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.
echo
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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You know we've both nowhere to go
Yeah, daddy had to crash
He was always halfway there you know
And no, I don't pretend there's any more of that
They say one day, you'll look up and laugh and hear
The same sad echo when you walk
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
I promise you this winter
I will worship you like gold
And ride your train forever
Electric fortunes to be told
And I don't want to question or even celebrate
All the joy you took and then gave back too late
It's the same sad echo when you lie
It's the same sad echo when you try to be clear
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
Well, I woke up right here
In a pool of sweat
With a box of pills and you
Yeah, and I'm gonna keep my head
I'm gonna keep my cool
Oh, I'm so in love with you
Yes and in another world nothing was like this
There may have been a girl
There never was a kiss
The poison came in liquid
She was naked all the time
And no one could explain it
It was all between the lines
And I don't seem to trust anyone no more
It could be faith I'm just not sure
It's the same sad echo every day
Yeah the same sad echo another way
When you call
It's the same as the same sad echo most of all
Well you just got tired
You just gave in
You took it hard
Then you just quit
You let me down
You dropped the ball
You fell on your face most of all
And I don't want to mean anything to you
I don't want to tempt you to be true
It's the same sad echo comin' down
It's the same sad echo all around in my ears
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
The lyrics of "Echo" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers seem to be about an unfulfilled and unsatisfying relationship. The persona expresses a desire to take a break from the world and rest with their partner, but there is a sense of melancholy or disappointment lingering in the air. The repetitiveness of the "same sad echo" suggests that the persona is stuck in a cyclical pattern and unable to break free from feelings of disappointment and regret. Additionally, drug references and images of a "naked" woman suggest a sense of escapism and an inability to fully engage with reality or one's emotions.
In the second verse, the persona promises to treat their partner "like gold" and ride their "train forever" in an attempt to rectify and salvage their relationship. However, the repetition of the "same sad echo" implies that their efforts may be in vain and that they may be doomed to repeat the same mistakes they have made in the past.
The last verse seems to suggest a falling out or betrayal on the part of the persona's partner. The lines "you just got tired / you just gave in / you let me down / you dropped the ball" express a sense of disappointment and frustration, as the persona realizes that their partner is not the dependable and trustworthy person they had hoped for. The repetition of the "same sad echo" at the end of the song emphasizes the persona's sense of disillusionment and their inability to escape their emotional rut.
Overall, "Echo" seems to be a song about the cyclical nature of disappointment and regret in relationships, and the difficulty of breaking free from unfulfilling patterns.
Line by Line Meaning
Put down your things and rest awhile
Take a break from your busy life and rest for a while.
You know we've both nowhere to go
We have no particular place or task to pursue, so why not take a break?
Yeah, daddy had to crash
Our father has unfortunately passed away.
He was always halfway there you know
He was not fully present in his life, always distant and half-hearted in his actions.
And no, I don't pretend there's any more of that
I am not in denial about his death and I know it is a reality we have to face.
They say one day, you'll look up and laugh and hear
People say that someday we will be able to look back and laugh at these moments of sorrow.
The same sad echo when you walk
The same feelings of sadness and emptiness that you experience when you walk around.
Yeah, the same sad echo when you talk loud and clear
The same sadness and emptiness is present when you try to speak confidently.
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
The environment around us reflects the same feelings of sadness and emptiness.
I promise you this winter
I make a promise to you that this winter will be different.
I will worship you like gold
I will cherish and adore you like the most valuable thing in the world.
And ride your train forever
I will always be with you, following your lead through life.
Electric fortunes to be told
Our future is unpredictable and bright, with great things in store for us.
And I don't want to question or even celebrate
I do not want to question or doubt our love or even celebrate it because it is simply natural and meant to be.
All the joy you took and then gave back too late
You have brought me happiness but then taken it away too late.
It's the same sad echo when you lie
The same sadness and emptiness is present when you tell lies.
It's the same sad echo when you try to be clear
Even when you try to be clear and honest, the same feelings of sadness and emptiness persist.
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
The environment around us reflects the same feelings of sadness and emptiness.
Well, I woke up right here
I woke up in this exact moment and place.
In a pool of sweat
I am sweating profusely, perhaps from a bad dream or a difficult situation.
With a box of pills and you
I am with a box of pills, perhaps indicating addiction or dependence on medication or drugs, and you.
Yeah, and I'm gonna keep my head
I am going to stay calm and rational.
I'm gonna keep my cool
I am going to stay composed and collected, not letting emotions get the best of me.
Oh, I'm so in love with you
I am deeply and truly in love with you.
Yes and in another world nothing was like this
In another reality or scenario, things were completely different and unpredictable.
There may have been a girl
There could have been another person in my life instead of you.
There never was a kiss
In that other scenario, there was never any romantic or intimate connection.
The poison came in liquid
The substance or thing that harmed me came in liquid form.
She was naked all the time
The person who caused harm was exposed and vulnerable all the time.
And no one could explain it
No one could understand or explain why something bad happened.
It was all between the lines
The true meaning or intention was implied and hidden within the situation.
And I don't seem to trust anyone no more
I have lost my ability to trust anyone.
It could be faith I'm just not sure
Maybe it is a matter of faith, but I am not completely convinced.
It's the same sad echo every day
The same feelings of sadness and emptiness persist every day.
Yeah the same sad echo another way
Even when expressed in different ways, the same feelings of sadness and emptiness are still present.
When you call
When you contact me or reach out.
It's the same as the same sad echo most of all
The feelings of sadness and emptiness are most apparent when we communicate.
Well you just got tired
You have become exhausted or fatigued.
You just gave in
You have given up or surrendered.
You took it hard
You were deeply affected by something.
Then you just quit
You simply gave up or resigned yourself to the situation.
You let me down
You disappointed or failed me.
You dropped the ball
You made a mistake or dropped the responsibility that was entrusted to you.
You fell on your face most of all
You failed the most or suffered the most out of this situation.
And I don't want to mean anything to you
I do not want to hold any significance or importance to you.
I don't want to tempt you to be true
I do not want to push you to be honest or genuine because it should come naturally.
It's the same sad echo comin' down
The same feelings of sadness and emptiness are constantly affecting us.
It's the same sad echo all around in my ears
I am constantly aware of the same feeling of sadness and emptiness in my surroundings.
It's the same as the same sad echo around here
The environment around us reflects the same feelings of sadness and emptiness.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind