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.
Hometown Blues
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby gotta go
Got do a number
On the late night show
Do a little song
Do a little dance
Gonna make the best
Of her big chance
Don't really matter
If she don't or if she do
Tryin' to make the best of
The hometown blues
Blues
I got a friend
Got a little girl
Said she's the best
In the whole wide world
Said it so good
Said it's unreal
Might not last
But it's no big deal
Don't really matter
If she don't or if she do
Tryin' to make the best of
The hometown blues
Blues
Baby, save me, save me, save me
With your sweet smile
Honey, I really need your love
To help me kill a little bit o' time
All of the girls
Run with the crowd
They go wild
When the lights go down
They got a little money
Live in a dream
Want to be the queen
Of their little scene
Don't really matter
If she don't or if she do
Tryin' to make the best of
The hometown blues
Blues
Blues
Blues
Blues
The lyrics of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' song Hometown Blues depict the universal desire to escape one's mundane existence and make a name for oneself. The song follows two different storylines- the first being about a girl who wants to go on a TV show and sing and dance to make it big, and the second being about a friend's little girl who claims to be the best in the world at something. The lyrics suggest that these attempts may not amount to much in the end, but they are still worth pursuing in order to break free from the monotony of life in their hometown.
The chorus of the song states that it doesn't matter if they fail or succeed, they are simply trying to make the best of their "hometown blues." This is a relatable concept for many people who feel stuck in their small towns and dream of making it big. The song also touches on the theme of fleeting fame and how it can be both exhilarating and ultimately unsatisfying.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby can't wait
The singer's friend has to leave and is in a hurry
Baby gotta go
The friend has to leave immediately
Got do a number
The friend has to perform a song or act to achieve success
On the late night show
The show is on at night when most people are asleep
Do a little song
The friend has to perform a music track
Do a little dance
The friend has to do a performance with physical movements
Gonna make the best
The friend is determined to achieve success
Of her big chance
The opportunity that the friend is getting is a huge one
Don't really matter
The girl’s actions have no bearing to the artist’s life
If she don't or if she do
Whether the friend fails or succeeds, the artist's life won't be affected
Tryin' to make the best of
The singer is also trying to make the most of their situation
The hometown blues
The artist is bored with their life and wants to achieve more
I got a friend
The singer has a female acquaintance
Got a little girl
The female acquaintance is young
Said she's the best
The female acquaintance is very good at something
In the whole wide world
The female acquaintance is the best in the world
Said it so good
The female acquaintance is highly skilled at the task
Said it's unreal
The female acquaintance's skill level is so high that it's hard to believe
Might not last
The female acquaintance’s success may not be permanent
But it's no big deal
The artist is not concerned about whether the female acquaintance's success is long-lasting
Baby, save me, save me, save me
The artist is pleading with a lover or friend for help
With your sweet smile
The artist is asking the lover or friend to cheer them up with their smile
Honey, I really need your love
The singer needs love and support from the lover or friend
To help me kill a little bit o' time
The artist has free time and wants to spend it with their lover or friend
All of the girls
All the young women in the singer's town
Run with the crowd
The young women follow the popular trends and norms
They go wild
When the young women attend an exciting event, they get overly excited
When the lights go down
When it's dark
They got a little money
The young women have some money
Live in a dream
The young women have an unrealistic thought process
Want to be the queen
The young women want to dominate and rule their surroundings
Of their little scene
Their social environment and town
Blues
This word is repeated throughout the song, it describes the melancholic state of the artist's town and life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind