“How Dumb of Me”: The Critical Mistake Tom Petty Made When Writing for Stevie Nicks, and the Fate of the Song He Came Up With

Tom Petty might have rejected Stevie Nicks’ offer to become the one woman in The Heartbreakers, but that wasn’t going to stop the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman from finding some way to collaborate with the Florida rock ‘n’ roller. Nicks’ brief relationship with Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine (with whom Petty had a record deal) meant that the “Dreams” singer was often running in the same circles as Petty, and eventually, he gave in to Nicks’ repeated requests for him to write her a song.

“I knew Stevie, but not real well,” Petty told Musician in 1981. “She’d been asking me for a long time for a song. I thought that ‘The Insider’ would be the thing for her because it’s acoustic. It has that kind of feel. So, we went to do the vocal, and she started to sing harmony every time. When it was over, I just sat there in awe. She walked back in and said, ‘How was it?’ I said, ‘It’s amazing.’ She said, ‘I can tell by the look on your face, you don’t wanna give me this song. I’m giving it back to you right now.’ I really thought a lot of her for that.”

Still, Petty had promised Nicks a song. The fact that Nicks had the emotional awareness to return “Insider” after realizing Petty wanted it back only made The Heartbreakers frontman feel more guilty. So, he settled on a song trade instead.

Tom Petty Realized He Was Going About His Songwriting for Stevie Nicks the Wrong Way

At the same time that Tom Petty was woodshedding “Insider”, Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell was mulling over a song idea that would eventually become “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”. With a backbeat inspired by The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman”, the Campbell composition was quintessentially early 1980s rock. Plenty of opportunities for vibey guitars, a driving groove, and a chorus that swells into an emotional climax compared to the laid-back, understated verses. It was a great track, and Nicks thought so, too.

After listening to a demo version of the track, Petty recalled Nicks saying, “Wow! That’s why I wanted you to write me a song. It’s rock ‘n’ roll. That’s what you do. ‘The Insider’ sounds like what I do.” Petty continued, “I thought, ‘How dumb of me, to think that she’d want me to write like her.’”

In hindsight, Nicks’ preference for “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” made perfect sense. An accomplished songwriter in her own right, she didn’t need somebody writing her a piece of music that she could have come up with on her own. She was after Petty’s unique blend of Southern rock, folk, and a touch of alt-country. That’s what drew her to Petty in the first place, and that’s what “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” provided.

Somewhat ironically, Nicks’ track became a much bigger hit than Petty’s “Insider”. (For whatever it’s worth, Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch would later say he knew that Petty got the fuzzy end of the lollipop on that trade.) Nevertheless, Petty had fulfilled his obligation to write a song for Nicks, and the fact that it was a major hit (peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100) was a bonus—albeit a bit of an extra sting for Petty.

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