Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Released: April 13, 1999

Songwriter: Tom Petty

Producer: Rick Rubin Tom Petty Mike W. Campbell

You need rhino skin
If you're going to begin
To walk through this world

You need elephant balls
If you don't want to crawl
On your hands through this world

Oh my love, if I reveal
Every secret I've concealed
How many thoughts would you steal?
How much of my pain would you feel?

You need eagles wings
To get over things
That make no sense in this world

You need rhino skin
If you're gonna pretend
You are not hurt by this world

If you listen long enough
You can hear my skin grow tough
Love is painful to the touch
Must be made of stronger stuff

You need rhino skin
To get to the end
Of the maze through this world

You need rhino skin
Or you're gonna give in
To the needles and pins
Arrows of sin
Evils of men
You need rhino skin

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

Echo

From the album

Echo (1999)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers popular songs

Rhino SkinTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Echo