Brett Millecam

Professor Voorhees
Music 1010
15 October 2016
Tom Petty
Thomas Tom Earl Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida in 1950. Tom
had a close relationship with his mother Kitty but had a much more
complicated relationship with his father Earl. Earl mentally and physically
abused throughout his childhood. Tom found refuge in music, idolizing Elvis
Presley and The Beatles, while learning how to play the guitar (Biography
2016).
At the age of seventeen Tom dropped out of high school and formed his
first band named Mudcrutch. The band was named after the farm where two
of the other members lived. The band moved to Los Angeles in hopes of
striking it rich. Mudcrutch released one album with little success but the
record company who signed them recognized Pettys talent and offered him
a solo contract (Biography 2016).
Toms solo career was short lived and he teamed back up with former
Mudcrutch members Mike Campbell (lead guitar) and Benmont Tench
(keyboard) and was joined by Ron Blair (Bass) and Stan Lynch (drummer) to
form Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (Wikipedia 2016). The band released

their self-titled album in 1976. Despite the albums obvious promise, it

initially sold poorly, until a subsequent tour of England with Nils Lofgren
landed it on the British charts. Hoping to capitalize on their newly won
overseas popularity, Shelter re-released the single Breakdown in the U.S.
and it reached No. 40 on the charts, giving the group their first taste of
success (Biography 2016).
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had arrived. After their self-titled
album, the band released Youre Gonna Get it. The second album was
loaded with hits such as I Need to Know and Listen to Her Heart. The
Heartbreakers third album, Damn the Torpedoes went triple platinum. With
hits, Here Comes my Girl, Refugee and Dont Do Me Like That the
album sold over two million copies and still is the bands most successful
album to date.
There were plenty of successful rock and roll bands to come out of the
1970s and 1980s, why were the Heartbreakers able to sustain their
success? Their music is multi-generational, which means that their audience
continues to grow and gain momentum. While Tom Petty is the star,
continuity of the band was very important to Petty. The Heartbreakers
released 5 successful albums in a 5-year span.
The ride to the top wasnt a smooth one, there were plenty of bumps
along the way. Tom had a tumultuous relationship with the industry and his
own record label. Tom had an ugly legal battle over his record contract. By

1979 Tom filed for bankruptcy. In 1981 he again got into another recordcompany hassle by challenging MCA's intention to issue his new disc, Hard
Promises, with a $9.98 list price one of the first albums to charge a dollar
above the standard price point. After he threatened to withhold the LP - or
entitle it $8.98. The label eventually relented and the album was released
for the standard record price (Macnie 2001).

During the 1990s Tom also struggled with a heroin addiction after
divorcing from his long-time wife Jane Benyo. Tom struggled with the divorce
and being separated from his two daughters Adria and Kimberley. Tom
eventually kicked the habit and embarked on a solo career which would rival
his success with The Heartbreakers.
Toms solo career started with the release of Full Moon Fever. With
hits, I Wont Back Down and Free Fallin the album reached 6x platinum.
Petty followed that album up with Wildflowers which was also well
received.
Tom joined super group, The Traveling Wilburys and released one
album that was critically acclaimed. The band won a Grammy for best rock
performance. Even with all the individual success, Tom always valued the
band and the Heartbreakers reunited and picked up right where they left off.
In 2002, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were Inducted into the Rock and

Roll Hall of Fame. The band also played the super bowl halftime show in
2008.
Its 2016 and the Heartbreakers are still doing what they love; playing
at sold out shows and making new music. Tom lives in California with his new
wife Dana York and his loyal dog Ryder. In the end, Tom was successful
because of his passion for music. Tom Petty became a rock star for his love of
music, not the other way around (Eells 2015).

Composition History
1. Dont Come Around Here No More (4:46)
Dont Come Around Here No More was written by Tom Petty and British
writer and performer David Stewart. The song was written in 1985 on Tom
Petty and The Heartbreakers album Southern Accents. The song has a
unique sound, made famous using an electric sitar and a synthesizer by
writer and producer David Stewart. Mike Campbell (lead guitar) uses a bass
synthesizer. Benmont Trench (keyboards) string synthesizer. Stan Lynch is
the drummer and Howie Epstein is the bass player. Tom Petty plays the piano
while also doing lead vocals (Wikipedia 2016).

The song has such a unique sound and the backup vocals can be heard
with a soft chant of the songs title, Dont Come Around Here No More
throughout the song. The song is also famous due to the popular Alice and
Wonderland themed music video.
The original inspiration for the song was a romantic encounter that
producer David Stewart had with famous singer Stevie Nicks. Dont come
around here no more, is what Knicks told her boyfriend Steve Walsh after
breaking up with him. Stevie Nicks invited David Steward to her place in Los
Angeles. The partygoers all disappeared to a bathroom for a couple of hours
to snort cocaine, he decided to go upstairs to bed. He woke up at 5am to find
Nicks in his room trying on Victorian clothing and described the entire
scenario as very much reminiscent of Alice and Wonderland. Thus, the
creation of the music video and the song was born (Wikipedia 2016).

2. Its Good to be King (5:21)

Its Good to be King was written by Tom Petty in 1994. It is one of the hit
singles of Tom Pettys second solo album, Wildflowers. The song and the
album still features all the band members of the Heartbreakers. Its Good
to be King has a softer and more subtle sound. The song starts with a
thirty second piano riff from the great Benmont Tench. The song is about a
basic self-obsessed male, Its good to be king, to have your own way it
helps to make friends, its good to meet girls (Gardner 1994).

Mike Campbell has a great guitar solo in the middle of the song
followed by Petty singing Excuse me if I have some place in my mind,
where I go time to time. The song ends with Trench playing the piano for
two minutes. The song is unique in the fact that it is only has 171 words
(including chorus). The lyrics are thought provoking but this song is more
about how it makes you feel and the power of the instruments.

Listening Guide: Dont Come Around Here No More

Time
0:00

0:13

0:36

1:13

1:36

2:01

Text

Musical Elements

Instruments

Intro: Simple quadruple Drums,

rhythm. Homophonic
Percussion
texture
Electric sitar
joined by both a
string and bass
synthesizer as
well as a bass
guitar
Hey! Dont come Verse 1: Short phrases Background
around here no
providing a singable
vocals, joined by
more. Dont
melody
lead vocals
come around
here no more.
Whatever youre
looking for. Hey!
Dont come
around here no
more.
Ive given up,
Verse 1 cont: More
Cello joining
stop, Ive given
short phrases
background
up, stop. Ive
providing a singable
vocals and
given up, stop,
melody
drums
on waiting any
longer. Ive
given up on this
love getting
stronger.
Dont come
Chorus: backup vocals Backup vocals
around here no
singing the entire
singing while
more. Dont
chorus
piano and drums
come around
are playing.
here no more.
Eventually joined
Dont come
by Electric Sitar
around here no
more. Dont
come around
here no more.
I dont feel you
Verse 2: More emotion Main vocals
anymore. You
in the lyrics from lead
drawing out the
darken my door. vocals. More build up
last verse with
Whatever youre with backup vocals
Drums and
looking for, Hey,
Electric sitar
dont come
playing. Joined
around here no
by backup vocals
more. Ive given
up, stop, Ive
given up stop,
Ive given up
stop, you tangle
my emotions.

Its Good to be King

Time

Text

0:00

0:25

0:53

1:22

Its good to be
king, just for a
while. To be
there in velvet,
yeah, to give em
a simple. Its
good to get high
and never come
down. Its good
to be king of
your own little
town.
Yeah, the world
would swing if I
were king. Can I
help it if I still
dream time to
time?
It's good to be
king and have
your own way.
Get a feeling of
peace at the end
of the day. And
when your
bulldog barks
and your canary
sings. You're out
there with
winners, it's
good to be king.

Musical
Elements
Intro: Simple
quadruple
rhythm
Verse 1: Lead
vocals providing
melody

Hook 1:
Homophonic
texture.
Emphasis from
lead guitar on
second line
Verse 2: Similar
to Verse 1,
Backup vocals
humming in
background

Instruments
Piano, Drums
and Lead Guitar
Lead vocals and
bass join. Music
slows down once
vocals start

Backup vocal join

in the singing of
the chorus

Drums front and

center, guitar
starts humming
and building up
towards the end.
Backup vocals
humming

1:48

Yeah Ill be king

when dogs get
wings. Can I help
it if I still dream
time to time?

2:14

2:43

3:09

3:37-5:21

Hook 2:
Homophonic
Texture, leads
into guitar solo
Guitar solo from
lead guitarist
Mike Campbell
using his
telecaster.

Its good to be
king and have
your own world.
It helps to make
friends, its good
to meet girls. A
sweet little
queen who cant
run away, its
good to be king,
whatever it pays.
Excuse me if I
have some place
in my mind
where I go time
to time.

Verse 3: lead
vocal slows down
than builds up

Guitar, drums,
bass and lead
vocals. No
backup vocals
this time
Riff from lead
guitar. Piano,
bass and drums
playing
throughout, no
vocals.
Backup vocals
humming in
background

Bridge: Melody
turns from
upbeat to
melancholy
Piano playing
melancholy
melody with
drums in the
background,
ends with riff
from guitar

Piano is front and

center, playing
repetitive keys,
sad tone with
help from drums.

Works Cited
Biography.com Editors. "Tom Petty Biography." The Biography.com Website.
A&E Television Networks, 2 June 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 16.
Gardner, Elysa. "Tom Petty: Wildflowers." Rolling Stone Music. Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 1994.
Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Eells, Josh. "Tom Petty Still Won't Back Down." Men's Journal Music. Men's Journal, 20 Oct.
2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
Macnie, Jim. "Tom Petty Bio." The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. The Rolling
Stone, 2001. Web. 22 Oct. 2016.
Wikipedia Contributors. "Tom Petty." Tom Petty Wiki. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24
Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.