Petty was supported by his band, The Heartbreakers, for the majority of his career. He has occasionally released solo work, as was the case with his 2006 album Highway Companion on which he performed most of the backing instrumentation himself. However, members of The Heartbreakers have played on each of his solo albums and the band has always backed him when touring in support of those albums.
After the Petty's previous band Mudcrutch disbanded, Petty, never one to give up, enlisted Mudcrutch members Tench (keyboards) and Mike Campbell (guitar), along with Gainesville musicians Ron Blair (bass) and Stan Lynch (drums) to form the now famous lineup that was dubbed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. They released their first album, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in November 1976. In 2006, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of that release.
This lineup stayed intact for four records and was responsible for some of the most infectious songs ("American Girl", "Breakdown", "Listen To Her Heart", "Refugee", "I Need To Know", "Don't Do Me Like That") and one of the most critically acclaimed albums ("Damn the Torpedoes") of all time. Their tremendous success catapulted them from club band to arena rockers seemingly overnight.
Bassist Blair split the band in 1982 and was replaced by Howie Epstein, a protege of seminal rocker Del Shannon. Epstein's solid playing and soaring backing vocals further complemented the band's live attack. Without missing a beat, they headed back into the studio to record a string of successful albums, including the classic "Long After Dark". In 1994, Stan Lynch left the Heartbreakers to pursue other musical challenges and Steve Ferrone (well regarded for his work with the Average White Band and Eric Clapton) soon became the Heartbreakers' chosen drummer.
Most recently, at a time when many of their contemporaries have long since grown complacent, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have in 2002 released one of their finest and most controversial efforts - featuring some of Petty's most moving songs. Recorded both before and following the group's 2002 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, "The Last DJ", reflected Petty's strong views about the state of the music business and the culture generally. With the departure of Howie Epstein, "The Last DJ" marked another notable return: after two decades away, founding Heartbreaker Ron Blair returned to the band's rhythm section. In 2010, The Heartbreakers released the well received album "Mojo".
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.
A One Story Town
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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I don't want fate handed down to me
Yeah I'm for movin' on, try another town
Time ain't changin' nothin', take a look around
Oh, I'm lost in a one story town
Where everything's close to the ground
Yeah the same shit goes down
It's a one story town
She was only seventeen
But I held her to her word
Had to push her luck
Thought she couldn't burn
No it didn't hurt me
When she had to leave
She had a far away feeling
Wasn't part of me
Oh, I'm lost in a one story town
Where everything's close to the ground
Yeah the same shit goes down
Nothing turns around
It's a one story town
The lyrics of "A One Story Town" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers describe the singer's desire to break free from the monotony of life in a small town. He advocates for standing up and taking control of his own fate, rather than relying on external forces to shape his life. The lyrics also touch upon the theme of lost love, as the singer reflects on a past relationship with a girl who left for a distant place. He acknowledges that it didn't hurt him when she left, indicating that their connection was not a deep one.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's frustration with the stagnation of life in a small town. He describes the town as a "one story town" where everything is close to the ground and nothing turns around. This imagery captures the sense of claustrophobia and lack of progress that can come with living in a confined environment. Through his lyrics, Tom Petty captures the longing for escape and the desire for something more that many people in small towns can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm for standin' up, I'm for breakin' free
I believe in standing up for myself and breaking free from any restraints put on me.
I don't want fate handed down to me
I don't want my future predetermined by circumstances out of my control.
Yeah I'm for movin' on, try another town
I am in favor of leaving my current situation and starting anew in a different place.
Time ain't changin' nothin', take a look around
Merely waiting for time to pass won't bring about any meaningful change. One must take action to make changes happen.
Oh, I'm lost in a one story town
I am figuratively lost in a small and uneventful place.
Where everything's close to the ground
Everything is monotonous and unremarkable.
Yeah the same shit goes down
The same mundane events happen repeatedly without any variation.
Nothing turns around
There is no change or growth in this town.
It's a one story town
This town lacks depth and dimension.
She was only seventeen
The subject of the sentence was a young girl of tender age.
But I held her to her word
I made sure that she kept the promise she made to me.
Had to push her luck
I encouraged her to take risks.
Thought she couldn't burn
I assumed that she was invincible and couldn't get hurt.
No it didn't hurt me
I wasn't hurt when she left.
When she had to leave
When she had to depart from my life.
She had a far away feeling
She was distant and disconnected from me.
Wasn't part of me
She wasn't a significant or integral part of my life.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind