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.
Louisiana Rain
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(A-one, two, on, two, three, four)
Well, it was out in California
By the San Diego sea
That was when I was taken in
And it left its mark on me
Yeah, she nearly drove me crazy
And I know she really didn't mean a thing
To any of those sailor boys
Louisiana rain
Is falling at my feet
Baby, I'm noticing the change
As I move down the street
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
South Carolina
Put out its arms for me
Right up until everything went black
Somewhere on lonely street
And I still can't quite remember
Who helped me to my feet
Thank god for a long neck bottle
The angel's remedy
Louisiana rain
Is falling just like tears
Running down my face
Washing out the years
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
Well, I never will get over
This English refugee
Singing to the jukebox in some all-night beanery
Yeah, he was eating pills like candy
And chasing them with tea
You should have seen him lick his lips
That old black Molly B
Louisiana rain
Is falling at my feet
Baby, I'm noticing the change
As I move down the street
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
Louisiana rain
Now, it's falling just like tears
Running down my face
Washing out the years
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
The song "Louisiana Rain" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers is a song about a man's journey through different states and experiences. The song begins with the singer reflecting on a past relationship he had in California. He mentions that the woman he was with had a lot of material possessions and seemed to enjoy the attention from "sailor boys," but he doesn't seem to hold any resentment towards her. The singer then travels to South Carolina, but something happens that causes him to lose consciousness ("everything went black"). He eventually makes his way to Louisiana, where he encounters some interesting characters - a drug-addicted Englishman and a woman named Molly B. The song concludes with the singer acknowledging how much he's changed since his journey began.
There are many different interpretations of what the song "Louisiana Rain" means, but one common theme that emerges is that the song is about the passage of time and how experiences can shape who we are. The song is also notable for its use of vivid imagery, which helps to bring the story to life. For example, the lyrics "Louisiana rain is falling just like tears, running down my face, washing out the years" create a powerful image of the singer being washed clean by the rain.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it was out in California
By the San Diego sea
That was when I was taken in
And it left its mark on me
The singer reminisces of his time in California by the San Diego sea where he was enamored and ended up staying for a while, impacting him deeply.
Yeah, she nearly drove me crazy
With all those china toys
And I know she really didn't mean a thing
To any of those sailor boys
The woman in California was materialistic and superficial, not really having much meaning or care for the men she chased after.
Louisiana rain
Is falling at my feet
Baby, I'm noticing the change
As I move down the street
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
The singer is in Louisiana, during a rainstorm where he is affected by the rain and its impact on his journey to Baton Rouge.
South Carolina
Put out its arms for me
Right up until everything went black
Somewhere on lonely street
And I still can't quite remember
Who helped me to my feet
Thank god for a long neck bottle
The angel's remedy
The artist had a blackout on Lonely street in South Carolina, and he can't remember how he got back up. He drinks a long neck bottle for sustenance and relief.
Louisiana rain
Is falling just like tears
Running down my face
Washing out the years
Louisiana rain
Is soaking through my shoes
I may never be the same
When I reach Baton Rouge
The rain in Louisiana is heavy and tears down the artist's face and he's unsure of the personal impact it has on him.
Well, I never will get over
This English refugee
Singing to the jukebox in some all-night beanery
Yeah, he was eating pills like candy
And chasing them with tea
You should have seen him lick his lips
That old black Molly B
The singer remembers an English refugee he encountered once in some sort of joint, singing along to the jukebox, licking his lips after popping pills and drinking tea.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harmony Daniels
Brilliant tune , sadly unrated . This is one of my favorites by Tom Petty. RIP Tom Petty you are missed and loved
Sam fishing hunting and footbsll
Tom died on Birthday it was sad
Jackie DeRochie
His music got me going & cleaned my house, this is the first time I'm listening
christyannification
Love love 💘
Patricia Berning
Absolutely! Love Tom's music.
Will Haynes
I absolutely agree
Janice S.
One of my favorite Tom Petty songs. We felt like we knew him as a friend for decades. Can't remember when I didn't know a song by Tom Petty.
David Barbee
Nothing but respect for Tom Petty
I loved his music and he fought back against the wall
RIP Tom you and your music lives on in time…….legacy
Blake Westman
Highly underrated song. One of his best works. He is missed.
Ravi Vaithinathan
My favorite song of his.