Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was a rock band formed in 1976 from Gainesv… Read Full Bio ↴Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was a rock band formed in 1976 from Gainesville, Florida, USA and led by Tom Petty.

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.

Lover
tom petty and the heartbreakers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh my Lord
She give me chills and fever
Sends a signal
To my receiver
Hard livin' killing me
I need that woman to set me free
And I want her
I want her so much

Cause she got the lover's touch

Feel sold out
Water gettin' higher
Livin' on the shoreline
Starin' at the fire
And I want her
I want her so much
Cause she got the lover's touch
Yes she does

I hear her voice
When I'm all alone
Gives me comfort
So soft and low
And I want her
I want her so much
Cause she got the lover's touch
Yes she does now
I want her so much now
She's got the lover's touch

Yes she does
She's got the lover's touch

Overall Meaning

In "Lover," Tom Petty sings of a woman who has the power to make him feel alive again, even in the midst of "hard livin'" and feeling "sold out." He describes how she gives him "chills and fever," and how she sends a signal to his receiver, indicating that she is the missing puzzle piece that can make everything right in his world. Despite feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of life, the singer finds solace and hope in the woman's voice, which is a source of comfort and reassurance for him. The repetition of the line "I want her so much, cause she got the lover's touch" emphasizes the intense desire he feels for her.

Overall, the song portrays the idea that love has the power to heal and to make life worth living. The singer may be experiencing difficult circumstances, but the presence of the woman with the "lover's touch" is enough to keep him going.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh my Lord
I am completely amazed by her

She give me chills and fever
She makes me feel extremely excited and anxious

Sends a signal
She communicates with me using her actions

To my receiver
Through my heart and emotions

Hard livin' killing me
Living a challenging life is exhausting me

I need that woman to set me free
I require the company of that woman to alleviate my stress

And I want her
I have a burning desire for her

I want her so much
I long for her deeply

Cause she got the lover's touch
She provides the affection that I need in my life

Feel sold out
I feel like I've lost something valuable

Water gettin' higher
My problems are increasing and becoming overwhelming