Tom Petty made his mark on the rock world by writing some of the strongest songs the genre has ever witnessed. But this guy also could rock out with abandon when the mood struck him. Both with and without the Heartbreakers in tow, Petty brought the thunder on many occasions throughout his career. These four songs find him at his rocking best.
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“Refugee”
When it came to bringing the power and potency of rock to his music, Petty had an excellent enabler in guitarist Mike Campbell. Even when he occasionally went “solo,” Petty brought his estimable guitarist along with him. Back when Petty and the Heartbreakers were making their 1979 album Damn The Torpedoes, he took hold of a piece of music written by Campbell and turned it into “Refugee”. It’s not an uptempo song, but it still finds a way to deliver some serious rock heft. All the players are at their best here. Campbell’s electric guitar lead is at its most bruising, Benmont Tench’s organ creeps into all the open spaces, and Stan Lynch’s drums snap with ferocity.
“Runnin’ Down A Dream”
Petty’s decision to put the Heartbreakers on a bit of a hiatus in the late 80s only occurred when a few of the members failed to show enthusiasm for the songs that would turn into Full Moon Fever. But Mike Campbell’s interest and involvement in the project never wavered. In fact, were it not for his searing guitar riff, it’s hard to imagine “Running Down A Dream”, one of the most iconic songs from that album, even happening. That riff set Petty and Jeff Lynne on a path to come up with a song that’s one of rock’s ultimate road anthems. As if he hadn’t done enough already with that opening riff, Campbell sealed the deal on the track’s brilliance with his furious soloing in the runout.
“You Wreck Me”
Wildflowers found Petty essentially in solo mode, even though there were ample contributions from members of the Heartbreakers. He also found a kindred spirit in producer Rick Rubin, who helped bring a sense of focus to a sprawling set of songs. Many people think of the record as highlighting Petty’s softer side, and there’s some of that for sure. But “You Wreck Me” cuts loose on a wave of power chords and thrilling performances by a group of mostly Heartbreakers. (Drummer Steve Ferrone hadn’t officially joined the group yet, but this track was excellent audition tape material.) Its original title was “You Rock Me”. As it turned out, this track both rocked and wrecked us.
“Saving Grace”
About 15 years after his previous collaboration with Jeff Lynne, Petty went back to the well one more time with his old buddy on the Highway Companion album. As they did on Full Moon Fever, Petty, Lynne, and Mike Campbell did just about everything, with Petty even tackling the drums on this one. They got up to quite a ruckus on “Saving Grace”, which was chosen as the lead single. The obvious comparison here is ZZ Top, with the crunching groove that the trio conjures reminiscent of the legendary Tex-Mex classic “Tush”. On top of that, there’s a solid quiet-loud dynamic that plays out throughout the track. Petty certainly didn’t mellow in his late career. This song makes that abundantly clear.
Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images
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