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.
Even the Losers
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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Yeah, we smoked cigarettes and we stared at the moon
And I'd show you stars you never could see
Baby, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me
Baby, time meant nothing, anything seemed real
Yeah, you could kiss like fire and you made me feel
Like every word you said was meant to be
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
They get lucky sometimes
Two cars parked on the overpass
Rocks hit the water like broken glass
I should have known right then it was too good to last
God, it's such a drag when you're livin' in the past
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
They get lucky sometimes
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
Yeah, they get lucky sometimes
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers get lucky sometimes
The song "Even the Losers" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers is a reflection on an old relationship. The first verse describes a nostalgic moment the two lovers shared during summer, where they sat on a rooftop, smoked, and gazed at the moon. The singer reminisces about how they would show their lover stars they had never seen before. The chorus, "Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes, Even the losers keep a little bit of pride" suggests that even though the relationship may have ended, the memory of it remains and there is still something to hold on to. The second verse describes a moment where the singer sees two cars parked on an overpass, and rocks hitting the water below like broken glass, which could allude to the shattered relationship.
However, the song is not entirely pessimistic, as the title suggests that even losers can get lucky sometimes. The line, "They get lucky sometimes" is repeated multiple times to emphasize hopefulness. The song asserts that even during the hardest times, everyone has moments of luck in life, and sometimes even losers come out with something to hold on to.
Overall, the song "Even the Losers" is a powerful message that encourages listeners to see the good in their lives, even during rough patches. It reassures listeners that even during hard times, people can still find success, happiness, and pride.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it was nearly summer we sat on your roof
The story takes place during summer where they sat on the roof
Yeah, we smoked cigarettes and we stared at the moon
They did not do anything special, just smoked cigarettes and looked at the moon
And I'd show you stars you never could see
He liked this girl so much that he would go above and beyond to impress her
Baby, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me
He is convinced that it is impossible for her to forget about him that easily
Baby, time meant nothing, anything seemed real
During their time together, time was not a factor and everything felt genuine
Yeah, you could kiss like fire and you made me feel
Her passionate kissing made him feel special
Like every word you said was meant to be
He believed everything she said was genuine and true
No, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me
He is still convinced that she cannot simply forget about him
Two cars parked on the overpass
Two cars were seen parked on an overpass
Rocks hit the water like broken glass
The sound of rocks hitting the water was compared to the sound of breaking glass
I should have known right then it was too good to last
He realizes that their time together was too good to be true
God, it's such a drag when you're livin' in the past
He laments that it is difficult to move on from the past
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
He acknowledges that even those who have lost in love can still get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
Even those who have lost in love still have some pride left
They get lucky sometimes
Just because someone loses in love doesn't mean they will never get lucky again
Yeah, they get lucky sometimes
Reiterating the idea that even losers can still get lucky
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
He repeats the idea that even those who have lost can still get lucky
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
Even if someone has been hurt, they still have a bit of pride left
They get lucky sometimes
Just because someone has lost doesn't mean they will never be happy again
Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
He emphasizes that even those who have lost in love can eventually get lucky
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind