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.
You And Me
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a look at what I got
I can't promise you a lot
But you and me
And the road ahead
And I can't save you from yourself
You gotta want it
And the road ahead
Wherever that wind might go
Wherever that river rolls
You know I will go with you
Uh uh
Wherever that wind might go
Wherever that river rolls
You know I will go with you
Oh oh oh
Lookin' over the mountain's crown
The water roars and tumbles down
Like you and me
And the road ahead
Just you and me
And the road ahead
Yeah
The opening lines of Tom Petty and The Heartbreaker's song "You and Me" express the simplicity of the singer's situation. He does not have much to offer, but he has his companion and the road ahead. The words suggest that whatever the future holds, they will face it together. The lyrics indicate that the singer recognizes the limits of his ability to help his partner overcome her challenges. He cannot save her from herself, but he will be there to support her if she decides to change. The repeated lines of the chorus emphasize the singer's commitment to his partner. He will follow her wherever she goes, through any storm or terrain. The final lines of the song return to the initial image of the mountain and the river. The water in the river is compared to the ups and downs of their journey together. Once again, the singer emphasizes that they will face the future as a team, looking ahead to the road that lies ahead.
Overall, "You and Me" is a song about love and commitment. It speaks to the idea that it is not material possessions or perfect circumstances that make a relationship last, but the bond between the two people involved. The song suggests that supporting one another in difficult times is a crucial part of any relationship, and that facing the future together can make the journey much more bearable.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, four
Counting in to start the song
Take a look at what I got
Notice what I have to offer
I can't promise you a lot
I can't make grand commitments
But you and me
Just the two of us
And the road ahead
Together we face what's to come
And I can't save you from yourself
I can't rescue you from your own choices
You gotta want it
You have to desire it
All that's left is you and me
We are the only ones remaining
And the road ahead
The path we must travel together
Wherever that wind might go
The direction of the wind
Wherever that river rolls
The path of the river
You know I will go with you
I will accompany you
Uh uh
Vocalization
Wherever that wind might go
The direction of the wind
Wherever that river rolls
The path of the river
You know I will go with you
I will accompany you
Oh oh oh
Vocalization
Lookin' over the mountain's crown
Observing the peak of the mountain
The water roars and tumbles down
The sound and motion of the water
Like you and me
Similar to us
And the road ahead
On the journey we must take
Just you and me
Only us
And the road ahead
The path we must take together
Yeah
Agreement or affirmation
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Carpenter
What a wonderful tribute. Still heartbroken over the loss of Tom but his music will never die
Mary Legates
I only buy Sirius for the Tom Petty channel, stg
Arkard
@Montravius Daniel Running down a dream?
Ry Dee
@Ernest Hilburn the greatest of all time
Ernest Hilburn
He was one of the best there's was and the best there's ever going to be from EJ Hilburn
Bikeluver susie
He was a musical wizard.
D Bart
There is something magical about this man ✨
C.W. Richardson 3
He's a musician not a magician
Budget iguana
As Tom Petty said “music is the closet thing we have to magic”
19tractor52
@Debbie Meek agree