TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am Tonya Mosley. When you’ve been watching the Apple TV+ sequence “Unhealthy Monkey,” you have heard some nice covers of Tom Petty songs, like this one.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I WON’T BACK DOWN”)
SHARON VAN ETTEN: (Singing) Nicely, I will not again down. No, I will not again down. You may stand me up on the gates of hell, however I will not again down. No, I will stand my floor, will not be rotated. And I will maintain this world from dragging me down. Going to face my floor. And I will not again down. Hey, child. There ain’t no simple method out. Hey.
MOSLEY: That is Sharon Van Etten. Tom Petty led the band the Heartbreakers, whose different hits embrace “American Woman,” “Hear To Her Coronary heart,” “Working Down A Dream” and “Breakdown.” The band’s basic 1982 album, “Lengthy After Darkish,” was lately reissued. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had been inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame the primary yr they had been eligible, in 2002. As a member of the band the Touring Wilburys, from ’88 to ’90, Petty carried out with a number of artists he admired, like Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Roy Orbison. Tom Petty died in 2017 on the age of 66. Let’s hearken to a portion of the interview Terry recorded with him in 2006, when he had launched a solo album of songs known as “Freeway Companion.” On the time, he was internet hosting his personal present on the XM Satellite tv for pc Radio community, and Terry requested him what radio meant to him as a child.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
TOM PETTY: The whole lot. , I nonetheless see it as this actually magical factor, and it was great. I did not have the cash to have an enormous file assortment. So I discovered every little thing, actually, from the radio. And within the – you already know, within the mid-’60s, AM radio – pop radio – was simply this unbelievable factor that performed all types of music. , simply – you possibly can hear Frank Sinatra proper into the Yardbirds, you already know, to the Beatles into Dean Martin. It was simply – it was this superb factor.
And I miss it, in a method, as a result of music has develop into so compartmentalized now. However in these days, it was all proper in a single spot. And that is – you already know, we used to study – you already know, after I was 15 or 16, taking part in in teams, we used to take a seat within the automobile and attempt to write the lyrics down because the tune was taking part in. And we might assign every particular person a verse. , I will do the primary one, and also you go for the second. After which generally, you’d wait an hour for it to come back on once more, you already know, so you possibly can end it up. However…
TERRY GROSS: What’s a tune you probably did that with?
PETTY: I will inform you, the toughest one was “Get Off Of My Cloud” by the Stones. It had so many phrases.
GROSS: Oh, and quick, too (laughter), yeah.
PETTY: Oh, and yeah, and it took us three hours to get that one written down. However it was that form of factor. It was a buddy, you already know? We – and it was one thing that was there. You did not actually give it some thought that a lot. However trying again on it, it was such a musical schooling.
GROSS: Nicely, I wish to play one other monitor out of your new CD, “Freeway Companion.” And it is a tune known as “Down South.” Is there a narrative behind the tune?
PETTY: Yeah. This was a – I had a – a very long time in the past, I had completed a conceptual file in regards to the South known as “Southern Accents.” And this one was impressed by a e book by a fellow named Warren Zanes – had written this e book in regards to the South. And I learn it, and I used to be actually impressed by it. After which I began pondering, effectively, you already know, what if I – you already know, I have not been again there in an extended, very long time. I lived there, you already know, 35 years in the past and grew up there. However I went – you already know, simply form of went again in my thoughts, and a narrative began to form of develop and seem.
And I am probably not positive who that character is, however I am – I do know a part of it is me. And I wrote it – God, I wrote it form of rapidly. I wrote it – I wrote the lyrics out first earlier than I did the music, which is uncommon for me. And I – then I searched for a very long time to seek out music that created the fitting tonal form of factor with the lyric and the – and I – and needed to discover a melody that went with it. So it took a short time to tug the entire thing collectively, but it surely’s one which I am most happy with from the file.
GROSS: Nicely, why do not we hear it? That is “Down South” from Tom Petty’s new CD, “Freeway Companion.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DOWN SOUTH”)
PETTY: (Singing) Heading again down South, going to see my daddy’s mistress, going to purchase again her forgiveness, going to repay each witness. Yet another time down South – and promote the household headstones and drag a bag of dry bones and make good all my again loans. So if I come to your door, let me sleep in your flooring. I will offer you all I’ve and somewhat extra. Sleep late down South…
GROSS: That is “Down South” from Tom Petty’s new CD, “Freeway Companion.” I wish to ask you about a few strains in that tune. You stated you are not fairly positive who the character is in it, however the tune has, headed again down South, going to see my Daddy’s mistress, going to purchase again her forgiveness. Did you return house to see your father’s mistresses? Is that a part of the character you?
PETTY: (Laughter) My father’s had many mistresses. I by no means made a particular journey to fulfill them. However my dad was – he was hell on wheels, you already know? He was fairly a personality. And he was a kind of those that was – in some way remained likeable, although he was actually a cad, you already know? However…
(LAUGHTER)
PETTY: However I – you already know, I do not actually know the place the – I assume the road simply popped into my head, and it appeared a great way to start out it.
GROSS: One thing I wish to point out in regards to the monitor that we simply heard – you already know it has that form of jangly rhythm guitar…
PETTY: Yeah.
GROSS: …That you just play. How did you begin taking part in in that model?
PETTY: I do not know. It simply appeared. I believe we had been impressed loads by Roger McGuinn of the Byrds and his 12-string taking part in. And it was simply one thing that got here to me naturally, and I form of took it from there, and I believe we have developed it into our personal factor. However I am positive it comes again, you already know, from the Byrds, from – you hear that sound in plenty of early ’60s information. And the Beatles used it loads. Dylan used it. And between myself and Mike Campbell, our guitarist, we have – we simply make that sound after we play now. It – I would – I am probably not as aware of it as different individuals are, but it surely simply form of occurs.
GROSS: You grew up in Gainesville, Florida.
PETTY: Yeah.
GROSS: I believe there is a department of the College of Florida in Gainesville, proper?
PETTY: It’s there, the College of Florida, the entire thing.
GROSS: So had been you in a school a part of Gainesville, or had been you in a distinct a part of city?
PETTY: No, I used to be within the redneck, hillbilly half.
(LAUGHTER)
PETTY: I wasn’t a part of the tutorial circle, but it surely’s an fascinating place as a result of you’ll be able to meet virtually any form of particular person from many walks of life due to the college. However it’s actually surrounded by this type of very rural form of individuals which can be – you already know, they’re farmers or, you already know, tractor drivers or, you already know, simply all form of recreation wardens. You identify it, you already know? So it is an fascinating mix.
My household wasn’t concerned within the faculty, you already know? They had been extra of simply your white trash form of, you already know, household. And so I’ve that form of background, however I at all times form of aspired to be one thing else. And I made plenty of completely different buddies over time that had been, you already know, passing via.
GROSS: What did your mother and father do for a dwelling?
PETTY: Nicely, my mom labored within the tax collector’s workplace as a clerk. And my dad had quite a lot of jobs, you already know, from – at one level, he owned the one grocery retailer within the Black a part of city, the one Black grocery retailer that catered completely to Black individuals. And so I used to go down there after I was fairly younger, and I used to be simply put out within the again. And so it was uncommon to me that I would play all day with Black youngsters after which they’d deliver me again to our, you already know, little suburb that we lived in and it was all white youngsters, you already know? After which from there, he went – he did a complete line of various jobs of being an insurance coverage salesman, a truck driver, all types of various issues.
GROSS: Now, you had an uncle – I assume it is a well-known story in your life, since you bought to fulfill Elvis Presley on a film set once you had been 11 via an uncle of yours who was doing one thing on the set, although I am undecided what.
PETTY: Yeah, yeah, I had an uncle by marriage who was the form of – he was very into movie. He was the man on the town that developed all of the movie, and he had a film digital camera. He used to movie the school basketball practices and soccer practices. And when a film got here close by, as plenty of them did round northern Florida, he would often rent onto the set and work in some capability. And he was engaged on an Elvis Presley film in 1961, I believe. “Comply with That Dream,” it was known as. And I used to be invited there by my aunt, who drove me all the way down to see Elvis. And I actually did not have a lot thought of who Elvis was. I used to be solely 11.
However we did certainly go there. And it was fairly a circus, you already know, plenty of, as you’d count on, you already know, mobs on the street. And he was simply again from the Military. However I did not actually speak with him. I imply, he simply type of nodded my method, you already know? I used to be launched by my uncle as, you already know, that is my nephew. And my two cousins had been with me. And he simply – I do not bear in mind what he stated actually, however I used to be very impressed by it.
And after I went house, I form of scoured the neighborhood and got here up with some outdated Elvis information. And I began listening to them, and so they actually took me over, you already know? And these had been all ’50s information. And I had a buddy whose older sister had gone to school and left this stunning field of 45s of rock ‘n’ roll, you already know, from the ’50s. And I cherished it, you already know? It simply spoke to me.
GROSS: So how lengthy did it take after that till you began to play one thing your self?
PETTY: Nicely, the concept had by no means dawned on me till I noticed the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Present, ” like so many musicians did. After I noticed it, you already know, I did not assume you possibly can simply develop into a rock ‘n’ roll singer. I did not see the way it may occur, you already know, since you wanted to be in a film and have the music seem on the seashore and stuff.
GROSS: (Laughter).
PETTY: So I did not see how one would get that collectively, you already know? So after I noticed the Beatles, it type of hit me like a lightning bolt to the mind that, oh, I see, you already know? You’ve gotten your folks, and also you all study an instrument, and you are a self-contained unit. That is sensible, you already know? And this seems like an incredible, nice job to me. And apparently it did to plenty of individuals as a result of in a short time after that, there have been bands forming, you already know, in garages throughout city. And I used to be only one in, you already know, hundreds of little bands that began then in round ’64, ’65.
MOSLEY: Tom Petty spoke with Terry Gross in 2006. We’ll hear extra after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF TOM PETTY SONG, “THE GOLDEN ROSE”)
MOSLEY: That is FRESH AIR. Let’s get again to Terry’s 2006 interview with Tom Petty. The brand new TV sequence “Unhealthy Monkey” options covers of a lot of his songs with the Heartbreakers. Not too long ago, their 1982 album “Lengthy After Darkish” was reissued.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GROSS: Let me play one other tune that was – it is an incredible tune, and it was a extremely popular tune of yours. Johnny Money recorded the tune late in his life. And the tune is “I Will not Again Down,” which you recorded in 1989. I do know it is laborious to speak about writing songs, however is there a narrative behind this one?
PETTY: I wrote this tune with Jeff Lynne. We wrote it within the studio whereas we had been mixing one other tune. And it got here in a short time. And I used to be really fearful about it. I believed that it was perhaps simply too direct. , I believed, effectively, there is not actually something to cover behind right here, you already know? It is very daring and really blunt. There’s not plenty of metaphor or, you already know, wherever to go. And – however I used to be inspired by Jeff that, you already know, no, it is actually good. It is best to file this and go forward with it. And it is turned out to be perhaps, you already know, the one tune that is had probably the most affect on those that method me on the road or speak to me in a restaurant or wherever I am going or mail that I’ve gotten over time. It has been actually necessary to lots of people and their lives. And I am glad I wrote it, and I am form of pleased with it as of late. And I used to be very, very proud when Johnny Money did it.
GROSS: Nicely, let’s hear it. From 1989, that is Tom Petty.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I WON’T BACK DOWN”)
PETTY: (Singing) Nicely, I will not again down. No, I will not again down. You may get up me on the gates of hell, however I will not again down. No, I will stand my floor – will not be rotated. And I will maintain this world from dragging me down – going to face my floor. And I will not again down. I will not again down. Hey, child. There ain’t no simple method out. Hey. I’ll stand my floor. And I will not again down. Nicely, I do know what’s proper. I bought only one life. In a world that retains on…
GROSS: You recorded that tune simply a few years after an arsonist burned down your own home. And the home was set on hearth when you and your loved ones had been in it. Did your instincts kick in like they had been purported to once you realized that your own home was on hearth and that you simply and your spouse and little one needed to get out of there?
PETTY: They kick in fairly quick, you already know, when your own home is on hearth. Yeah, they kicked in actually quick, and it was a fairly horrific factor to occur. And I did simply survive with, you already know, the garments on my again, however I do not know. Perhaps, you already know, that had one thing to do with the songs like “I Will not Again Down” and issues as a result of I felt actually elated that they did not get me. ? Like, I form of simply – that was the thought that was going via my head – was, effectively, you bastard, you did not get me, you already know? I survived.
However it’s very laborious to even imagine that somebody needs to kill you, you already know? It is a very laborious factor to undergo. And, you already know, when the police and the arson individuals are telling me that, you already know, somebody did it, I am simply going, effectively absolutely, there is a mistake. , there should have been a foul wire or – you already know, and, you already know, they had been completely positive there was no mistake. So the fascinating factor about that’s how many individuals known as and confessed the next day.
GROSS: You are kidding. Actually?
PETTY: , yeah. They had been confessing from throughout America. And it was like, you already know, individuals in New Jersey would name and confess. Then I noticed simply how bonkers individuals are. , It is like, you already know there’s some individuals which can be actually bonkers, and it’s a must to watch out. However, you already know, that was – you already know, I by no means actually talked about that a lot as a result of it surprised me so deeply.
And I am positive it had an incredible impact on the music I did as a result of I got here again with this very constructive, joyful form of music that – I did not wish to go into any darkish nook or something like that. I used to be simply so glad to be alive and to need to have escaped one thing like that. And, you already know, it was additionally actually traumatic and horrible. However a part of it made me actually be additional glad to simply be alive.
GROSS: Nicely, Tom Petty, thanks a lot.
PETTY: Thanks for having me. Is it good to be right here.
MOSLEY: Tom Petty spoke to Terry Gross in 2006. He died in 2017. After a brief break, we hear from filmmaker, director, author, and now McArthur fellow Sterlin Harjo. He co-created the favored TV sequence “Reservation Canines” a few group of youngsters on an Oklahoma Indian reservation. I am Tonya Mosley, and that is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DON’T DO ME LIKE THAT”)
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: (Singing) I used to be speaking with a buddy of mine – stated a lady had damage his satisfaction, instructed him that she cherished him so and rotated and let him go. Then he stated, you higher watch your step, or you are going to get damage your self. Somebody’s going to inform you lies, lower you all the way down to measurement. Do not do me like that. Do not do me like that. What if I like you, child? Do not do me like that.
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