...or did Tom Petty's passing feel like losing an old friend? I know we've had a couple of threads, but this has been on my mind. I didn't get to see him and the Heartbreakers live (and that's something I regret), but I've listened to his music since I first heard it on WGLF-104 out of Tallahassee when I was in high school.
Breakdown was the first song I remember hearing on the radio and I've been hooked ever since. First album of his I bought was
Damn the Torpedoes, which I still have.
I have enjoyed hearing many of you guys share your Petty musical experiences, particularly those who discovered Mudcrutch at their beginnings. There was just something about not only the sound that he and the group could produce, but his songs spoke to you in a language that resonated with both the young and, well, not so young. It was relatable (if that's even a word). Such a prolific writer. The songs he covered were good to listen to as well and his takes, while often a little different from the originals, were worthy of comparison.
Shady Grove comes quickly to my mind in this vein...
Petty gave us, I think, anthems for different stages of our lives. For me,
The Waiting was teenage me.
When I was post-college and sowing my oats,
You Wreck Me described my agenda and brain function. Kinda fighting adulthood, I suppose.
These days, the
Mudcrutch reunion tune
Scare Easy is pretty much it.
As hokey as it sounds, he was a man for all seasons. I'm glad he had so much music left to be listened to. The fact that UF honored him is certainly fitting and has been a bright spot for the last couple of games. Sad thing is I don't know if there's anybody like him that still makes music like he did.
