*Picture taken 6/2/2107, Kansas City’s Sprint Center

If you’re like me this has been an awful week. The loss of Tom Petty has left an enormous void in the Rock N Roll Firmament. The man was a National Treasure. More than that, his songs made him feel like a friend. I can’t count the number of people who have reached out to me over the course of the week who are as upset as I am about his passing. From people I knew in high school to college roommates to people I work with, people keep texting or calling. Arkansas Joel reached out, he knows what a huge Petty fan I am. One of my friends texted me and said, “Petty, what a badass!” Indeed, my friend, indeed. Needless to say, I remain distraught over this untimely loss. It’ll take a long time to shake this one off. I know a lot of you are feeling the same way I am, and if this blog can bring you any solace, that you’re not alone, my job is successful… The tributes by famous rock stars from Bruce Springsteen to (believe it or not) Coldplay with R.E.M.’s Peter Buck have been amazing. (Yes, I still hate Coldplay, just a little less right this moment).

In the old days, during times like these, I’d lock myself in my apartment with a fifth of rye and Petty’s entire catalog of music. Since I’m married now, I can’t lock myself away, but I can sequester myself in a room with a liter of rye (nice to see that booze has gone metric) and Petty’s entire catalog. It took me three days to get through all of the Tom Petty I own, only taking breaks to sleep, go to the restroom and get more ice for the rye… I can only marvel at the man’s songwriting prowess and the power of the Heartbreakers as a band. They could rock with the hardest bands around and bring it down to play the most intricate, beautiful ballads. I feel like they were always under-rated. Mike Campbell (guitar), Ben Tench (keyboards) and yes, Stan Lynch (erstwhile, estranged drummer) deserve special notice for their individual talents and contributions. I can’t imagine what those guys and Petty’s family are going through right now. As bad as I feel, I know those individuals are suffering infinitely more.

When I first heard the news about Petty, I was out at Arrowhead Stadium. People were playing his music and you could hear different groups playing different songs. I heard “Free Fallin'” a couple of times. “Here Comes My Girl” and “Don’t Do My Like That” came floating over the wind from different directions in the parking lot. “Running Down A Dream” was played by the heavy metal enthusiasts in the pick-up truck next to me… Petty’s music was truly universal. While I love all of those tunes, having spent three days listening to Petty’s whole catalog, I have to say, there was SO MUCH more music there.

Every single one of Petty’s albums has those signature singles (and from the old days signature videos). But to go along with those, there were always album cuts that never received any airplay on radio, which for any other band would have been hits. Side 2, song 9 for Petty would have been the lead off track for most bands. After three days of intense listening, I put together the following playlist of those album tracks or perhaps more appropriately “deep tracks.” I went through each album (and tried to grab at least a song from each), each box set and tried to cull through some of the lesser known, or less famous tracks. When I was done, I had a list of 64 songs. I did a lot of soul searching as I winnowed this list down to twenty-seven cuts. It truly was not easy but I think this is a good representation of some of the great music that Petty and the Heartbreakers did that didn’t get the exposure of his hits – from rockers to ballads. If you’re a “greatest hits” type fan, this collection might help you delve further into Petty’s catalog. If you’re a big fan, you’ll likely recognize most of these tunes and hopefully, in this dark time, you will smile like I did when I heard them (or occasionally tear up). If the Rock Chick will help me figure out how, I’ll be putting this play list out on Spotify under the creative title, “BourbonAndVinyl Petty Deep Tracks”

I’ve seen lists like this from “major publications” and oft times they list tracks that aren’t readily available like say, bootlegs. Rolling Stone magazine did a list of 100 Springsteen songs and one was a song he’d performed once and had never committed to tape. I consider that kind of a dick move and have tried to avoid that if I can… And while there are an almost infinite number of songs I could have put on this list…I chose these because they jumped out at me. Think of this as a primer instead of the definitive list.

1. “Breakdown (Live In Capitol Studios),” DJ Promo Only – So after decrying Rolling Stone for using bootlegs and unobtainable tracks on their lists as a dick move, I start off with an unobtainable track… I know, dick move. “Heal thyself physician…” This is the definitive version of this song and I pray some day it’ll be released. It’s the only version of “Breakdown” that my local radio station, KY/102 used to play. A friend slipped me a copy recently and it’s amazing… the band is loose and the drums start off almost sloppy, then Campbell’s guitar stabs it’s way into the mix. Petty’s vocal is impassioned but his rant at the end is funny.
2. “Hometown Blues,” Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Petty’s early work was always compared to the Byrds, but the drums on this upbeat rocker sound almost Bo Diddley-like.
3. “Restless,” You’re Gonna Get It! – Petty’s second album gets lumped into he “sophomore slump” category but that’s only because it’s sandwiched between his seminal first record and his first masterpiece, Damn The Torpedoes. This is a great track from an underrated album.
4. “Casa Dega,” Damn The Torpedoes – Deluxe Edition – “Casa Dega” was actually originally released on the exceptional box set, Playback, but it sprang from the sessions for Damn the… One of many great “baby what’s up” songs.
5. “Louisiana Rain,” Damn The Torpedoes – This was always one of my favorites from side 2 of Torpedoes. There’s a country version on Playback.
6. “Nowhere,” Damn The Torpedoes – Deluxe Edition – It’s a testament to how strong the material on Torpedoes was that they left this rocking track off. I love the riff.
7. “Nightwatchman,” Hard Promises – This song is such a great demonstration of Petty’s signature sense of humor. It’s a great track and actually got a little radio play. Funky and rocking.
8. “Straight Into Darkness,” Long After Dark – This album was sort of the soundtrack of my first breakup… While “You Got Lucky” and “Change of Heart” got the radio play, this track captures the emotion of a breakup better than anything else on the record.
9. “Dogs On The Run,” Southern Accents – Great, soaring rock from the Heartbreakers…”Honey, ain’t it funny how a crowd gathers around anyone living life with out a net.” I can actually testify to the truth of this… oh, my misspent youth…
10. “Spike,” Southern Accents – My buddy Drew told me that for whatever reason, Wichita radio actually played this song a lot. I heard an interview with Petty on the radio once and he said, “In Wichita we play “Spike” and they go nuts…” This is Petty’s funniest, funkiest songs. There’s a great live version on the Live Anthology as well.
11. “Runaway Trains,” Let Me Up, I’ve Had Enough – Another song which may be considered a breakup song… I see a theme here… Actually I see it more as a song about moving on from a situation and the regrets that brings. Beautiful, atmospheric Petty.
12. “Out In The Cold,” Into The Great White Open – A good, old-fashioned, Heartbreakers, ass-kicking rocker. It’s like they looked at each other at the beginning of this track and said, “Meet me at the finish line…” Full-tilt rock.
13. “Time To Move On,” Wildflowers – There were many times in my younger days where I needed to tell my resilience and stubbornness, boys pack your bags, “it’s time to move on…” I wish I’d learned this lesson earlier. The music sounds almost like an old Johnny Cash train song.
14. “Cabin Down Below,” Wildflowers – While “You Wreck Me” was one of the Heartbreakers greatest rock songs, it sort of overshadowed other great rock tracks like “Honey Bee” and this great barn-burner of a tune.
15. “Girl On LSD,” bootleg, probable inclusion on the extended version of Wildflowers, due any time now…- I know, another dick move. I hope this song comes out soon with the rest of the material left over for Wildflowers. It’s actually a love song disguised as a drug song.
16. “Waiting For Tonight,” Playback: Nobody’s Children – This great song was actually released as a single to herald the arrival of Playback, but disappeared pretty quickly. I thought it was an underrated gem of a tune that deserved another listen.
17. “Travelin’,” Playback: Nobody’s Children – This rocker is a great traveling tune. If, and I know it’s inevitable, I do another road-song playlist, this song will be on it. I would have loved to hear this live…Alas.
18. “Swingin’,” Echo – Most Petty fans will know this song. My friend Stormin actually saw him sing this one live on the final tour, in Denver. “Like Sonny Liston…”
19. “Have Love Will Travel,” The Last DJ – Last DJ is always derided as Petty’s “angry” album. There are some great tracks on this record, and this is one of them. I love when he sings, “how about a cheer for all those bad girls.” I saw this song performed live and the every woman in the crowd screamed!
20. “I’m Walkin’,” Goin’ Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino – Petty, bringing his Florida swampy sound to a Fats Domino swampy Louisiana song. What’s not to love here. This was a great tribute album and one of the first things I reviewed on B&V… I have a real soft spot for this tune.
21. “Down South,” Highway Companion – I loved this album but it got almost no airplay. This is a great travelogue of a song… “Gonna head back down south, gonna see my daddy’s mistress.” Petty was such a brilliant lyricist.
22. “Big Weekend,” Highway Companion – Great party song, great road song… “If you don’t run you rust…” This could be the B&V theme song.
23. Mudcrutch, “Topanga Cowgirl,” Mudcrutch – Petty reunited with his original outfit, Mudcrutch with Campbell and Tench, who eventually morphed into the Heartbreakers and put out this great album. This is my favorite song on the album because I think it captures the loose, country-rock spirit of the entire album.
24. “It’s Good To Be King (Live),” Live Anthology – “It’s Good to Be King” is a great song but anybody who ever saw Petty in concert knows that the song exploded when they played it live. Petty and Campbell would jam on their guitars on this song for over 12 minutes. It’s a great live cut and the definitive version of this song. Kudos to Campbell on this one.
25. “High In The Morning,” Mojo – Great, funky little bluesy number from a great funky, little blues album. “He’ll be high in the morning and by evening, he’ll be gone.”
26. “U Get Me High,” Hypnotic Eye – Petty’s last album was a great one. This song is a favorite of the Rock Chick and mine… It’s an unconventional love song.
27. Mudcrutch, “Hungry No More,” 2 – I was lucky to see this tour, again with my thanks to my old pal Stormin. I really like this record, but I love this song. It’s a soaring, beautiful ballad. The resolve and strength in Petty’s voice on this one gives me hope.

I’m sure there’s tracks that I missed on this, that many of you like. If you have any suggestions for additions, please suggest them in the comments section. It’s a tough time in rock and roll when our heroes are passing unexpectedly. Take care of yourself out there and we’ll get through this together.