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.
Got My Mind Made Up
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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Honey if you don't want to love me, don't you say I'm your man
Oh what's the matter baby, can't you see
This is not the first time it's happened to me?
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
If you don't want to kiss me, honey, then don't touch my hand
If you don't want to kiss me, honey, you better not touch my hand
This ain't the first time it's happened to me?
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
And if you don't really need me, honey, don't say you do
If you don't really need me, honey, then don't say you do
??? something I said
Still won't convince you not to play with my head, oh yeah
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
I got my mind made up
Mind made up
I got my mind made up
The lyrics of "Got My Mind Made Up" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers express frustration and disappointment with a lover who is sending mixed signals. The singer pleads with their lover not to claim they are in a committed relationship if they don't truly love them. The repetition of "this ain't the first time it's happened to me" suggests that the singer has been in this situation before and is tired of going through it again. The repeating refrain "I got my mind made up" shows that the singer has come to a decision not to continue with this relationship if their partner cannot commit to them.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the difficulties of love and relationships, and the importance of honesty and communication. The singer is not willing to be strung along by someone who is not genuinely interested in them, and is taking a stand for their own self-respect. At the same time, the lyrics express a sense of vulnerability and hurt, as the singer is hoping that their partner will change their mind and choose to truly love them.
Overall, "Got My Mind Made Up" is a straightforward, emotionally charged song about the complexities of love and the importance of honesty in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
If you don't want to love me then don't say I'm your man
Don't label me as your man if you don't have any intention of loving me.
Honey if you don't want to love me, don't you say I'm your man
Addressing his lover, he emphasizes that she should not call him her man if she cannot reciprocate love.
Oh what's the matter baby, can't you see
This is not the first time it's happened to me?
The singer questions whether the lover can understand his feelings, as he has experienced such situations before.
I got my mind made up
The repetition of this line throughout the song conveys the singer's resoluteness to his stance.
If you don't want to kiss me, honey, then don't touch my hand
If the lover does not intend to be intimate, then she should not give signs of false hope.
I don't quite get it, why can't you see
This ain't the first time it's happened to me?
The singer repeats his frustration and doubts about the lover's intentions, highlighting his past experiences with similar situations.
And if you don't really need me, honey, don't say you do
Don't lead the singer on if no real emotional dependency exists between them.
??? something I said
Still won't convince you not to play with my head, oh yeah
Despite the singer's communication attempts, the lover continues to toy with his emotions, causing him confusion and chaos in his mind.
Mind made up
This line is a shorter variation of 'I got my mind made up', emphasizing the singer's resolution in his feelings.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS EARL PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind