Product Description

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Track Listing

1. American Girl
2. Breakdown
3. Listen To Her Heart
4. I Need To Know
5. Refugee
6. Don't Do Me Like That
7. Even The Losers
8. Here Comes My Girl
9. The Waiting
10. You Got Lucky
11. Don't Come Around Here No More
12. I Won't Back Down
13. Runnin' Down A Dream
14. Free Fallin'
15. Learning To Fly
16. Into The Great Wide Open
17. Mary Jane's Last Dance
18. Something In The Air

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #612 in Music
• Brand: PETTY,TOM
• Released on: 1993-11-16
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
He's sold millions of albums, filled arenas, and hobnobbed with George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison, but Tom Petty's driving heartland rock has often been taken for granted by the same critics who hail John Mellencamp as a genius. Greatest Hits is an airtight argument for Petty's own greatness. Starting with "American Girl," the rollicking, Byrds-inspired single from Petty's first album in 1976, this compilation presents a chronological overview of the guitarist-vocalist's career with and without the Heartbreakers, also chronically underrated as one of today's best bands. Every one of the 16 older tracks is a well-crafted gem, full of solid guitar hooks ("Here Comes My Girl"), arresting images ("Don't Come Around Here No More") and simple but poetic lyrics ("The Waiting").

Petty isn't an innovator; he's a talented craftsman with impeccable taste and a strong sense of rock history, internalizing influences ranging from the Beatles' psychedelic masterpiece, Revolver, to the best of '70s punk. (It's interesting to remember that early efforts such as "Refugee" and "Don't Do Me Like That" first won Petty attention as a New Wave artist). With his Dylanesque vocals and chiming 12-string guitars, Petty is more often linked these days with the sounds of the '60s. But recent tunes such as "Learning to Fly" and "Into the Great Wide Open" are as smart, relevant and (dare I say) alternative as anything in MTV's Buzz Bin. --Jim DeRogatis

Customer Reviews

Classic
I've gotten into a bit of a classic rock phase and was looking for one CD to satisfy me. This was it. It has some of Petty's greatest hits and I love jammin' to it going down the road.

Nice greatest hits collection
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' music has been with us for a long time. Their first album came out in 1976, featuring songs such as "American Girl" and "Breakdown." Over time, the group's body of work expanded and included some classic songs. This CD, including many of their greatest hits, chronicles the career of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers nicely.

Some illustrative cuts:

"American Girl": Recorded in 1976. Petty's inimitable voice is in good form here. The band plays with a tight sound and a hard edge.

"Breakdown": This represents a softer sound, and the song is filled with poignant lyrics. One line comes to mind:

"It's alright if you love me;
It's alright if you don't."

"Refugee": This is one of Tom Petty's iconic songs. The music is hard driving, Petty's voice is in good form, and he captures emotions as he sings.

"Don't Do Me Like That": Another signature song of Petty and the group. . . . Keyboards add a nice touch to the song. Signature lyrics:

"Someone's gonna tell you lies,
Cut you down to size.
Don't do me like that
. . . .
Well I love you, baby,
Don't do me like that."

All in all, a nice slice of the greatest hits of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I'm not someone deeply immersed in the music of this body of work, I concede, but, to twist what Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said of pornography: "I can't define great music, but I know it when I hear it."

Forever "Runnin' Down a Dream"
I don't think enough folks my age recognize how great Tom Petty really is, but if they owned "Greatest Hits," they'd have a hard time not doing so. Released in 1993, it spans the years between 1976 and 1993. Always mellower than his hard-rocking contemporaries, Petty's irresistable heartland roots-rock has progressed over the years, and he's proved quite versatile as he experimented with pop, blues, new wave, and alt-rock. But what never changes is the charm and appeal of his music, and this is evident through the chronologically-tracklisted "Greatest Hits." Petty is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation. His lyrics are simple but quaint, and he creates perfect hook-heavy song structures that sound beautiful upon first and millionth listen. His music is inspiring and motivational, but he has a great ear for a catchy tune. Credit must also go to the criminally underrated Heartbreakers, who created their own instantly recognizable sound through their talented instrumentation. At least ten of these songs have become rock-radio staples and will be coveted by anyone with access to a radio over the last thirty years. As with any Greatest Hits package, somebody will nitpick about the tracklist (personally I might have given "Yer Bad" the nod), but there's not a single song on this disc ever worth skipping, and I wouldn't describe any as less than excellent. As it was released in 1993, music from Wildflowers and subsequent releases are not represented, so 2000's Anthology: Through the Years is updated. However, "Greatest Hits" is a perfect one-disc glimpse at one of the best rock acts of this era.

Beginning with the sunny Beatles-influenced "American Girl" and the soulful, moody blues of "Breakdown," the listener is treated to the phenomenal singles from 1976's Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers that made him a household name. The fun "Listen to Her Heart" and "I Need to Know" from 1978's You're Gonna Get It! bridge the gap to the legendary "Refugee," a driving, bluesy rocker that became a classic upon its release. Also from 1979's Damn the Torpedoes are the Springsteen-esque "Don't Do Me Like That," the optimistic "Even the Losers," and the awesome "Here Comes My Girl"; each is phenomenal and suggests what a great album Petty had. "The Waiting," from 1981's Hard Promises, is a deep, motivational song that never grows old, while the stingy "You Got Lucky" from 1982's Long After Dark is heavy with the electronic instrumentation of New Age pop. The irresistable mourning of "Don't Come Around Here No More" from 1985's Southern Accents precedes the selections from Petty's 1989 solo blockbuster Full Moon Fever. Perhaps my favorite song of his, "I Won't Back Down" is an inspiring, melodic tune with George Harrison on guitar. "Runnin' Down a Dream" is a gratifying rocker, and his most well known song, the tremendous "Free Fallin'," is an ingenious coming-of-age ballad. "Learning to Fly" and "Into the Great Wide Open" from 1991's Into the Great Wide Open find Petty at his most introspective and philosophical, and both are among his finest material. The album closes with two previously unreleased songs, the heavy alt-rockers "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "Something in the Air."

"Greatest Hits" is an impeccable selection from one of rock's greatest acts. Any type of music fan will immediately be wowed by Petty's hooky genius, and anyone who has enjoyed rock radio over the past three decades already knows the quality of this music. I can't recommend "Greatest Hits" any more.