One Majorly Underrated Track From Each of Tom Petty’s Albums From the 1980s

The 80s proved to be a productive, turbulent, career-altering decade for Tom Petty. He released four studio LPs with the Heartbreakers and then punctuated the decade with his first solo album.

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We all know the big hits from that era. But what about the underrated tracks? Here’s a look at one of those unheralded gems from each of Petty’s 80s albums.

“Something Big” from ‘Hard Promises’ (1981)

Petty approached story songs in a much different manner than most of his rock songwriter peers. He tended to only provide the barest details, allowing the audience to fill in the gaps. “Something Big” offers one of the earliest examples of this particular skill. We don’t exactly know what transpired in the motel room with the characters involved, including the protagonist Speedball. But the chorus provides his motivation: “It wasn’t no way to carry on/It wasn’t no way to live.” A moody mini-masterpiece of unresolved tension.

“Straight Into Darkness” from ‘Long After Dark’ (1982)

You might not believe that a Petty single could be underrated, especially at a time when almost every move he made received a lot of attention. But “Straight Into Darkness”, a searing rocker that failed to hit the pop Top 40 at the time, certainly qualifies as one that deserves more recognition. Most of the song leans into the darkness that the title implies. But Petty leaves us on a somewhat hopeful note in the final verse, as the narrator suggests a little resilience can go a long way.

“The Best Of Everything” from ‘Southern Accents’ (1985)

Even though the finished product came out great, Petty endured a tortured process to record Southern Accents. “The Best Of Everything” was a leftover track that Petty hadn’t quite finished to his liking. When Robbie Robertson came calling with a request for songs for the Martin Scorsese film The King Of Comedy, Petty gave this track to him. Robertson took it from there, adding soulful horns and coaxing his old Band-mate Richard Manuel to add backing vocals. The total package is a beautifully bittersweet ballad.

“It’ll All Work Out” from ‘Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)’ (1987)

After the tumultuous process of recording Southern Accents, Petty and the Heartbreakers purposely attempted to streamline matters with Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough). As a result, it felt like some of the songs were undercooked. But not “It’ll All Work Out”. Building off a mesmerizing part played by Mike Campbell on a Japanese instrument known as a koto, the song stands out as one of Petty’s most affecting ballads. The narrator finds some room for optimism, even though his own behavior suggests a happy ending isn’t in the cards for him.

“Zombie Zoo” from ‘Full Moon Fever’ (1989)

Petty’s collaboration with Jeff Lynne seemed to lighten him up a bit over the course of a full album. That’s not to say there aren’t downcast tracks on Full Moon Fever. But, for the most part, you can sense the relaxation that Petty was feeling while recording the album. We’re going against the artist himself in choosing “Zombie Zoo”, as Petty himself expressed some distaste for the track. But this comical song, which equates conformity with the brain-dead horror movie staples, does a great job of capturing the irrelevance of the project.

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