Released: May 5, 1981
Songwriter: Mike W. Campbell Tom Petty
Producer: Jimmy Iovine Tom Petty
[Verse 1]
It didn't feel like Sunday, didn't feel like June
When he met his silent partner in that lonely corner room
That over looked the marquee of the plaza all-adult
And he was not looking for romance, just someone he could trust
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Verse 2]
Speedball rang the night clerk, said "Send me up a drink"
The night clerk said "It's Sunday man, wait a minute, let me think
There's a little place outside of town might still have some wine"
Speedball said, "Forget it, can I have an outside line?
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Verse 3]
It was Monday when the day maids found the still-made bed
All except the pillows that lay stacked up at the head
And one said, "I know I've seen his face, I wonder who he is"
The other said, "It's probably just another clown working on something big"
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Chorus]
Yeah, and it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
It didn't feel like Sunday, didn't feel like June
When he met his silent partner in that lonely corner room
That over looked the marquee of the plaza all-adult
And he was not looking for romance, just someone he could trust
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Verse 2]
Speedball rang the night clerk, said "Send me up a drink"
The night clerk said "It's Sunday man, wait a minute, let me think
There's a little place outside of town might still have some wine"
Speedball said, "Forget it, can I have an outside line?
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Verse 3]
It was Monday when the day maids found the still-made bed
All except the pillows that lay stacked up at the head
And one said, "I know I've seen his face, I wonder who he is"
The other said, "It's probably just another clown working on something big"
[Chorus]
And it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
[Chorus]
Yeah, and it wasn't no way to carry on
It wasn't no way to live
But he could put up with it for a little while
He was working on something big
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
- Hard Promises (1981)
- Playback (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) (1995)
- 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