Released: May 2, 1978

Songwriter: Tom Petty

Producer: Denny Cordell Noah Shark Tom Petty

She threw down her golden band
Crushed it with her feet into the sand
Took her silent partner by the hand
Yeah yeah oh yeah yeah

Somewhere near the edge of town
She said she was torn and turned around
"Can you help me cast this evil down?"
Yeah yeah oh yeah yeah

We'll drive for the line now
There's nothing to be lost
You and I will cross over
With no second thoughts

Dreams fade, hope dies hard
She cups her eyes and looks out at the stars
Says, I feel we've travelled very far
Yeah yeah oh yeah yeah (x3)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

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

Playback (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)