The Top 10 Tom Petty Songs: A Tribute

One month ago today, the music world lost a true legend when rock legend Tom Petty died at the age of 66. Petty was always one of my favorite musical artists, with a musical style that I just love. I can't really think of one Petty song that I don't enjoy. I love his solo work and his work with the Heartbreakers just the same, with both of those acts producing many fantastic gems. Though there are many I wish I could include, here are my ten favorite Tom Petty songs.

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!

Tom Petty
1950-2017

A Tribute to Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, A Pair of Icons

It hurts to write these words. We lost Carrie Fisher on December 27, 2016. The next day, we lost her mother, Debbie Reynolds. Here is my tribute to one of the funniest, most talented, and coolest people to ever live, and her talented, lovely mother. 

In what was a downright awful year for celebrity deaths, this one hit me harder than all of the others. This was the first celebrity death of the year that made me cry. When I heard about Carrie's heart attack, I was very upset. I didn't know just how serious it was, but I thought she'd pull through. This loss was tremendous for me. I couldn't believe it when I heard about her passing. I thought it was a cruel joke. Unfortunately it was not, and one of my heroes was truly gone. It truly shocked me that someone so young, so full of life, and so on top of her game would be gone so quickly. Carrie was truly brilliant, and there's a little less brilliance in the world right now.

I, like many others, became captivated with Carrie Fisher after I saw her in Star Wars. Princess Leia was always my favorite character. I didn't see Star Wars until years after it was released. But immediately when I saw it, I fell in love with it. Part of the reason for that was Carrie Fisher, who was fantastic as Princess Leia, and really made the movie for me.

Obviously, Carrie's legacy extends far beyond Star Wars. She was a skilled author, a talented comic, and she appeared in numerous other TV and film roles. My favorite non-Star Wars role of Carrie's would have to be on my favorite TV show, 30 Rock. Rosemary's Baby remains one of my favorite 30 Rock episodes. Even her appearances on talk shows were always wonderful, and I'll miss them.

Farewell Carrie. You may be gone, but we will never forget you. Thanks for the laughs and the memories. I just wish that we had more time with you. Goodbye to a wonderful, hysterical, talented, and downright awesome person. You will be sorely missed. And, let's not forget. In her own words, Carrie "drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra." 

Carrie Fisher, 1956-2016

May the Force Be With You

Unfortunately, just a day later, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie's mom, passed away. Both Debbie and her daughter Carrie were heroes of mine. I looked up to Carrie because of Star Wars, and Debbie because of Halloweentown, one of my favorite Halloween movies. I was lucky enough to have received Debbie's autograph before she died. I treasured it before, and I certainly will now.

Debbie has left behind an incredible legacy. Not only did she appear in numerous movies, she also appeared on television, wrote books, and had a wonderful family. She will be missed greatly.


It's hard to believe that they are both gone, but unfortunately they are. This news has left me incredibly numb and sad. My heartfelt condolences go out to their families at this difficult time.

Rest in Peace, Debbie. You're with Carrie now.

Debbie Reynolds, 1932-2016