Mary Jane's Last Dance
Tom & Heartbreakers Petty Lyrics

She grew up in an Indiana town
She spent her whole childhood in a small town in Indiana.

Had a good lookin' momma who never was around
Her mother was beautiful but absent from her life.

But she grew up tall and she grew up right
Despite her mother's absence, she became a strong, confident woman.

With them Indiana boys on an Indiana night
She spent her youth hanging out with boys from Indiana on warm summer nights.

Well she moved down here at the age of eighteen
She left her hometown and moved to a new place when she was eighteen years old.

She blew the boys away, it was more than they'd seen
She immediately caught the attention of the local boys with her beauty and charm.

I was introduced and we both started groovin'
The singer was introduced to her and they hit it off immediately.

She said, "I dig you baby but I got to keep movin'...on, keep movin' on"
She liked the artist, but she knew she couldn't stay in one place for too long.

Last dance with Mary Jane
The song's title refers to the last time the artist will see Mary Jane.

One more time to kill the pain
He's using this moment to forget his troubles and find solace in Mary Jane's company.

I feel summer creepin' in and I'm
The warm, lazy days of summer are reminding him of how restless he feels in his current situation.

Tired of this town again
He's tired of feeling stuck in this town and wants to move on.

Well I don't know what I've been told
He's unsure of what direction his life is heading.

You never slow down, you never grow old
He feels like he's on a path of stagnation and fears that he'll never grow or change.

I'm tired of screwing up, I'm tired of goin' down
He's tired of making mistakes and failing.

I'm tired of myself, I'm tired of this town
He's tired of feeling trapped in his own life and surroundings.

Oh my my, oh hell yes
He's excited for what's to come, despite his uncertainty.

Honey put on that party dress
He's encouraging Mary Jane to keep the good times going.

Buy me a drink, sing me a song
He's asking Mary Jane to keep him entertained and distracted from his thoughts.

Take me as I come 'cause I can't stay long
He's not looking for anything serious, as he knows he'll have to move on soon enough.

There's pigeons down in Market Square
He observes his surroundings, taking note of the mundane details around him.

She's standin' in her underwear
Mary Jane is in a state of undress, a symbol of her vulnerability and openness.

Lookin' down from a hotel room
They're in a hotel, high above the rest of the city.

Nightfall will be comin' soon
The night is quickly approaching, adding a sense of urgency to their time together.

It was too cold to cry when I woke up alone
He's reflecting on how he felt after waking up alone after his last night with Mary Jane.

I hit the last number, I walked to the road
He's moving on from his experience with Mary Jane and moving onto the next chapter of his life.