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 I Will Meet Again
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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When we're least expecting it
One day in some far off place
I will recognize your face
I won't say good-bye my friend
For you and I will meet again
I heard you singing to no one
One day you belonged to me
Next day I just wouldn't know
Someday all the rules will bend
And you and I will meet again
I've got a feeling
I've got a feeling so strong
Maybe someday our paths will cross
A red-winged hawk is circling
The blacktop stretches out for days
How could I get so close to you
And still feel so far away?
I hear a voice come on the wind
Sayin' you and I will meet again
I don't know how, I don't know when
But you and I will meet again
The song "You and I Will Meet Again" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers is a reflection on the inevitability of reunion between individuals who once shared a closeness that was lost over time. The lyrics convey a sense of longing for the return of a person who was once a significant part of the singer's life. The line "You and I will meet again when we're least expecting it" hints at the idea that the reunion will be serendipitous, unexpected, and a matter of destiny.
The singer reminisces about the past relationship and acknowledges that someday, all the rules will bend, and the two will meet again, implying that the obstacles that caused their separation will no longer exist. The use of descriptive language, such as the red-winged hawk circling and the blacktop stretching out for days, adds to the sense of isolation and distance that the singer feels.
Overall, the song conveys a message of hope for the future and the possibility of rekindling lost relationships, even when the chances seem slim. It is a testament to the power of memory, forgiveness, and fate.
Line by Line Meaning
You and I will meet again
The singer believes that they will see the person they are addressing again, despite not knowing how or when that will happen.
When we're least expecting it
The singer anticipates that their reunion will happen at an unexpected moment.
One day in some far off place
The singer imagines that they will come across the person they are addressing in some distant location.
I will recognize your face
The artist is certain that they will be able to recognize the person they are addressing when they see them again.
I won't say good-bye my friend
The artist does not believe that they are truly saying goodbye to the person they are addressing because they will see them again in the future.
For you and I will meet again
The singer reiterates their belief that they will have a reunion with the person they are addressing.
I heard you singing to no one
The singer observed the person they are addressing singing alone.
I saw you dancing all alone
The artist also saw the person they are addressing dancing alone.
One day you belonged to me
At some point in the past, the person the artist is addressing belonged to the artist in some way.
Next day I just wouldn't know
The artist's relationship with the person they are addressing became uncertain or unpredictable at some point.
Someday all the rules will bend
The singer believes that at some point in the future, the established rules or expectations will change in some way.
And you and I will meet again
The artist is optimistic that they will reunite with the person they are addressing once again.
I've got a feeling
The singer has a strong intuition.
I've got a feeling so strong
The singer's intuition is particularly intense or powerful.
Maybe someday our paths will cross
The singer hopes that they will encounter the person they are addressing at some point in the future.
A red-winged hawk is circling
The artist is describing the surroundings or setting of the present moment.
The blacktop stretches out for days
The artist is providing further detail about the location where they are currently situated.
How could I get so close to you
The singer is questioning how they came to be emotionally close to the person they are addressing.
And still feel so far away?
Despite feeling emotionally connected, the singer feels distant or removed from the person they are addressing for reasons that are unclear.
I hear a voice come on the wind
The artist hears something indistinct or unsubstantiated that feels like a premonition or omen.
Sayin' you and I will meet again
The artist describes what the voice on the wind seems to be saying.
I don't know how, I don't know when
The artist admits that they have no certain information or plan for when their reunion with the person they are addressing will take place.
But you and I will meet again
The singer concludes by repeating their core belief and desire that they will see the person they are addressing again in the future.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind