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.
Insider
Tom Petty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everything you've dreamed of
Yeah, you're the Dark Angel
It don't show when you break up
And I'm the one who oughta know
Yeah, I'm the one left in the dust
Yeah, I'm the brokenhearted fool
Who was never quite enough
Oh, I'm an insider
I've been burned by the fire
Yes, and I've had to live with some hard promises
I've crawled through the briers
I'm an insider
It's a circle of deception
It's a hall of strangers
And it's a cage without a key
You can feel the danger
And I'm the one who oughta know
yeah, I'm the one you couldn't trust
Yes, I'm the lonely silent one
I'm the one left in the dust
Oh, I'm an insider,
I've been burned by the fire
Yes, and I've had to live with some hard promises
I've crawled through the briers
I'm an insider
I'll bet you're his masterpiece
I'll bet you're his self-control
Yeah you'll become his legacy
His quiet world of white and gold
And I'm the one who ought to know
Yeah, I'm the one you left to rust
And not one of your twisted friends
I'm the one you couldn't love
Oh, I'm an insider
I've been burned by the fire
Yes, and I've had to live with some hard promises
I've crawled through the briers
I'm an insider
I'm an insider
The song "Insider" by Tom Petty is about a relationship where one person realizes that their partner is not who they seemed to be. The image that their partner had presented was one of perfection and beauty, but underneath there is a dangerous and deceptive personality. The song is an expression of the feelings of betrayal and disappointment of the singer. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm an insider" – a reference to the fact that the singer has been intimately involved with this individual, and therefore has seen beyond the façade.
The song starts with the line "You've got a dangerous background" – this is a clear warning sign that something is not right. The singer then goes on to describe how their partner was the "Dark Angel" – a description that suggests a secretive and mysterious personality. As the song moves on, it is clear that the relationship was not what the singer hoped for. There are references to broken promises, betrayal, and mistrust. The final verse talks about how the partner will become someone else's legacy – suggesting that they will leave a trail of broken hearts in their wake.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on how people can hide their true selves, and how important it is to see beyond appearances in relationships. It is a warning to be careful about who we trust and what we believe about them.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got a dangerous background
You come from a dangerous past
And everything you've dreamed of
You have everything you ever wanted
Yeah, you're the Dark Angel
You are like a dark angel with your mysterious persona
It don't show when you break up
You hide your true feelings when a relationship ends
And I'm the one who oughta know
I know you better than anyone else
Yeah, I'm the one left in the dust
I am the one who was left behind
Yeah, I'm the brokenhearted fool
I am the foolish one who loved you
Who was never quite enough
But I was never enough for you
Oh, I'm an insider
I am someone who knows the truth about you
I've been burned by the fire
I have experienced pain and betrayal
Yes, and I've had to live with some hard promises
I had to endure broken promises
I've crawled through the briers
I have struggled and suffered
It's a circle of deception
Our relationship was built on lies and deceit
It's a hall of strangers
Our relationship was impersonal and distant
And it's a cage without a key
Our relationship left me trapped and unable to escape
You can feel the danger
You know that there is danger in our relationship
Yeah, I'm the one you couldn't trust
You knew you couldn't trust me
Yes, I'm the lonely silent one
I was lonely and silent because of our relationship
I'll bet you're his masterpiece
You are the one he prizes above all his other achievements
I'll bet you're his self-control
You are the one who keeps him in line
Yeah you'll become his legacy
You will be remembered as his greatest accomplishment
His quiet world of white and gold
You represent a pure and beautiful world to him
Yeah, I'm the one you left to rust
You left me behind to wither away
And not one of your twisted friends
You cannot count on your manipulative friends
I'm the one you couldn't love
You were unable to truly love me
Oh, I'm an insider
I am someone who knows your secrets
I've been burned by the fire
I have been hurt by my association with you
Yes, and I've had to live with some hard promises
I have learned to live with broken promises
I've crawled through the briers
I have overcome obstacles and difficulties
I'm an insider
I am someone with inside knowledge of our relationship
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gracefulmess222
You've got a dangerous background
And everything you've dreamed of
Yeah you're the Dark Angel
It don't show when you break up
And I'm the one who oughta' know
I'm the one left in the dust
Yeah I'm the broken-hearted fool
Who was never quite enough
I'm an insider, I been burned by the fire
And I've had to live with some hard promises
I've crawled through the briars, I'm an insider
It's a circle of deception
It's a hall of strangers
It's a cage without a key
You can feel the danger
And I'm the one who oughta' know
I'm the one you couldn't trust
I'm the lonely silent one
I'm the one left in the dust
(Chorus)
I'll bet you're his masterpiece
I'll bet you're his self-control
Yeah you'll become his legacy
His quiet world of white and gold
And I'm the one who oughta know
I'm the one you left to rust
Not one of your twisted friends
I'm the one you couldn't love
@NONAME-lk1jt
This is way too overlooked. This is their best collaboration, hands down.
@gerhardvanderwesthuizen842
powerful, more so than "Stop draggin' my heart..."
@utbabee
Very much so!! Back when Stevie was the best harmony singer in the biz.
@craigbenz4835
No doubt. This is the first song that leaps to mind when I think of a Tom/Stevie duet.
@gregcohen9919
NO NAME totally agree
@jocelyneke6445
I really like this too. I also like their collaboration on The Apartment.
@paulallen3182
For me personally what makes this song so great is it tells the lesser known story of someone who gets left behind in a failed relationship when one person is ready to move on before the other is, the third verse especially covers how watching that same person in a relationship later and how they treat their new significant other so much better than they ever did them, that burning, cutting pain from the realization the X had the potential to be a better person they just didn't see you as worth the effort.
@guitardds
From every broken relationship, we learn what not to do in the next.
@kennethsizer6217
@@guitardds Hopefully.
@kmyoung3956
❤️😔