Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Released: November 9, 1976

Songwriter: Tom Petty

Producer: Denny Cordell

Baby can't wait, baby got to go
Got to do a number on a late night show
Do a little song, do a little dance
Going to make the best of her big chance

[Chorus]
It don't really matter if she don't or if she do
Just trying to make the best of the hometown blues
Blues

I got to friend, got to little girl
Say she's the best in the whole wide world
Said it's so good, said it so unreal
Might not last, but it's no big deal

(Chorus)

Baby, save me, save me
Save me with your sweet smile
Honey, I really need you
To help me kill a little bit of time

All of the girls run with the crowd
They go wild when the lights go down
They got to little money, little in a dream
Want to be the queen of their little scene

Don't really matter if they don't or if they do
They're trying to make the best of the hometown blues
Blues

Blues (x4)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – an L.A.-based gang of sharp-dressed garage-rock refugees from Gainsville, Florida – released their debut LP in November 1976, featuring two tracks which are now part of their long list of hits, “Breakdown” and “American Girl.”

Since that first LP in ‘76, the band’s style has epitomized and largely defined the American “heartland rock” movement – a vintage-guitar twang, hard lyric truth, and searing vocal attitude.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been nominated for 17 Grammy awards and sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all-time.

more tracks from the album

Anthology Through The Years

From the albums

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)
Playback (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) (1995)
Anthology Through The Years (2000)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers popular songs

Hometown BluesTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Anthology Through The Years