Pet Rocks! – Part 2

In the same way many people think swamp rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival are from the South (they’re from California) for years I had no idea Tom Petty and most of the original Heartbreakers hail from North Florida and are in fact Southerners- a fact Tom and the boys may have tried to keep hidden after the group moved to L.A. in the mid ‘70s (though being Southerners didn’t seem to hurt the careers of ‘50s rockers like Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry,  Elvis Presley, or Little Richard).

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ early songs don’t sound anything like Southern rock- they sound like California power pop mixed with Byrds and Beatles- and it wasn’t until much later in his career that Petty started exploring Southern sounds and elements in his music (which in my opinion is an improvement and makes for a much more interesting listen, though of course Petty and the Heartbreakers’ trademark “California” sound is nothing to sneeze at). Here are some more of my favorites. Enjoy!

01. Tom Petty – “Down South” (2006)

02. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Free Girl Now” (1999)
03. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Room at the Top” (1999)
04. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Kings Highway” (1991)
05. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Learning to Fly” (1991)
06. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers feat. Richard Manuel – “The Best of Everything” (1985)
07. Tom Petty – “Runnin’ Down a Dream” (1989)
08. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Refugee” (1979)
09. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “You Got Lucky” (1982)
10. Mudcrutch – “Scare Easy” (2008)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

Recommended Links:

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “You Got Lucky”