The Tom Petty Project

OK, so is this the most complex and musically challenging song that Tom ever wrote? OF course not. Is it have emotional weight or narrative clarity? No and not really? Does it rock, make you want to move your feet, and make you smile? Yes, yes, and yes. The economy and simplicity of the song is what defines its almost sleazy vibe. And I don’t mean sleazy in the creepy sense, more in that horny teen kind of way.Today’s guest conversation sees the return of my good pal and co-host on the Ultimate Catalogue Clash, Corey Morrissette. Corey used to host a brilliant podcast covering the music of Aerosmith and as I was looking through the track and guest list, I knew this one would be a perfect song to talk to him about. Check out Corey's outstanding podcast, And The Podcast Will Rock.To listen to the song, check out the official lyric video here: https://youtu.be/tOsSW9Y02RYAnd to listen to the alternate version, check that here: https://youtu.be/RsPX5ilcip8Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

With his ex-wife Jane in a really bad emotional and psychological state, Tom knew that a lot of emphasis was falling on him to keep things together at home for the sake of his youngest daughter, Annakim, and it’s all betrayed in that opening line. “It's all I can do to keep that little girl smiling and keep my faith alive”.Today’s guest conversation sees the return of the brilliantly insightful Nicholas Apostoleris. Who better than a clinical psychologist to bring in to talk about a song that kickstarts a divorce album and cries out for someone to help, to understand, or just simply to be there. Check out Nic's music over on Bandcamp when you get a chance: https://nicapostoleris.bandcamp.comTo listen to the song, check out the official lyric video here: https://youtu.be/KykjEY-mV30And to listen to the alternate version, check that here: https://youtu.be/EXx5sDG6LlUDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

Today's episode is my ten questions with the wonderful Mary Beth Donnelly, who very kindly joined me on the kick off episode of season ten to talk about the title track from Wildflowers. We chatted about Paul Simon, Jeff Lynne, and everything in between as we went through my ten questions to find out which of Tom's songs she'd like to hear one of CSNY sing and which her favourite other band member is!Also, rather than a lot of links to Mary Beth on social media, I asked her to give me three book recommendations, but she gave me four instead and you can find those here!Charlotte's Web - E.B. Webb : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24178.Charlotte_s_WebLincoln's Melancholy - Joshua Wolf Shenk : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/106591.Lincoln_s_MelancholyEducated - Terra Westover : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35133922-educatedInto The Wild - John Krakauer : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60869516-into-the-wildDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt6BLRWuuAR43zHpNKIirOwAll music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise. If you want merchandise for this podcast, please check out https://www.teepublic.com/user/eight-ninety-eight/albums/245634-tom-petty-projectA last very special thanks to Paul Zollo and Warren Zanes without whose books, Conversations with Tom Petty and Petty: The Biography, this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research.

Today's episode is another conversation I had with the wonderful Tommy Edwin. We discussed Travis picking and talked about putting set lists together and whether choose the songs you think the crowd should hear, not the songs you think they want to hear. Tommy was wonderfully warm, engaging, and just generally a wonderful hang and I hope you enjoy our conversation about his music as much as I did!Please check out Tommy's (brilliant) website here: https://www.tommyedwinmusic.com The song at the end of the episode is his single, Drive, which will be included on his upcoming album and can be found here: https://youtu.be/VlIMbusFncgThe other songs we discussed in the episode can be found here: Radio On: https://youtu.be/pq4tqYi_rpgTell Me That I'm Crazy: https://youtu.be/avLmX060bcEDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt6BLRWuuAR43zHpNKIirOwAll music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com/Logo provided Ed Booth, who you can find here: https://edboothart.com/The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, Conversations with Tom Petty, this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research.

When I think about the solo in this song, it has a gravity to it that makes it feel centuries old. You could almost imagine that it has been living underground in some secret grotto since time began, just waiting for the right song to come along and feed it. It feels like a primal life force all its own, as if Mike is possessed by it rather than being its architect and its master. And I know that isn’t the case and the reality is that Mike Campbell just has such complete mastery over his instrument and over the musical form that he can write and play something this good and just make it sound effortless and timeless.Today’s guest conversation sees the return of the always entertaining Tommy Edwin. We chatted about the music he’s released since he was last on the show as well as Wildflowers and of course, this week’s song. Once I’m editing, I may break out part of our conversation to release as a standalone bonus episode, but for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy my chat with the marvelous and hugely talented, Tommy Edwin.Check out Tommy's website here: https://www.tommyedwinmusic.com and go check out a live show if you get a chance!To listen to the song, check out the official lyric video here: https://youtu.be/4gBnTnZRneo And to listen to the home recording, check that here: https://youtu.be/PHtEBn3CbWsAnd for the alternate version from American Treasure and Finding Wildflowers, check that one here: https://youtu.be/lqDHyrPW9voDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

In the liner notes for Wildflowers and all the Rest, engineer Jim Scott remarks that “Tom would write a song like ‘Honey Bee’ on the spot and the band would just follow him. There are dozens of recordings just starting a song and making it up from top to bottom, coming up with funny lyrics.” Of course, there are plenty of deep cut or inside examples of this that are well known to the hard core fans, such as Juju Beads and the more widely loved Girl on LSD, but immediately Honey Bee is different. Whereas those songs are all about the playfully silly lyrics, Honey Bee also has a propulsive, irresistible groove to go along with it. Today’s guest conversation is the most special one I’ve done so far. I’ve spoken to some fantastic musicians for this show and I’ve spoken to two men who have written seminal first hand accounts of Tom’s life and work. I’ve chatted with musicians and fans and have enjoyed every minute of it. But today, I’m chatting to one of the people I love most in the whole world, my youngest daughter Emma. When I asked her if she wanted to be one of my guests for this season, she agreed a little tentatively, but when I asked her to pick a song from the album, her answer was immediate. So we’ll dive into Honey Bee as well as where our musical tastes overlap as well as diverge. This was a wonderful conversation to have, so sit back, relax, and enjoy my conversation with my wonderful daughter, Emma Brown.To listen to the song, check out the official lyric video here: https://youtu.be/tbyB10JSOHkAnd to listen to the alternate version on the Finding Wildflowers release, go here: https://youtu.be/JWPsB-KAXB4Please note: There is one use of the work f*** in this episode, used as a direct quote.Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

As journalist Jaan Uhelski writes in the Wildflowers and All the Rest liner notes, “If Wildflowers is an album about taking stock of one’s life, “Only a Broken Heart” is a watershed moment on that excavation of self.” Everything about the way the final album version of this song is arranged and produced caters toward that excavation. The busyness of the piano and bass in the alternative version is stripped out and the harmonica lead from the demo is also abandoned in favour of allowing those double-tracked vocals take the weight of the lyrics and drop them in your lap. Coming between the titanic It’s Good to Be King and Honey Bee, this song could easily have become a little lost or overwhelmed but I think that, outro aside, the production choices on this song ensure that it holds its place as a sonic rest period and an eerie, forlorn interlude that acts as that “watershed” moment that Jaan Uhelski talks aboutThis episode includes a conversation with my very good friend and musical mentor, Randy Woods!To listen to the song, check out the official lyric video here: https://youtu.be/9-9k5hELSlwTo listen to the home demo version, go here: https://youtu.be/t1Tk12Pz9PAAnd to listen to the alternate version on the Finding Wildflowers release, go here: https://youtu.be/DTrLCZStfA8Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

“It's good to be king and have your own way. Get a feeling of peace at the end of the day” There’s security in success, but there’s an ominous cautionary tone that creeps into the next line, “And when your bulldog barks and your canary sings, You're out there with winners, it's good to be king”. When your bulldog barks and your canary sings. Dogs usually bark as a warning. Canaries were used in coal mines to detect poisonous gasses and act as a grim, sacrificial alarm to miners. With that portentous line up front “you’re out there with winners, it’s good to be king” becomes sarcastic and bitter to me. Yeh right, “it’s good to be king”, sure it is!This episode includes a conversation with my pal, former guest, and outstanding podcaster, Pete Nester. You can check out his episode covering Wildflowers right here: https://tinyurl.com/yeyp7774To listen to the song, check out the official music video here: https://youtu.be/2SF1iLXSQto To listen to the extended version from The Fillmore, check that here: https://youtu.be/BJjdGpmu1BkDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts

Legendary Nashville songwriter, Harlan Howard is purported to have coined the expression “three chords and the truth” and friend and colleague Bob Dylan is also remembered for the great line “All I need is my red guitar, three chords and the truth”. Well that’s all this riff is. Three chords. No passing chords, no fancy inversions or suspended notes. Just three chords - D A E. Mike Campbell was and is famously prolific in his writing and brought all of that work to Tom in case there was something there that connected. In this case, Tom saw the truth in those three chords and decided to write a masterpiece. It may have taken a while for the final brushstrokes to arrive, but when they did, they truly transformed a young girl with a faraway look in her eye into the Mona Lisa. This episode includes a conversation with musician, writer, and former guest, Jeff Slate.If you want to listen to You Wreck Me before the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/-3aGZZueg08 If you'd like to listen to the fantastic version released as a part of the Fillmore box set, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/aPV745BKtr8If you have any interest in Van Halen, please check out my friends Corey and Mark over on And The Podcast Will Rock. You can find the show here: https://shows.acast.com/podcastwillrockDon't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyprojectTwitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProjectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectAll music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.comThe Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".Producer: Kevin BrownExecutive Producer: Paul Roberts