that after almost 20 years of regular listening hasn't gotten old in any way whatsoever. I think every song is great, except for 2 which are absolutely horrible ("Honey Bee" and "Cabin Down Below")--I just pretend those don't exist. Not only is the music amazing, but the production is absolutely top-notch: just check out the richness and detail in the acoustic guitar and vocals throughout, and feel the warm, deep, woody punch of the drums. Ridiculous...it's a perfect album to test your audio equipment on. Here are some highlights:
This was a huge hit. It was also accompanied by one of the best music videos ever, at a time when the quality of MTV was circling the drain. One of the best drum tracks in history, and as usual, a killer hook. I also love the inclusion of a signature one note Mike Campbell guitar solo.
Wildflowers features a whole bunch of very focused, lyrical acoustic numbers. They really showcase Petty's ability to write simple, concise, and beautiful songs. Songs like this one right here really tie the album together while still standing tall on their own.
Okay, this song makes me want to cry every time I hear it. It's just beautiful, and the third verse after the guitar solo just kills me. Kills me. Some of my favorite lyrics ever:
"I'm so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day.
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway."
Just fucking great.
Highway Companion - this album came a bit later, and strongly echoes the vibe of
Wildflowers. I love it through and through, even though it loses a bit of steam toward the end (before finishing up nicely with "The Golden Rose"). I suppose what I like best about
Highway Companion is that it offers up a lot of nice hooks and great lyrics without feeling emotionally heavy at any point--it's a perfect driving album and just feels good. That's it. Points to Petty for achieving exactly what he set out to do on this one.
...is a great second track after a nice dirty-ish, bluesy opener. It's quiet, crystal clear, and beautiful, with strangely phrased verses that really fit in well with the title (i.e., they feel appropriately square). I like it.
Here's another simple, country-rock tune that is filled with funny but very carefully written lyrics. It's cute, poignant, and feels good all the way through: "Gonna im-press all the women / pretend I'm Samuel Clemons / wear seersucker and white linens."
"
Big Weekend" and "
This Old Town" are also just great, simple songs that have funny lyrics and great hooks. I love 'em...not much more to say (not that I've really said much anyway, other than "I like Tom Petty").
Anyway, that's all, except that I think everyone should watch the Peter Bogdonavich's documentary about Tom Petty called Runnin' Down a Dream. It's the shortest four hours you can spend in front of a tv, and it'll get your blood pumping over and over again...you may just want to start a rock band and go on tour yourself.
