Tom Petty

Released: July 25, 2006

Songwriter: Tom Petty

Producer: Jeff Lynne Tom Petty Mike W. Campbell

Living free is gaining on me
Can't keep ahead of my dreams
My relief turned out a thief
Smooth as rocks in the stream

[Chorus]
This old town is a sad affair
You be glad you're not there
It ties your hands, it spikes your drink
I'd say more, but I can't think

Lazy Jim took a bottle with him
Tried to flag down a train
Left a note, couldn't read what he wrote
A light came on in my brain

[Chorus]
This old town is a sad affair
You be glad you're not there
It ties your hands, it spikes your drink
I'd say more, but I can't think

The hills are gold
Mornings are cold
Don't know a soul on the street
I keep to myself like everyone else
Nobody says much to me

Go to bed, fight thoughts in my head
In the time between wake and sleep
Rats to kill, contracts to fill
It's on ice, but it won't keep

[Chorus]
This old town is a sad affair
You be glad you're not there
It ties your hands, it spikes your drink
I'd say more, but I can't think

This old town is a sad affair
You be glad you're not there
It ties your hands, it spikes your drink
I'd say more, but I can't think

Thomas Earl “Tom” Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup The Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch.

He has recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. His music, and notably his hits, have become popular among younger generations as he continued to host sold-out shows right up until his death at the age of 66. Throughout his career, Petty and his collaborators have sold 60 million albums. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

more tracks from the album

Highway Companion

From the album

Highway Companion (2006)

Tom Petty popular songs

This Old TownTom Petty

Tom Petty

Highway Companion