Honorable Mentions- The Waiting, Learning to Fly, You Wreck Me, Breakdown, Free Fallin'
10- Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
It could be argued that this one is more of a Stevie Nicks song than a Tom Petty song. And those are totally valid complaints. I can't deny that Nicks's involvement in this song made it even better for me, and it may have helped push it onto this list. However, Petty is absolutely fantastic in this song as well, and the two really work so well with each other. Without Petty, this song would be nowhere near as good as it is. And that's a fact.
9- Yer So Bad
I think this song is just so underrated. It's such a great song, one that I love so much. It's not super upbeat, but it's not painfully slow either. I just really love the tempo of this song. I love it, misspelling or not.
8- Don't Do Me Like That
The guitar on this song really is killer. Just so good. And obviously, the lyrics and Petty's sining are wonderful too. The song is just nearly perfect, an incredible listen and one of the best songs if you just want to rock out.
7- I Won't Back Down
I love this one mainly because of the message that it sends: no matter what you throw at me, I won't back down. It's a great message, and it helps make this into one of Petty's best songs. But it's more than just a great message. It's catchy as hell, and super easy to listen to.
6- Mary Jane's Last Dance
Mary Jane's Last Dance is a song that manages to be equal parts chilling and fun. The blend works quite well here, marking a unique sound for Petty. And not only do I absolutely adore the song, but the music video is great too. It's probably my favorite music video ever, because it's just so creepy and fitting for this song.
5- Don't Come Around Here No More
This song is so great because it's just so different. It's not your run-of-the-mill rock songs. It goes from slow to fast, making for a wildly entertaining song. There's such a big twist in this song that even Shonda Rhimes admires it!
4- Into the Great Wide Open
This is just a really beautiful song that I've always really admired and loved. It's a change from the many upbeat songs on this list, but that doesn't make it a less worthy occupant. It's a great song that's super under appreciated, but definitely not by me.
3- Refugee
This song is just so fun to listen to, and it just makes you want to rock out. It's a classic, and I just love it. It's one of those songs that I think everyone just loves, because it's so good.
2- Listen to Her Heart
One of Petty's most underrated songs, Listen to Her Heart is one of my absolute favorites. I will admit that I didn't really become a huge fan of the song until last month, and I can't recall ever listening to it by choice before then. But since I began listening to Petty's music more following his death, my fondness for the song has grown exponentially. The song itself isn't the only great thing, as the story behind it (Ike Turner making advances at Tom Petty's wife) is fascinating as well.
1- American Girl
The quintessential Petty song, American Girl is also his best. It's an incredibly catchy, wonderful song that is rightfully one of his best known. It's also known for its chilling and brilliant use in the horror classic The Silence of the Lambs, which helped make it even more of a pop culture staple. All in all, American Girl is a perfect song that just had to be #1.
What did you think of my list? Let me know in the comments below and vote on your favorite song in the poll below!
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| Tom Petty 1950-2017 |
