Another gem of a song thrown away on a movie soundtrack. This was a minor hit around 1996, but is almost never played anywhere anymore. That’s Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsay Buckingham on background vocals.

The relentless groove has a somewhat sinister edge to it, echoing the dead ends that Petty and his buddy seem to encounter in the song. Meanwhile, the spooky keyboard parts of Benmont Tench give the song its distinctively eerie edge.

Striking out in a Defender, Petty and his pal run across all sorts of unsavory characters and bizarre situations, and you can tell that the songwriter has his tongue partly in his cheek throughout. He drops a few killer lines throughout (“She was a part of my heart/Now she’s just a line in my face,”) and somehow, in spite of the unusual events, seems almost nostalgic for this trip to nowhere. I guess I can see why; if it was half as fun to experience as it is to listen to, “The Trip To Pirate’s Cove” must have been a blast.

(E-mail the author at countdownkid@hotmail.com.)

The chunky rhythm isn’t what you would associate with a Petty song, but, considering it was his first album, there weren’t any real expectations to confound. It was just the songwriter’s muse taking him into new territory.

What is consistent with Petty’s later work is the nuance in the lyrics. “Hometown Blues” is a striking dissection of small-town life and its inherent ennui. Even romance doesn’t quite shake up the doldrums:  “Said it’s so good, said it’s so real/Might not last but it’s no big deal.” If nothing else, though, it serves its purpose: “Honey I really need you/To help me kill a little bit of time.”

Petty’s outlook was already realistic and world-weary beyond his years, but the bouncy music keeps things from getting too depressing. Just like a small town, some bits of fun eventually surface to keep the monotony at bay.

(For the full e-book of this list, Breakdown: Tom Petty’s 100 Best Songs, check out the Amazon links below.)

US: http://www.amazon.com/Breakdown-Pettys-Best-Songs-ebook/dp/B00C281ZB6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364475476&sr=8-3&keywords=jim+beviglia

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breakdown-Pettys-Best-Songs-ebook/dp/B00C281ZB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364469871&sr=1-1

(E-mail the author at countdownkid@hotmail.com.)

The Elegants, turning a preschool ditty into a doo-wop classic. But those suits had to go.

Well, while I try to finish the last installment of my epic Going Home saga and wait to see Lincoln (which opens tonight) and wait for Thanksgiving and wait for Mercury to come back out of retrograde and wait to hear on a big job I interviewed for two weeks ago, might as well keep myself amused with the latest installment of Five Songs.

Two things to captivate your interest: 1) The second “Little Star” link is to the 1957 demo version of the doo-wop classic (interesting, but doesn’t hold a candle to the classic single version); and 2) Note the similarity in the ending sax parts on the following two songs (an early-’70s rock classic and a rare mid-’60s Northern soul gem, respectively). Anyway, have fun …

Little Star — The Elegants

Walk on the Wild Side — Lou Reed

Wee Oo I’ll Let It Be You Babe — Louise Lewis

The Waiting — Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

I Tell No Lies — The Escapades

“Mary Jane’s Last Dance” is also relatively unique for being a song that Petty completed in parts. He had the bare bones of the song all together years earlier. When pressed for a new song for the Greatest Hits album, he was unwilling to give up any of the new material he was working up, material which would eventually comprise his solo album Wildflowers. So he dug up the old song, added a sparkling new chorus, threw together a truly macabre video starring Kim Basinger, and, voila, you’ve got another smash hit.

I feel like some of that disjointedness is evident in the song, and the lyrics betray their improvisational nature a bit too readily, although Petty gets credit for pulling them together to form a pretty incisive portrait of this small-town femme fatale. Of course, none of that matters much when the Heartbreakers lock into that powerful groove, hitting on all cylinders even as one of the main cylinders was about to depart.

(For the full e-book of this list, Breakdown: Tom Petty’s 100 Best Songs, check out the Amazon links below.)

US: http://www.amazon.com/Breakdown-Pettys-Best-Songs-ebook/dp/B00C281ZB6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364475476&sr=8-3&keywords=jim+beviglia

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breakdown-Pettys-Best-Songs-ebook/dp/B00C281ZB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364469871&sr=1-1

(E-mail the author at countdownkid@hotmail.com.)

So the auctions for the 15 framed prints that I donated to the Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ 2010 Mojo tour wrapped up over the weekend on eBay.

All told, they raised a little more than $4,725, which all goes to the good folks at Tazzy to help dogs of all kinds, shapes and sizes.

Can’t thank everyone enough for your bids and help in getting the word out. Losing Jolene was really hard, but the response these auctions received – and the money they raised to help dogs in need – made us real proud.

I’m sure a Brown Dog somewhere is really happy, too.

Let face facts the task of trying to explain Tom Petty’s style and song writing in perfect placement details is hard. I truly believe this is part of his appeal to many of the fans that buy his music. I can listen to Tom’s music just about anytime. The songs that are Deadish or even Dylanesque hit me just as good as the rocking tight guitar driven songs he kicks out. I would not be surprised at all if the infectiousness of his song gets great traction across groups of friends and couples. Adding to the popularity because of thjis great appeal.

I will be the first to tell you not a huge fan of most cover bands but the are great ones and sometimes ever super tributes. The Petty Fest Will be in Los Angeles November 14th and 15^th. And even coming up faster then that in New York City on October 24^th. I have not seen the show but have seen a cou8ple of the people in the line up and might be worth your time if your in the part of the country.

One of the great rock n roll improvements with the web is the artist’s websites. The birthday boy’s is simply tompetty.com with some killer features. If you’re a huge fan you have to join “The Highway Companions Club” it gets you members only content. Plus if you are a concert fan too you get advance notice of the show plus a shot at tickets before the general public. Another reason why following your favorite rock n rollers online pays off.

Some moments are worth reliving LOL

Happy Birthday song sung by Stevie Nicks to Tom Petty

Interestingly enough, The Cure are considered by many to be the “Most Depressing Band on the Planet”; however, four different songs by The Cure were chosen.  Similarly, The Smiths, Morrissey, and Depeche Mode were well represented.

Some of the lesser known acts mentioned here definitely fit the theme for the week. The Glassjaw song is very well done and will get your head nodding in time. Andy Zipf provides two songs from different areas of his catalog – mild and inspiring, and rockin’ stomper. Check him out at http://www.andyzipf.com.

Here are the lists with a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure.

Andy:

Glassjaw – All Good Junkies go to Heaven – Our Color Green

Janelle Monae – Make the Bus – The ArchAndroid
M.I.A. – XXXO – Maya
Matthew Dear – Little People (Black City) – Black City
Morrissey – Don’t Make Fun of Daddy’s Voice – You are the Quarry (Deluxe Edition)
R.E.M. – Bittersweet Me – New Adventures in Hi-Fi

The Black Ghosts – Any Way You Choose to Give It – The Black Ghosts
The Cure – Doing the Unstuck – Wish
The Killers – Andy, You’re a Star – Hot Fuss
The Refreshments – Banditos – Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy

Katie:

Andy Zipf – I Ain’t the Kind for Giving Up – Jealous Hands

Billy Idol – Eyes Without a Face – Rebel Yell
Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence – Violator
Madonna – Holiday – The Immaculate Collection
New Order – True Faith – Substance
Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way – All of This and Nothing
Rammstein – Haifisch – Liebe ist fuer Alle Da

The Cure – To the Sky – Join the Dots
The Smiths – How Soon is Now? – Hatful of Hollow
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Learning to Fly – Into the Great Wide Open

Steven:

Andy Zipf – Keep On – The Long Tail
Beastie Boys – Intergalactic – Hello Nasty
Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again (Live) – 101

Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks – Torches
Motorhead – Rock Out – Motorizer

Nine Inch Nails – Discipline – The Slip
R.E.M. – Electrolite – New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Rammstein – Ich Tu Dir Weh – Liebe ist fuer Alle Da
The Smiths – How Soon is Now? – Hatful of Hollow
Tom Petty  - Runnin’ Down a Dream – Full Moon Fever

Tracy

Howard Jones – New Song – Best of Howard Jones
Talking Heads – This Must Be the Place – Speaking in Tongues
The Cure – Close to Me – The Head on the Door
Morrissey – Everyday is Like Sunday – Bona Drag
Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough – Speak & Spell
Echo & The Bunnymen – Lips Like Sugar – Echo & The Bunnymen

Billy Idol – Dancing With Myself – Best of Billy Idol
Heavy D and the Boyz – Now that We Found Love – Heavy Hitz
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen – Too-Rye-Ae
INXS – New Sensation – Kick

“Into the Great Wide Open” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Maybe it’s just because I’ve never been that into Tom Petty, but “Into the Great Wide Open” was never really on my radar until these last few days.  I was listening to the second disc of the Heartbreakers anthology I gave my dad last Christmas, and this song really stood out to me for a couple of reasons.  First, musically, the songwriting here is plainly, heavily influenced by George Harrison, right down to the Harrison-esque lead guitar licks.  (This song was composed by Petty and ELO frontman Jeff Lynne, bandmates of Harrison’s in the Traveling Wilburys.)  And secondly, this song is meant to tell a story, which is always a good way to curry favor with me.  “Into the Great Wide Open” is the tale of a rock star named Eddie, chronicling his rise to fame and fall from grace.  It’s the kind of song for which you wish there was a music video to provide an accompanying visual depiction of the story…

Fortunately, Tom Petty was kind enough to provide one, and he didn’t half-ass it either:  At nearly seven minutes, the video is a bona fide short film, and it’s absolutely worth watching.  A rather young Johnny Depp (circa 1991) stars as the protagonist, Eddie.  Tom Petty plays three roles:  the tattoo artist in the beginning; the “roadie named Bart” mentioned in the song; and the bespectacled narrator, who wears an orange Willie Wonka sort of suit (which is amusing considering Depp’s famous portrayal of Wonka fifteen years down the line).  The fact that this wasn’t even nominated for a Best Music Video Grammy defies logic.

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers. 

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken down); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

After receiving the down placement, Lund gave Valentine contact info for someone who he said was Petty’s production manager, but provided a bogus email address. So, Valentine contacted Petty’s manager Tony Dimitriades to discuss the planned performance. That’s when he realized he’d been a victim of fraud, as Dimitriades told him he had no connections to Lund and no contracts had ever been signed.

The FBI arrested Lund on three counts of wire fraud on August 2, but that wasn’t the end of the story. Valentine, a deep-pocketed exec, was determined to have Petty perform at the wedding (he proposed to his wife at a Tom Petty concert).  So he paid the proper people and the band did perform a full concert at the reception for the new couple.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers. 

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

After receiving the down placement, Lund gave Valentine contact info for someone who he said was Petty’s production manager, but provided a bogus email address. So, Valentine contacted Petty’s manager Tony Dimitriades to discuss the planned performance. That’s when he realized he’d been a victim of fraud, as Dimitriades told him he had no connections to Lund and no contracts had ever been signed.

The FBI arrested Lund on three counts of wire fraud on August 2, but that wasn’t the end of the story. Valentine, a deep-pocketed exec, was determined to have Petty perform at the wedding (he proposed to his wife at a Tom Petty concert).  So he paid the proper people and the band did perform a full concert at the reception for the new couple.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

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According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers. 

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX

According to The Smoking Gun, Valentine first approached a man named Chris Lund through his “LundLive” website (which has since been taken dow); the site said that Lund represented Petty and several other big-name performers.

- Matt Dolloff, 100.7 WZLX