Just a Song Before We Go: What Was the Last U.S. Top-40 Hit by Tom Petty?

Tom Petty figured it out better than most of his peers when it came to crossing over to a mainstream audience. Time and again for nearly two decades, Petty, sometimes solo but mostly with the Heartbreakers, was able to dent the pop charts without losing the authenticity and spirit that earned him so much acclaim from rock and roll true believers.

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But as it does for all artists, Petty’s time as a factor on the pop charts in the U.S. came to an end. What was the last time he struck it big in that fashion? Well, it came via a song with a little controversy attached to it, thanks to a relatively harmless drug reference.

Changing Collaborators

As consistent as he was about delivering top-quality product, Tom Petty wasn’t afraid to change his approach to recording once in a while. Those changes often manifested itself in the men who produced his records. Jimmy Iovine took over from Denny Cordell, and then Jeff Lynne stepped in for a pair of Petty albums, one solo and one with the Heartbreakers.

When Rick Rubin expressed interest in working with Petty, the two men agreed to meet, and they instantly clicked. One thing they agreed upon for the making of Wildflowers in 1994: The album should not be limited to only the Heartbreakers playing on it. If the urge to work with other musicians arose, they would follow it.

That’s why, even though most of the Heartbreakers play on songs throughout the album, it’s listed as a solo Tom Petty record. In choosing the lead single, Petty didn’t go with any of the powerhouse rockers on the album. Nor did he choose one of the confessional ballads. Instead, he went with an off-kilter track about a fellow who’s seen better days but still locates some good humor amidst it all.

All the “Feels”

“You Don’t Know How It Feels,” featuring a big, thumping bass drum, some wheezing harmonica from Petty, and a solid slab of Mike Campbell’s stinging lead guitar, is one of those Petty songs with tons of quotable lines. For example: Think of me what you will / I’ve got a little space to fill.

This guy has lost his woman and owns up to his loneliness. Even as he looks for companionship, he insists no one’s on his wavelength: You don’t know how it feels to be me. That said, he’s always in for a good time: So let’s get to the point / Let’s roll another joint.

That last line made some folks in radio squirm a bit, which is why an edit was created. When the offending line arrived, the word joint was played in reverse, making for a truly bizarre listening experience. None of that hurt “You Don’t Know How It Feels” when it came to its chart performance, however.

A Big Hit, Edits and All

“You Don’t Know How It Feels,” which also featured a cool video consisting of a single-camera shot, made it No. 13 on the pop charts in 1994. Normally, a song that does that well isn’t the last song to hit the Top 40 for an artist, especially one who was still very much in his prime at the time, like Petty was. You would expect other songs to follow it that sneaked into the 20s and 30s before the hits completely dried up.

But even though he would release several more highly acclaimed albums, including songs that would become beloved parts of his catalog, Petty didn’t again get all that close to Top-40 territory. The brooding “It’s Good To Be King,” also from Wildflowers, squeaked into the Top 70. So did the chiming “Walls (Circus)” in 1996. Ten years later, “Saving Grace” eked in at No. 100, and got no higher.

Of course, Tom Petty left us all too soon, and we wouldn’t have put it past him to have found his way back into the upper echelon of the charts had he recorded more. That said, “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” full of the artist’s laid-back, unassuming charm, was a fitting final crossover success.

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic