Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Released: July 2, 1991

Songwriter: Tom Petty Jeff Lynne

Producer: Jeff Lynne Tom Petty Mike W. Campbell

[Verse 1]
Trouble blew in on a cold, dark wind
It came without no warning
And that big ol' house went up for sale
They were on the road by morning
Oh, the days went slow into the changing season
Oh, out in the cold for all the wrong reasons

[Verse 2]
Well, she grew up hard and she grew up fast
In the age of television
And she made a vow to have it all
It became her new religion
Oh, down in her soul, it was an act of treason
Oh, down they go for all the wrong reasons

[Verse 3]
Where the sky begins, the horizon ends
Despite the best intentions
And a big old man goes up for sale
He becomes his own invention
Oh, the days go slow into the changing season
Oh, bought and sold for all the wrong reasons

[Outro]
Oh, down they go for all the wrong reasons

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

Into the Great Wide Open

From the album

Into the Great Wide Open (1991)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers popular songs

All the Wrong ReasonsTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Into the Great Wide Open