# The Strange Magic of: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

It gives me enormous pleasure to satisfy Starthrower's yearning that he again hear the urgent tones of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  Here, at Live Aid, they sing their classic of Southern Rock, _Rebels_, with the full complement of brass, and the ringing, chiming guitar of Mike Campbell. Southern Rock--the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, others--offers, much like Bruce Springsteen, an anthemic rock evoking powerful visions of place and class; highlighting, in the case of the southern rockers, the peculiar characteristics (mostly, defensively, good) that they feel set them apart from their fellow Americans. The music is usually exuberant, direct, full-throated, and, I find, irresistible.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' success has always mystified me. I like some of their songs like "Runnin' Down a Dream," "Free Fallin'," and "Mary Jane's Last Dance," but they seem to be a pretty ordinary band with maybe an above average amount of talent. I would love to hear what others find so appealing about them. Also, which of their non-singles are the best and/or have great guitar parts?


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Terrible band.

Thank you.

:tiphat: :tiphat: :tiphat:


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

@bharbeke: I would suggest you listen to their live album _Pack Up the Plantation_ for the best exposure to Tom Petty. Better that, than to rely on somebody "explaining" to you why they like the band--to paraphrase Richard Pryor, who are you going to believe, me, or your lying ears? You either like 'em or you don't.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Good old Morimur! Again, you are my infallible guide to fine music--if you liked the Heartbreakers, I would find my world reeling....


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I liked 'Breakdown' (I remember them playing this on, I think, the Old Grey Whistle Test). I bought the debut album on the strength of it but that and subsequent stuff didn't do as much for me as I initially thought it would. I also bought the live _Pack Up The Plantation_ album in a last-ditch attempt to be converted but to no avail. Respect but no love.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

True, there is no substitute for actually hearing the music. That said, I have listened to the Greatest Hits album and watched some videos of live performances on YouTube. My level of interest in them is not extremely high, so I ask my questions mostly out of curiosity, not with the expectation that I will become a convert. I hope to get an idea of why some people are fans or to find out about a more obscure song that may appeal to me.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Petty and Springsteen fall into the same category for me. I don't care to listen to them. They don't have any songs that I truly love, and musically speaking, I don't find either band very interesting. I never was much into roots rock type bands. About the only group I really like is The Band. Those cats were/are great musicians and vocalists, and their tunes had nice arrangements. And Robbie Robertson's songs resonate with me in ways Petty and Springsteen never did.

I don't like nasal vocals either, so Petty's voice doesn't do it for me. Randy Newman is the only nasal guy I can listen to because he's so damn brilliant! Great songwriter, composer, humorist, and satirist.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

bharbeke said:


> True, there is no substitute for actually hearing the music. That said, I have listened to the Greatest Hits album and watched some videos of live performances on YouTube. My level of interest in them is not extremely high, so I ask my questions mostly out of curiosity, not with the expectation that I will become a convert. I hope to get an idea of why some people are fans or to find out about a more obscure song that may appeal to me.


I think you will find that the reasons that people like or dislike any sort of music, art, whatever, are often ineffable. If you examine the reasons posted above for not liking the music of TP&Co., you will find them as elusive as any I might give for liking it. People usually find they like (or dislike) something, then set themselves the task of retroactively "explaining" why. But I will offer this tidbit: the song _The Waiting_, wonderfully presented on the live album, builds slowly to a cusp point where Petty begins cranking up the tension with "Don't let it kill you babe; don't let it get to you.", implying that the girl is also reaching a point of maximum tension from The Waiting-- and then comes the bursting of the dike, the release, the flood of happiness and excitement that comes, orgasmically if you like, in a rush to close out the song. Much great music hinges upon building to a cusp, then bursting through or over, and rushing headlong beyond.....


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

I like Tom Petty best as a Wilbury.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Strange Magic said:


> the song _The Waiting_, wonderfully presented on the live album, builds slowly to a cusp point where Petty begins cranking up the tension with "Don't let it kill you babe; don't let it get to you.", implying that the girl is also reaching a point of maximum tension from The Waiting-- and then comes the bursting of the dike, the release, the flood of happiness and excitement that comes, orgasmically if you like, in a rush to close out the song.


That's one I do like! Musically it sounds just like The Byrds. But I suppose The Byrds, and Dylan are petty's biggest influences?


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I like him/them more than Morimur does. But not quite strange or magical enough for me. 

I'm not sure I buy that there's a southern thing here. Instead, it's mostly straightforward Rock with a slight twang. I'm sorry, but mentioning the Allmans in the opening post really just draws attention to TP's limitations.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

starthrower said:


> That's one I do like! Musically it sounds just like The Byrds. But I suppose The Byrds, and Dylan are petty's biggest influences?


Yeah, I think so--the chiming guitar, the Roger Mcguinn shades; he also sometimes favors a Leon Russell hat.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Vocally, Petty sounds a lot like McGuinn. Kind of a smokey, nasal tone, as opposed to a higher pitched nasal like Elvis Costello. And the Rickenbacker 12 string guitar chords sound exaclty like the Byrds.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

"Southern Accents"

There's a southern accent, where I come from
The young 'uns call it country, the yankees call it dumb
I got my own way of talking, but everything gets done
With a southern accent, where I come from

Now that drunk tank in Atlanta, is just a motel room to me
Think I might go work Orlando, if them orange groves don't freeze
Got my own way of working, but everything is run
With a southern accent, where I come from

For just a minute there I was dreaming
For just a minute it was all so real
For just a minute she was standing there, with me

There's a dream I keep having, where my momma comes to me
And kneels down over by the window, and says a prayer for me
Got my own way of praying, but everything one's begun
With a southern accent, where I come from

Got my own way of living, but everything is done
With a southern accent, where I come from

@GreenMamba: Does this help?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I like Petty a lot, though I never made an effort to buy any albums. I will take Petty over all the other "pretty boy" (my term) bands like Springsteen, Seger, Mellencamp, etc, whose music is just too boring for me.

Won't back Down is a great Petty song. I do have a greatest hits CD I got at a garage sale.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

R.I.P. a great American rocker, and a personal real favorite of mine and many others.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Strange Magic said:


> R.I.P. a great American rocker, and a personal real favorite of mine and many others.


Strange Magic this posted in Twitter and on the radio:
Tom Petty, the rocker best known as the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, is clinging to life in a Los Angeles hospital, according to TMZ. An earlier report which confirmed the singer's death, and which CBS reported, has since been clarified. CBS News reported information obtained officially from the LAPD about Tom Petty. The LAPD later said it was not in a position to confirm information about the singer and that "initial information was inadvertently provided to some media sources." In that statement, the LAPD also apologized for "any inconvenience in this reporting."


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

^^^Well, we can and will hope for the best outcome. Thanks for the more up-to-date info.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

The new just said: he past away.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Indeed. See

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41475013


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

We got lucky--at least I sure did--when I found Tom Petty. Gonna miss that simple, moving, straight-ahead music....


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Strange Magic said:


> We got lucky--at least I sure did--when I found Tom Petty. Gonna miss *that simple, moving, straight-ahead music*....


You really nailed it. And that is what makes Tom's music so great!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

> Although, not a mega star like Springsteen or Bono, for years TP consistently put out solid albums with tons of great music. To put it into perspective, Tom Petty boasts the most (28) Top 10 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Only Van Halen comes close with 26. That's some serious longevity.


Source Article.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Like I said, I got lucky when I found Tom Petty.....


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