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.
Two Gunslingers
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And one said "I don't want to fight no more"
And the other gunslinger thought about it
And he said, "yeah what are we fighting for?"
I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life now
Well the crowd that had gathered
For the gun fight were let down
Everyone hissed and booed
And a stranger told his Mrs.
That's the last one of these gunfights
You're ever gonna drag me to
I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life now
Right now, oh yeah
Well the two gunslingers
Went ridin' out of town and
Were never heard from no more
And there ain't been a gun fight
For a long time, maybe never
But nobody knows for sure
And I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life
I'm takin' control of my life now
Right now, oh yeah
Now, right now
Oh yeah
The song "Two Gunslingers" speaks particularly about violence and the decision to end it. The narrative tells a story of two gunslingers who were supposed to have a gun fight in town but decided against it. One of them refuses to fight anymore, and the other sees the senselessness of it all and inquires why they should fight. This decision is met with disapproval from the audience who were expecting to be entertained by the fight. Eventually, the two gunslingers left town, and there was no more gun fight.
The inherent message in the lyrics of "Two Gunslingers" is that conflict is wasteful and in most cases, unnecessary. The song speaks to the power of making the conscious decision to end violence, as opposed to perpetuating it. It depicts the idea that ending a fight may not be heroic, but sometimes the heroes are the ones who walk away from conflict. The use of gunslingers highlights the idea that this decision involves the biggest of personalities, people capable of holding their grounds in the face of challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Two gunslingers, walked out in the street
Two people with a history of violence confronted each other in a public space
And one said "I don't want to fight no more"
One of the gunslingers voiced hesitance towards the inevitable confrontation
And the other gunslinger thought about it
The other person considered the words and actions of their opponent
And he said, "yeah what are we fighting for?"
The second person questioned the motivation behind their violent behavior
I'm takin' control of my life
The singer asserts their intention of making positive changes in their personal life
I'm takin' control of my life
The singer reiterates their determination to take control
I'm takin' control of my life now
The singer emphasizes the importance of taking action in the present moment
Right now, oh yeah
The singer expresses eagerness and confidence for the future
Well the crowd that had gathered
The people who witnessed the confrontation
For the gun fight were let down
Were disappointed that violence was avoided
Everyone hissed and booed
The audience expressed their displeasure and disapproval
And a stranger told his Mrs.
An onlooker spoke to their partner
That's the last one of these gunfights
The stranger believed that this would be the end of these violent confrontations
You're ever gonna drag me to
The stranger expressed unwillingness to attend future gunfights
Well the two gunslingers
The two people involved in the confrontation
Went ridin' out of town and
Left the area and moved on from their past behaviors
Were never heard from no more
Did not continue to engage in violence or make a name for themselves
And there ain't been a gun fight
There has not been a similar confrontation
For a long time, maybe never
It is unclear if there will ever be another incident
But nobody knows for sure
The future is uncertain
Now, right now
The singer repeats their desire to take action in the present moment
Oh yeah
The singer expresses enthusiasm and confidence for the future
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind