Released: November 9, 1976
Songwriter: Tom Petty
Producer: Denny Cordell
[Verse 1]
Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn't help thinkin' that there
Was a little more to life somewhere else
After all, it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin', she
Had one little promise she was gonna keep
[Chorus]
Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl
[Verse 2]
Well, it was kinda cold that night
She stood alone on her balcony (Ooh)
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God, it's so painful when something that is so close
Is still so far out of reach
[Chorus]
Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl (Ooh)
Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn't help thinkin' that there
Was a little more to life somewhere else
After all, it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin', she
Had one little promise she was gonna keep
[Chorus]
Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl
[Verse 2]
Well, it was kinda cold that night
She stood alone on her balcony (Ooh)
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God, it's so painful when something that is so close
Is still so far out of reach
[Chorus]
Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl (Ooh)
Playback (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
- Big Boss Man
- Ways To Be Wicked
- Don’t Bring Me Down
- Can’t Get Her Out
- Come On Down To My House
- It’s Rainin’ Again (Bonus Track)
- Cracking Up
- I’m Tired Joey Boy
- Out in the Cold
- Keeping Me Alive
- Depot Street
- So You Want to Be a Rock ‘N’ Roll Star
- God’s Gift To Man
- Lonely Weekends (Live)
- Moon Pie
- All Or Nothin’
- Turning Point
- Since You Said You Loved Me
- Trailer
- You Come Through
- Casa Dega (Bonus Track)
- The Apartment Song (Demo Version)
- Wooden Heart
- Got My Mind Made Up (Original Version)
- Kings Highway (Live)
- Down The Line
- Breakdown
- Up In Mississippi Tonight
- The Damage You’ve Done (Country Version)
- Love Is a Long Road
- Don’t Do Me Like That (Mudcrutch Version)
- Gator on the Lawn
- Travelin’
- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (Demo Version)
- Psychotic Reaction
- On the Street
- Make That Connection
- Somethin’ Else (Live)
- Christmas All Over Again
- You Get Me High
- I Can’t Fight It
- Peace In L.A. (Peace Mix)
- Louisiana Rain (Mudcrutch Version)
- Heartbreakers Beach Party
- Mary Jane’s Last Dance
- Yer So Bad
- Alright for Now
- Southern Accents
- Rebels
- Hometown Blues
- Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll
- When the Time Comes
- Too Much Ain’t Enough
- Runnin’ Down a Dream
- Even the Losers
- Free Fallin’
- I Won’t Back Down
- Refugee
- Here Comes My Girl
- Don’t Do Me Like That
- Learning to Fly
- Waiting For Tonight
- American Girl
- The Waiting
- Listen to Her Heart
- No Second Thoughts
- Baby’s a Rock ‘N’ Roller
- Make It Better (Forget About Me)
- The Best of Everything
- It’ll All Work Out
- Think About Me
- A Self-Made Man
- Into the Great Wide Open
- Built to Last
- I Need to Know
- Don’t Come Around Here No More
- The Same Old You
- Straight into Darkness
- Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid)
- A Woman in Love (It’s Not Me)
- Something Big
- A Thing About You
- Insider
- You Can Still Change Your Mind
- You Got Lucky
- Change of Heart
- Baby, Let’s Play House
- Mary Jane’s Last Dance
- Learning to Fly
- American Girl
- The Waiting
- Breakdown
- Refugee
- Into the Great Wide Open
- You Got Lucky
- Here Comes My Girl
- Don’t Come Around Here No More
- Walls (Circus)
- Even the Losers
- Insider
- Don’t Do Me Like That
- Rebels
- It’ll All Work Out
- Christmas All Over Again
- Swingin’
- Southern Accents
- Listen to Her Heart
- I Need to Know
- Room at the Top
- A Face in the Crowd
- Jammin’ Me