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The Tom Petty Project
Built To Last
The lyrics in Built to Last are unambiguously hopeful and quietly resilience. Perhaps it’s Tom’s last attempt to build a creative buttress around his failing marriage. Perhaps its an equal attempt to put up a wall around a band that had gone through a major friction point and were probably still unsure what direction they would be taking. The lyric feels, in some ways, like a more introspective complement to I Won’t Back Down. The sentiment is the same really, but the perspective and the forcefulness of the emotion is focused inward in this song rather than outward on I Won’t Back Down. That song tells the whole world that they’ll have to fight to beat Tom Petty, this one reassures loved ones of the same. I Won’t Back Down is a warning, We Were Built to Last is a commitment.
Today’s episode covers the final song on side two of "Into The Great Wide Open", "Dark of the Sun".
You can listen to the song here: https://youtu.be/mjJtzjVz8UE
You can watch the live version from the Take the Highway release here: https://youtu.be/GB0TjInoTfs
The Tom Petty Project is a proud member of The Deep Dive Podcast Network, which you can find on Twitter: https://twitter.com/deepdivepodnet
Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show:
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt6BLRWuuAR43zHpNKIirOw
All music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.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. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography"
Producer: Kevin Brown
Executive Producer: Paul Roberts
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18. Supernatural Radio
20:09||Season 11, Ep. 18This one begins with piano as the main melodic focus, with Benmont Tench playing a lounge player style lick over top of a sumptuously dark and foreboding rhythm section. The drums are dry and present and Howie Epstein’s bass guitar adds the bottom end colour to a scene that feels like a dimly lit hotel bar.If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/P8qB--d6q3A To listen to the Fillmore 97 version go here: https://tinyurl.com/23fuush8 Check out Ian and Michael's brilliant podcast, Lord of Adders Black, here : https://goodpods.com/podcasts/lord-of-adders-black-413109 You can find Scott Haskin's new Deep Purple show, Smoke on the Podcast, here : https://goodpods.com/podcasts/smoke-on-the-podcast-627907 And if you want to read that awful Independent review, check that out here : https://tinyurl.com/yxdwwb4a 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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts17. Asshole
21:38||Season 11, Ep. 17Beck’s Asshole is quite tender in places with a certain rustic charm and it’s not something you’d expect a middle aged rocker to want to explore. But when you really delve into it and rummage around in there, you discover its hidden depths and while at first it can come across as unappealing, a close inspection reveals a rather time-worn vulnerability that draws you into its warm embrace. If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/i-2A20W5X3Y To check out Beck's original, please go here: https://youtu.be/zLuJiiXHvsQDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts16. Hope You Never
18:11||Season 11, Ep. 16Hope You Never is a fairly dark, bleak cut from a difficult album for Tom. It fits the timbre of the movie in places and you can see why it was chosen as one of the songs to transfer over to this release. The production is, as always, absolutely superb. The parts are all expertly crafted and arranged and Tom’s vocal delivery has that quiet confidence that marked his transition from brash young rock star to middle aged songwriter. If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/Fx1T_g0nWBgIf you want to check out a little background on The Obvious Child by Paul Simon, check that out here: https://www.avclub.com/the-obvious-child-is-24-years-old-but-it-s-all-about-1798274750Don'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts15. Angel Dream
22:51||Season 11, Ep. 15“I dreamed you, I saw your face. Caught my lifeline, went drifting through space”. What an incredible way to say “I fell in love with you the moment I saw you and my life would never be the same again”. I was talking with my pal Corey on our show The Ultimate Catalogue Clash about lyrics a couple of episodes ago and we’ve had an ongoing discussion since about how to appraise lyrics. Well, one of the ways that you can say a lyric is “strong” or “good” is if it immediately evokes an emotion in you. And boy does this one ever. I think most people have had that happen in their life when they’ve just immediately fallen in love. If it’s not happened with a romantic partner in this specific way, I daresay that anyone listening who is a parent had it happen the first time they laid eyes on their first child. You know in that moment that nothing will ever be the same and that you immediately can’t live without that tiny person.If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find the official video here: https://youtu.be/HSOKVghuiIgIf you want to check out Jeff Slate's fantastic album, The Last Day of Summer, you can find that here : https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k0c_chbHsywab6UUOpX3s1lI7V3u3KD78And if you want to check out Matt Jaffe's killer new record, Gone Enough To Miss, you can find that one here : https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n2ngTjPQB1HHTsrfNuEGq82ttxcOFJY6wDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts14. 2024 In Review + Favourite Albums
01:00:54||Season 11, Ep. 14I wanted to say a quick (well, not that quick!) goodbye to 2024 before kicking off the new year and figured I'd follow the lead of a great many music podcasters by telling you about some of the albums that I discovered this year that I've been enjoying a lot! I own 7 of the 8 on vinyl and have a very close relationship the one I don't through slightly unusual circumstances. I hope you enjoy this brief sojourn into non-Petty territory!The albums I'm talking about are: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers : Long After Dark (Deluxe Edition)Metallica : Master of PuppetsSturgill Simpson : Cuttin' Grass (Volume One)Bjork : HomogenicVan Halen - Van Halen IIIGreen Lung : This Heathen LandThe Black Crowes : Happiness BastardsMark Knopfler : One Deep RiverMentioned in the episode: Master of Puppets (with the SF symphony orchestra): https://youtu.be/oy0J2u1BlTAMisty Music Podcast - Homogenic Episode: https://go.goodpods.com/z6CwMJDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts13. Christmas All Over Again
17:11||Season 11, Ep. 13It’s a wonderful little piece of fluffy Christmas fare. There’s no big message here, it’s just a nostalgic, whimsical throwback type song and I’m almost surprised that it wasn’t a co-write with Jeff Lynne because it has a bigger ELO feel to it than it does a Heartbreakers feel! And with the addition of all those additional musicians, I do wonder if the rest of the band played on it. One to ask a Heartbreaker if I ever get to speak to one I guess!If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/qPoHul8ngNwDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts12. Matt Jaffe (Gone Enough To Miss)
01:19:14||Season 11, Ep. 12The second installment of my Artist Conversation Series sees Matt Jaffe return to the show to talk about his fantastic new album, Gone Enough To Miss. It was a joy to nerd out over broad aspects as well as details of the album and our conversation took in some excellent diversions regarding Tik Tok, superstition (not the Stevie Wonder song!) and how to release an album in the Gen-Z era! Matt was incredibly articulate, thoughtful and completely open and generous with his time and insights as always and this was a fantastic chat, which I hope you enjoy. I'd recommend giving the album a listen first if you haven't heard it and you can find links to it below! https://music.apple.com/us/album/gone-enough-to-miss/1769142611 https://open.spotify.com/album/5LOa0kF0TwbGCpMdrFqJe6?si=YQtdVt6STRKWAPzky4nFvg https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n2ngTjPQB1HHTsrfNuEGq82ttxcOFJY6wYou can also buy physical copies of "Gone Enough To Miss", as well as Matt's other releases and mech, from his website, which you can find here: https://www.mattjaffemusic.comDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts11. Change the Locks
20:24||Season 11, Ep. 11First of all, Changed The Locks by Lucinda Williams is a fantastic song and her delivery of it is sublime and very intimate - a tone that is enhanced by the arrangement that is used on that recording. The Heartbreakers amp up the anger by speeding the track up slightly, making the guitar tones heavier, and adding in that extra guitar phrase. So you have an interesting original song with a cool, atypical song structure, interpreted in a raucous, noisy way by members of the opposite sex, in a different musical genre. It’s one of those covers that adds to the original and makes it feel unique and authentic to the artist interpreting it. It’s a very simple song musically and the theme is well-trodden ground, but the way all of it is packaged and delivered really works for me.If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/Zi4FbohLSjsIf you want to check out Lucinda Williams' original version, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/sI6JoY_FrmYAnd if you want to check out the song, "Common People" by Pulp, which I referenced in the episode, you'll find that one here: https://youtu.be/lkpLbEM06qEDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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 Roberts10. Climb That Hill
21:00||Season 11, Ep. 10This song was a little bit of a grower for me and it’s one that’s definitely gone up a little since I sat down to pull it apart to see what secrets it’s hiding. The fact that, yet again, there is a density to the guitars on this song along with a real simplicity to the parts themselves all accentuated by Tom’s excellent, at times forceful at times tentative delivery make for a song that com res together to be greater than the sum of its parts. It has a very specific mood and vibe to it that I really enjoy.If you want to check out the song ahead of the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/849zt3HSI_U If you want to check out the live version from Jan 14, 1997 at the Fillmore, you'll find that here: https://youtu.be/979R5fvQpuYDon'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/thetompettyprojectBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tompettyproject.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyprojectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyprojectThreads: https://www.threads.net/@thetompettyprojectAll 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.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