Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Released: May 5, 1981

Songwriter: Tom Petty

Producer: Jimmy Iovine Tom Petty

[Intro]
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-whoa
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-oh

[Verse 1]
I used to think that when this was all over
You might feel different about me
Yeah, I always knew one day you'd come around
Now I wonder if dreams are just dreams

[Chorus]
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go

[Verse 2]
Baby look out your window, it's raining on your summer home
You're by the fire keeping warm and dry
There's no one as honest as those in pain
Oh honey can't you see me, will you let me inside?

[Chorus]
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go

[Bridge]
And it's a restless world, an uncertain time
You said hope was getting hard to find
But time rolls on, days go by
What about the broken ones?
What about the lonely ones?
Honey, I'm having trouble letting go

[Verse 3]
It's off in the distance, somewhere up the road
There's some easy answers for the tears you've cried
And it makes me uneasy, makes me feel different
Do you get scared when you close your eyes?

[Chorus]
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I'm having trouble letting you go
I'm having trouble letting you go

[Outro]
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-whoa
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-oh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-whoa
Ooh-ooh, ooh-oh-oh

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

Hard Promises

From the album

Hard Promises (1981)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers popular songs

Letting You GoTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Hard Promises