After working with his early bands The Sundowners, The Epics, and Mudcrutch (which also included future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench) he began his recording career with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers when the band broke onto the national music scene with their 1976 self-titled debut album. Still, it took America a full year to catch up to the album. "Breakdown" was re-released to radio and became a Top 40 hit in 1977 after word filtered back the band was creating a firestorm in England.
He was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys, along with George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. Petty and the Heartbreakers also toured as a backing band for Bob Dylan.
Petty is a vocal critic of the modern recording industry, including the disintegration of independent radio stations.
Petty has been supported by his band, The Heartbreakers, for the majority of his career. He has occasionally released solo work, as is the case with his 2006 effort, Highway Companion, on which he performed most of the backing instrumentation himself. Examples of other solo albums include Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers
Petty died on 2 October 2017 following a cardiac episode earlier that day at his home in Malibu, California. Although some media outlets incorrectly reported his death following an erroneous police report, his death was confirmed later that day by his publicist and manager.
Handle With Care
Tom Petty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been sent up and I've been shot down
You're the best thing that I've ever found
Handle me with care
Reputations changeable
Situations tolerable
Baby, you're adorable
I'm so tired of being lonely
I still have some love to give
Won't you show me that you really care
Everybody's got somebody to lean on
Put your body next to mine and dream on
I've been fobbed off and I've been fooled
I've been robbed and ridiculed
In day care centers and night schools
Handle me with care
Been stuck in airports, terrorized
Sent to meetings, hypnotized
Overexposed, commercialized
Handle me with care
I'm so tired of being lonely
I still have some love to give
Won't you show me that you really care
Everybody's got somebody to lean on
Put your body next to mine and dream on
I've been uptight and made a mess
But I'll clean it up myself, I guess
Oh, the sweet smell of success
Handle me with care
Tom Petty's song Handle With Care is a plea for compassion and understanding. The lyrics describe a person who has been hurt and mistreated in the past, but has found someone who sees their worth and treats them with kindness. The lines "been beat up and battered 'round, been sent up and I've been shot down" convey a sense of hopelessness and pain, but the following line "you're the best thing that I've ever found" suggests that there is still hope for this person to find happiness and love.
The chorus "Handle me with care" reinforces this idea, as the singer begs for patience and tenderness from their partner. The verses also touch on themes of vulnerability and insecurity. The line "reputations changeable, situations tolerable" suggests that the singer is aware of their flaws, but is still hoping to be treated with kindness and respect. The bridge "everybody's got somebody to lean on, put your body next to mine and dream on" seems to be an appeal for comfort and companionship, highlighting the need for human connection and support.
Overall, Handle With Care is a poignant and affecting song, and its message of empathy and compassion is still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
Been beat up and battered 'round
I've been through a lot of struggles and hardships.
Been sent up and I've been shot down
I've been rejected and disappointed.
You're the best thing that I've ever found
You're the most positive thing that's happened to me.
Handle me with care
Please treat me gently and with compassion.
Reputations changeable
People's opinions can shift over time.
Situations tolerable
I can handle difficult situations.
Baby, you're adorable
You're lovely and endearing.
I'm so tired of being lonely
I'm exhausted from feeling alone.
I still have some love to give
I have more love to share with someone.
Won't you show me that you really care
Can you demonstrate that you truly care about me?
Everybody's got somebody to lean on
Most people have someone to rely on when they need help or support.
Put your body next to mine and dream on
Let's hold each other and imagine a better future together.
I've been fobbed off and I've been fooled
I've been lied to and deceived before.
I've been robbed and ridiculed
I've been taken advantage of and made fun of.
In day care centers and night schools
I've experienced difficulties in various environments.
Handle me with care
Please be gentle and understanding towards me.
Been stuck in airports, terrorized
I've been stranded in stressful situations, such as an airport.
Sent to meetings, hypnotized
I've been in unproductive meetings where my mind drifted away.
Overexposed, commercialized
I've been exploited and turned into a commodity for commercial purposes.
I'm so tired of being lonely
I'm exhausted from feeling isolated and disconnected.
I still have some love to give
I have more love to offer another person.
Won't you show me that you really care
Can you prove to me that you genuinely care for me?
Everybody's got somebody to lean on
Most people have someone they can count on for support.
Put your body next to mine and dream on
Let's hold each other and imagine a better future together.
I've been uptight and made a mess
I've been anxious and caused problems.
But I'll clean it up myself, I guess
I'll take responsibility for my mistakes and fix them.
Oh, the sweet smell of success
I'm enjoying the rewards of my hard work and accomplishments.
Handle me with care
Please treat me gently and with empathy.
Contributed by Isaac L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@01270211136
I cannot confirm it as fact, but I believe Elvis was once interviewed and asked, what it felt like having the greatest singing voice ever?
Elvis relied... "I am not sure. Go and ask, Roy Orbison".
Southern class and incredibly humble.
I am 100% sure Elvis would have jumped in on this little sing along.
" Without a song. The day will never end"
My time will come to meet them. I hope!!
@wireless6
I'm 74 and realise how lucky I am that YouTube came along in my lifetime so I could watch great videos like these over and over again.
@user-nw6qp7yf2t
Me too. Sir!
@jimclarke1108
@@user-nw6qp7yf2t And me
@chabookproductions6997
Amen Brother!
@stargazer5797
Count me in. The beautiful songs remind me of my family which are all gone. I feel them through the music.
@lesliefuller1456
@@user-nw6qp7yf2tand me
@jimshea6593
Elvis once said that Roy Orbison's voice was the most pure and perfect voice he had ever heard.
@andrewrehnert4997
This song was probably written with Elvis in mind!
@grahamstrachan3555
Elvis wasn't wrong
@vanessaearly7490
That's so awesome. I have always related the 2 of their voices to each other.