New Stevie comments about Tom Petty

joe68 · #1 03-20-2006, 06:04 PM

Stevie Nicks
Singer/songwriter, member of Fleetwood Mac and Petty's duet partner on the 1981 single "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"

The Songs: "When I thought I was dying in rehab in 1994, 'I Won't Back Down' was my mantra. It lifted me up out of the pain and made me fight thru it. 'Free Fallin' broke my heart about my life and his life and about who we were and that we simply could not change that. 'The Waiting is the Hardest Part' summed up my life. We can't stand waiting -- we rock and roll men and women. If we have to wait... we just don't. Tom Petty's songs are like a great book that you revisit when you need help. His songs make me better.

The Songwriter: "What makes Tom so good at this is that he writes about everything. Love in theory. Love in euphoria. Love in disappointment. Love in how it affects everyone; love after a long time. Divorce and how that affects everyone. New love and old love and how that affects everyone. Then he writes about personal growth and how that ebbs and flows. He writes about the world. He writes about the record business. He writes about monopolies and the nurturing of new artists that has ceased to exist. He has demanded that I start to write again when I thought I could write no more. He has, at times, been my Olympic coach. "You can do it," he says, "You don't need my help." He writes about his girls; girlfriends, daughters and wives. He has always been my great inspiration. He is magical. There is not, and never will be, another like him.

The Performer: "As far as live performance goes, he just knocks you out. On stage, there is no one better."

amber · #2 03-20-2006, 06:28 PM

Wooow...thank you for posting. He is outstanding, of course. Album after album. That's interesting what his songs mean to her. I'm especially curious about what she says about Free Fallin'. I wonder what she means there. Oh, and where'd you get these?

GypsyAsh · #3 03-20-2006, 07:02 PM

I love Tom Petty, I really really do. His music is the ultimate to me.. 'I Wont Back Down' really does serve it's purpose...I totally get what Stevie means about that song... I bought Tom's box set 2 days ago...and wow... everyone must own this valuable collection...seriously dudes...He is the greatest.

Richard B · #4 03-20-2006, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsyAsh

I love Tom Petty, I really really do. His music is the ultimate to me.. 'I Wont Back Down' really does serve it's purpose...I totally get what Stevie means about that song... I bought Tom's box set 2 days ago...and wow... everyone must own this valuable collection...seriously dudes...He is the greatest.

I've had his boxset, Playback, for years and yes, it is one awesome collection of music. The packaging is quite cool as well!

For me, Hard Promises is still my #1 album. I have his complete catalog and not a sour note to be found. But Hard Promises is just the most special to me.

joe68 · #5 03-21-2006, 10:03 AM

Thanks...Billboard.com

strandinthewind · #6 03-21-2006, 10:56 AM

I always thought Free Falling may have had a little Stevie Nicks' life in there. I mean she recorded it for goodness sake. So, I find this interesting.

Note - I think the song has the word drug trip written all over it, with "leave this world for awhile" "fly down over Mullholland" etc. - of course, there is a love song in there as well.

It is one of my fav.'s of his and hers for that matter.

Anyway - random thoughts!!!!

cliffdweller · #7 03-21-2006, 11:43 AM

"Straight Into Darkness" from Long After Dark is probably my favorite Tom Petty song of all time. I love how he weaves a haunting, bittersweet narrative throughout that song, it just gives me chills everytime I listen to it.

I'm intrigued too about Stevie's "Free Fallin" comments. It does have a druggy vibe to it, maybe she identifies with the feeling of loss due to a wild lifestyle and rock and roll apathy: "I'm a bad boy/ because I don't even miss her/ I'm a bad boy for breaking her heart." She's left lots of people behind and broken many hearts for the sake of her career

Boots · #8 03-21-2006, 11:54 AM

Tom Petty's music is part of the soundtrack of my teenage days and early adulthood. Everytime I hear something from Damn the Torpedos, like "Here Comes My Girl", my God, the chills go down my spine, I am RIGHT BACK in high school crushing on a boy, or watching the sun go down on a winter's evening during Track practice.

They played "American Girl" on a very important scene on The Sopranos last night. Carmela was reminiscing to the comatose Tony about a weekend they spent on Long Beach when they were younger, and that song played all weekend long. Tom Petty is still making great music, but those songs of 1979 through 1990 really play a part in our lives.

amber · #9 03-21-2006, 02:10 PM

^^^^

true. I was never not hearing some Petty songs. They make me feel nostalgic as well, even though I was younger.

SuzeQuze · #10 03-21-2006, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boots

Tom Petty's music is part of the soundtrack of my teenage days and early adulthood. Everytime I hear something from Damn the Torpedos, like "Here Comes My Girl", my God, the chills go down my spine, I am RIGHT BACK in high school crushing on a boy, or watching the sun go down on a winter's evening during Track practice.

They played "American Girl" on a very important scene on The Sopranos last night. Carmela was reminiscing to the comatose Tony about a weekend they spent on Long Beach when they were younger, and that song played all weekend long. Tom Petty is still making great music, but those songs of 1979 through 1990 really play a part in our lives.

Full Moon Fever came out when I was graduation high school and it really buoyed me too. I was terrified of "grow up" life and not being able to make it. Thank God for Tom! He is eternally cool.