"american girl" is such a great song

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drum production is exactly what i want out of a drum sound right now: crisp, propulsive performance, not gated or echoed, but also a little cleaned-up in all the right ways. chiming guitars, awesome melody, what else do you need?

ps - i admit that the breakdown segment is pretty dated, but i think its endearing, and it doesnt take away from the rest of it for me. definitely in my current top 5 GOAT.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

MM MM MMM MMMM MMMMM MMMMMM

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

HELL YES.

i ended up driving around europe with only a tom petty's greatest hits compilation to listen to, and it made the perfect road buddy.

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Excellent song, and I'm not a Petty fan.

Breakdown also makes the cut for me.

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

The breakdown is my favorite part! Hence my love for FLC's "Big Night Out"

― The Emancipation of Baaderonixx (KERERU 4 LIFE!) (Fabfunk), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

i was just thinking about this song the other day. the backing vocals that just pop in and go 'make it last all night' are pretty righteous. also, i'm sure the striking resemblance 'last night' bears to this song has been mentioned before, but ya know.. there is one. a resemblance, that is

― matlewis, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: Tom Petty vs. Adam Ant

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I love it too, an example of a perfect pop song. Great lyrics, just enough to evoke some ideas without overdoing it. And what really nails it down are the uh-huh-huhs Petty does during the last few bars and fade-out.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

we're not talking about Brooke Valentine are we?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Certain lines in that song are delivered so well ("and for one desperate moment there...") Angst, but not overly angst-y. That whole first record is pretty darn good; I saw TP in theater shows twice back in that era, and they were nailin' those songs with passion.

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

my sister is a big Tom Petty fan and she made me discover this song some years ago: "American Girl" just makes you feel better, it's just so good.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

You know what else were great? "Listen To Her Heart", "When The Time Comes", and "I Need To Know" from the second album. Daniel is right; Petty just killed with those songs. I pity you young 'uns who never got to hear TP&TH before it all got encrusted with Rock Star gook.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah - i remember the first time i realized how EXACTLY LIKE "last nite" it is. it makes me feel better about both songs, which i definitely loved already. its like when drugs amplify one another's effects, or when frat guys fight.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

vornado otm about "listen to her heart". TP & the HBs were my first concert ever, when i was 13, and they opened with "listen to her heart" and closed the encore with "american girl". it was triumphant!

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

The American Girl scene in Silence of the Lambs rules.

― Aaron A., Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah it definitely does... that and "hip priest" - good use.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Also great: the stoopid "And we didn't go to bed/Didn't go to work/Picked up the telephone, told the boss he was a jerk" verse in the first album's "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll."

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah it definitely does... that and "hip priest" - good use.

Both are trounced, beaten, given the hose and skinned alive by the "Goodbye Horses" inclusion, tho'.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

it is a really great song!

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I just love the opening half-minute-or-so, with those ringing guitars, and the 12-string player just hitting that open G (I think) again and again to give it that drone. Pure exhilaration!

Petty never topped this song, if you ask me.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Petty never topped this song, if you ask me.

"You Got Lucky" beats it, as far as I'm concerned.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah those Counting Crows are the shizzy, especially also the songs they do of Joanie Mitchell

― bujer, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah
All right

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

American Girl is awesome. My personal favorite is Yer So Bad. I don't know what this says about me, but I'm sure you'll all tell me...

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

yer so bad is really really good.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Surprised that no one mentioned that the Strokes' "Last Night" is a total rip-off of American Girl. AG obviously being superior.

― dewey, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

uhhh...

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)

and i dunno - TS: "last nite" vs "american girl" is a tough one for me.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

This is a really great song. Petty=the last great classic rock singles artist?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

POV: Underrated Tom Petty Songs

No Second Thoughts: You're Gonna Get It
Straight Into Darkness: Long After Dark
Letting You Go: Hard Promises
Dogs On The Run: Southern Accents
Let Me Up, I've Had Enough: Let Me Up I've Had Enough

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I still have a soft spot for "Wildflowers" and "Apartment Song." But yes, I think American Girl was his overall best.

― caspar (caspar), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:30 (twenty-one years ago)

American Girl >>>> American Woman

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Even The Losers > American Girl

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:42 (twenty-one years ago)

This track wasn't even nominated for the ILM 70's tracks poll...TSK TSK.

It's easily the best Petty tune, and one of the best classic rock tunes ever. It's one great moment after another--that opening guitar chiming & the drums kicking in, then the tension/release in the verse/pre-chorus ("and if she had to die"), then that left-field breakdown, then the solo in the outro....

Used to great effect in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

After the trouncing he received on the other thread I linked to, I figured he was on the ILM enemies list.

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost)
Even The Losers needs its own thread. Might be my Petty POO.

God bless you, kornrulez6969, for your shout-out to the goodness that is "Dogs On The Run"... bonus points if you can tell me where Mike Campbell borrowed that nine-note riff in the refrain. That's been driving me crazy for almost exactly 20 years now.

well we co-o-o-ome, with what was on our backs...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay! for Even The Losers. I don't think it's better than American Girl, but it's my favorite Petty song of the last 25 years.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: "God it's so painful, something that's so close, but still! so! far!outofreeeeeeeach" vs "God it's such a drag when you're living in the pa-ast..."

I'll take the latter, for the delirious moment when the beat hangs for forever and then the chorus comes crashing in like, er, waves, crashing on the beach...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 22:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Isn't that the Petty song that songs like the beginning of the Stroke's Last Night?

Is it just me?

― Cunga (Cunga), Tuesday, 24 May 2005 23:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Has anyone noticed that the song "American Girl" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sounds like the song "Last Nite" by The Strokes?

― Lingbertt, Tuesday, 24 May 2005 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I used a trial version of an editing program to remove the breakdown on American Girl, and I think it makes it even better.

― Heidy- Ho, Wednesday, 25 May 2005 01:20 (twenty-one years ago)

where is the love for "don't do me like that"?

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

THE ILL REPUTE COVER

― Community Cornerstone (deangulberry), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 02:16 (twenty-one years ago)

DEAN OTM

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 02:19 (twenty-one years ago)

hello, i love you.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 04:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Has anyone noticed that the song "American Girl" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sounds like the song "Last Nite" by The Strokes?

Did I forget to bash the Strokes or something while bringing up the comparison, or did I not express the chronological order well enough?

I it covered in the rulebook?

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 05:07 (twenty-one years ago)

No, it's none of that. It's just that you were the 4th person to mention the AG/LN similarity on this thread. There was even the following exchange a little ways up:

Surprised that no one mentioned that the Strokes' "Last Night" is a total rip-off of American Girl. AG obviously being superior.

-- dewey (dowhatchagottad...), May 24th, 2005.

uhhh...

-- peter smith (reesewitherspoo...), May 24th, 2005.

I was just joking around with my post. If I didn't feel silly typing winky faces, I would have put an ";)" at the end of it.

― Lingbertt, Wednesday, 25 May 2005 07:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't think you were being mean, I just was confused if that was a tease or what. The internet needs an irony button, if only to help me.

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

But for now I'll make better use of the "control-F" feature. I usually do check use it in threads but just plumb forgot.

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 07:37 (twenty-one years ago)

We'll let it slide this time ";)"

― Lingbertt, Wednesday, 25 May 2005 07:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Refugee" is still my favorite TP song - I just love his vocal delivery on that one. "American Girl" is easily my second fav though.

― darin (darin), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Petty never topped this song, if you ask me.
-- Myonga Von Bontee (scottyfield...), May 24th, 2005.
Petty never topped this song, if you ask me.
"You Got Lucky" beats it, as far as I'm concerned.

-- Alex in NYC

So we're both right!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

(...and Darin too.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

The little chord change that crops up after "after all it was a great big world" and "and for one desperate moment there" -- duh-duh-DUH -- is probably my favorite of all time. I am not savvy enough to describe it with chords or whatnot, and it has appeared in plenty of songs, but I think I can safely say it's my favorite little guitar line ever.

― Petroski (petroski), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

I don't know this song well because it gives me a goddamn headache whenever I hear it on the radio. Call me snobby or overly particular, but I need something more out of a climactic line than "She was...an AMERICAN girl!" What in the fuck kind of wasted line is that? Gee, Tom, an American girl? There are only like two hundred million of those - I feel like I've known her all my life. He could have at least made her a Kentucky girl or a California girl or a damn King of Prussia girl - SOMETHING! It's right up there with Steve Miller informing us that Billy Mack the detective "makes his living off of the people's taxes," although Petty's line is worse because it comes after all the buildup and you really think you're going to get something good. Useless.

― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 6 December 2005 04:48 (twenty years ago)

The line, with the emphasis on it, is not to say that she is just a girl from America, as much as she is a QUINTESSENTIALLY American girl, one who represents all good and bad qualities of this great land of ours.

I don't think it would work as well with other countries, because they don't seem to put as much emphasis on what it means to be, say, a Ca-NA-DI-AN girl; either that or it doesn't translate right to my American ears.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 06:29 (twenty years ago)

the lyrics of this song are sort of silly

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 06:52 (twenty years ago)

but nice guitar

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 06:52 (twenty years ago)

I missed this thread the first time around, but seeing it makes me happy. It's a great song, obviously. Musically I think it works because it's propulsive and wistful at the same time, which sets up the tension in the lyrics between wanting to leave but also being tugged at by the past -- which is what he means by "American," the myth of self-invention or reinvention, etc. I guess the lyrics are kind of silly in that anthemic rock way, but they're great too, especially the second verse, with her alone on the balcony, and it's "kind of cold" and cars rolling by, "out on 441, like waves crashing on the beach." (Petty's a much better lyricist than I think he gets credit for, he's written some perfect lines; I also love the bridge in "Even the Losers," with two cars parked on the overpass, etc.)

I learned to play this a while back and the chord progression's kinda cool because it's basically in D (at least the way I learned it), but the progression for the first half of each verse goes D-E-G-A -- which, by leaping from D to E and then back to G, it pivots neatly between the keys of D and A, which gives the whole thing a little bit of an unsettled, conflicted feeling while staying all with big bright major chords. (There are minor chords later too, which darken up the end of the verses and the middle of the choruses.) It's a neat trick and I'm not explaining it well because I don't know music well enough (I'm sure there's a straightforward term for what I'm talking about), but it explains a lot about the feel of the song. Well, that and the amazing chime in the guitar. (Google for "Tom Petty" and "chiming" returns 35,300 hits.)

And I like the breakdown mostly for the way it builds back up to the jolting guitar and drums. It's worth it for the pay-off.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 07:39 (twenty years ago)

Also, he says what he means by "American girl" right in the first verse: "raised on promises."

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 07:42 (twenty years ago)

And also, the citations upthread for "Straight Into Darkness" and "Dogs on the Run" are resoundingly otm.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 07:47 (twenty years ago)

I think those background vocals are soooo corny. MAKE IT LAST ALL NIGHT!

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

This and "Jammin' Me" (now THIS is underrated) are my favorite Petty fast ones.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

The "corny background vocals" mentioned upthread were provided by the later Mr. Phil Seymour.

― JAS, Tuesday, 6 December 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

everything about this song is perfect.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 6 December 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

I've been going through a love affair with this song...was struck today by how much the beginning sounds like The Feelies (or vice/versa)! Could be the beginning of almost anything off of Crazy Rhythms...

― dlp9001, Thursday, 19 November 2009 01:36 (sixteen years ago)

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