Friday, October 24, 2008

american girl



Spirit of Roger McGuinn. And Rickenbacker guitar.

"Petty is a graduate of Gainesville High School. Petty did not have any musical aspirations until Elvis Presley came to Ocala, Florida, 25 miles south of Petty's hometown, to work on a movie; and Petty went down there to watch him."


Produced by Denny Cordell.

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS: AMERICAN GIRL from "Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers" LP (Shelter) 1976 (US)

PURCHASE ANTHOLOGY: THROUGH THE YEARS

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Roger McGuinn: American Girl

ib said...

Thanks, dean. Mcguinn gave a colourful account on how he was driving to or from Bob Dylan's house late one night when "American Girl" came on the radio.

He says he pulled over to the side of the road, concerned that he could not recall ever performing or recording the song.

ib said...

Ha! I just listened in on that link:

"When did I record that ?"

"It's not you."

"I know it's not me. I'm just kidding..."

Roger rewrites an apocryphal account with the clarity of hindsight.

Brushback said...

Tom Petty wrote a few great songs; this is one of them.

ib said...

Yes. I like Tom Petty. Sometimes less than a little.

I liked "Refugee" too. And several later tunes. "Full Moon Fever" was a good album.

I've still to digest those other Kleenex Girl Wonder tracks, Brushback, but thanks for that. I might even post one, providing you have no issue with it. Seriously good stuff.

Brushback said...

Yeah, you can post any of those tracks I sent you (as if I own them!)-- I was kinda thinking you would, anyway...

Some of my favorite Petty tracks:

A One Story Town
Nightwatchman (friggin' great)
I Need To Know
You Don't Know How It Feels
Change of Heart (awesome)

Gee, I guess he wrote more than just a few good songs.

Brushback said...

Almost forgot one of my favorite songs Petty ever did, though he didn't write it (Lucinda Williams wrote it)-- "Changed The Locks"

I changed the lock on my front door
So you can't see me anymore
And you can't come inside my house
And you can't lie down on my couch
I changed the lock on my front door

I changed the number on my phone
So you can't call me up at home
And you can't say those things to me
That make me fall down on my knees
I changed the number on my phone

Cause I changed the kind of car I drive
So you can't see me when I go by
And you can't chase me up the street
And you can't knock me off of my feet
I changed the kind of car I drive

I changed the kind of clothes I wear
So you can't find me anywhere
You can't spot me in a crowd
And you can't call my name out loud
I changed the kind of clothes I wear

I changed the tracks underneath the train
So you can't find me ever again
And you can't trace my path
And you can't hear me laugh
And honey I'm laughing all the time

I changed the name of this town
So you can't follow me down
And you can't touch me like before
And you can't make me want you more
I changed the name of this town

I changed the lock on my front door
I changed the number on my phone
I changed the kind of car I drive
I changed the kind of clothes I wear
I changed the tracks underneath the train
I changed the name of this town
I changed the name of this town
I changed the name of this town

ib said...

Brushback:

"(as if I own them!)"

I know. Even as I was typing, I was dimly aware of how ridiculous that was. Ah, if fucking only! It's thin line between 'public' and 'ownership'.

That Lucinda Williams song ? I'm not sure I've heard it. Good lyrics.

Brushback said...

Check this out, it's pretty smokin':

Lucinda Williams, "Changed The Locks"

ib said...

Pretty good. I'm trying to imagine Tom doing it.

I've always liked his vocals. Almost more than his guitar. And, get this; if I didn't know it, I would have no inkling he was from Florida. The only Florida accent I can remember is from old episodes of "Flipper", if ever they were remotely genuine.