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.
Swingin'
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In her boots and silver spurs
Gonna hitchhike to the yellow moon
When a Cadillac stopped for her
And she said, "Hey, nice to meet you, are you goin' my way?"
Yeah, that's when it happened
The world caught fire that day
Yeah, she went down swingin'
Well, she was over twenty-one
In trouble with the law
And it didn't faze her none
She called her mother-in-law
And said I need a little money
I knew I could count on you
After that night in Vegas
And the hell that we went through
We went down swingin'
Like Benny Goodman
Yeah, we went down swingin'
Moonlight on the interstate
She was 'cross the Georgia line
Looked out the window feeling great
Yeah, it had to come in time
And she said I'm never goin' back
She said at last I'm free
I wish ma could see me now, she'd be so proud of me
She went down swingin'
Like Glenn Miller
Yeah, she went down swingin'
Like Tommy Dorsey
Yeah, she went down swingin'
Like Sammy Davis
She went down swingin'
Like Sonny Liston
"Swingin'" is a classic song by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers about a daring hitchhiker who successfully makes off with a ride from a Cadillac. She goes on to reflect on living life to the fullest and taking risks, even as she faces adversity. Her attitude is that of someone who has nothing to lose and so can live without fear or shame. The chorus of the song sums up her spirit well when it declares, "she went down swingin'." The song is a potent mixture of rock, country, and blues elements, all of which combine to create a unique sound that is not quite like anything else.
The opening verse introduces the listener to the singer of the song. She is a woman standing by the side of the road in silver spurs and boots, looking to hitchhike. She appears fearless and self-assured in this opening stanza, and it is clear that she can handle herself in any situation. When a Cadillac stops for her, she takes it as an opportunity to get a ride to the place she wants to go. The second verse reveals that she has had some brushes with the law in the past, but this doesn't faze her. She is still determined to go her own way, regardless of the consequences. The third verse finds her reflecting on a journey across state lines while moonlight bathes the landscape. She feels proud of herself for the way she has lived her life and speaks of her mother's admiration. The chorus ties everything together, and it becomes apparent that the singer is telling the story of someone who lived their life boldly until the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she was standing by the highway
She was waiting by the road
In her boots and silver spurs
Wearing boots and spurs made of silver
Gonna hitchhike to the yellow moon
She plans to hitchhike to the moon
When a Cadillac stopped for her
A Cadillac stopped for her
And she said, "Hey, nice to meet you, are you goin' my way?"
She greeted the driver and asked if they were headed in the same direction
Yeah, that's when it happened
At that moment
The world caught fire that day
Something significant happened that day
And she went down swingin'
She fought until the end
Yeah, she went down swingin'
She fought until the end
Well, she was over twenty-one
She was older than 21 years old
In trouble with the law
She was in trouble with the authorities
And it didn't faze her none
It didn't bother her at all
She called her mother-in-law
She contacted her husband's mother
And said I need a little money
She asked for some money
I knew I could count on you
She trusted her mother-in-law
After that night in Vegas
Referring to a past event that happened in Las Vegas
And the hell that we went through
Referring to a tough time they had experienced
We went down swingin'
They fought until the end
Like Benny Goodman
They fought hard, like Benny Goodman played music hard
Yeah, we went down swingin'
They fought until the end
Moonlight on the interstate
Moonlight shining on the road
She was 'cross the Georgia line
She crossed the Georgia state line
Looked out the window feeling great
She looked out the window, feeling happy
Yeah, it had to come in time
It was bound to happen eventually
And she said I'm never goin' back
She vowed to never return
She said at last I'm free
She felt liberated
I wish ma could see me now, she'd be so proud of me
She wished her mother could see her now and would be proud
Like Glenn Miller
Fought hard, like Glenn Miller played music hard
Yeah, she went down swingin'
She fought until the end
Like Tommy Dorsey
Fought hard, like Tommy Dorsey played music hard
Yeah, she went down swingin'
She fought until the end
Like Sammy Davis
Fought hard, like Sammy Davis performed hard
She went down swingin'
She fought until the end
Like Sonny Liston
Fought hard, like Sonny Liston boxed hard
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ProperZen
Tom Petty always was always there. 70’ radio when I was a kid in my dad’s truck with “Breakdown” and “Refugee”. And early MTV with “Stop Draggin My Heart Around” and “Don’t Come Around Here.”
Then MTV was huge and there was Petty as the cat in the hat, the Wilbury’s or on tour as Dylan’s band. Damn.
And it just kept going into the 90’s with the one two punch of “Full Moon Fever” and “Into the Great Wide Open” followed by the single “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.”
He was always there. Great music. So good live. That Souther drawl and easy smile. And the beautiful music: tight hooks and every song it’s own story.
I liked that he was there. I liked the world with Tom Petty in it; the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame sublime “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
This song with its melancholy shuffle and the video’s angles guts me. The hat is in a closet somewhere, his scarfs stashed away. I feel a knot in my stomach.
Tom Petty is not in the world any more. And I won’t ever see him live again or read about he’s newest album coming out.
I miss him. The world is a beautiful place. Truly beautiful. But it was a better place when he was here too.
@industrialdrama466
A Florida Boy becomes a national treasure. And he went down swinging.
@jimboloper1819
Several of um has brother. 😢😢😢😢
@dr.buzzvonjellar8862
National treasure and his legend will grow. What a writer
@SCBeatty1
The thing about Tom Petty is, unlike pretty much EVERYONE else who hangs onto their musical career for more than a decade, his music never lost it's raw, authentic quality. It never became formulaic, flat, safe, or lifeless. For the most part, the music from every stage of his career is as enjoyable as any other stage. Seriously, who else can you say that about?
@saspinks3001
SC Beatty - You hit the nail on the head. So true.
@joeruiz4010
Amen dude. Not only is it that, Tom Petty has influenced or had some kind of noted influence on nearly every rock and roll, hard rock, metal, heavy/thrash metal, and grunge band that formed from the 80's-Present. He's even influenced a massive amount of Country artists/bands as well.
@sameoldthing4037
Tom Petty was indeed great. You will get no argument from me there. However there are several others who have left behind( and who are still alive as well) a large body of work which did change with the times. I have broadened my taste in music quite a bit over the past few years and I have discovered many artists that I wish I had not been so close minded as to not discover them years ago! I like rock, I like country, I like some pop music Etc... But most of all I like any music where the poet / songwriter puts his / her heart and soul into their music and has a message in it. Or a Feeling in it that almost anyone can relate to in some way.
@evelynbaron2004
I wrote an article about this particular video which I thought was a masterpiece :). May get it recognized... not important. What pissed me off the most in the episode where the heroines lover is falling to his death is the utter, criminal spectator sport it was for the people around the pool below. Cheers, loved your post!
@evelynbaron2004
This particular video fascinated me for a vr long time, not because it was more moving emotionally than his other work but for its complexity. As a video it packs a big punch. I read something from a thoughtful poster who thought Jackson Browne was more cerebral -- watch this and that argument falls apart, as much as I respected the writer. I thought about it for days and days -- he could do anything, and yes, still wish he were still here with his love on his arm. The way of the world.
@alanlamb7062
This gentleman is one of the most important figures in all of American music, enough said.