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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers — Mary Jane's Last Dance
Album: Greatest Hits
Avg rating:
7.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3747









Released: 1993
Length: 4:25
Plays (last 30 days): 0
She grew up in an Indiana town
Had a good-lookin' mama who never was around
But she grew up tall, and she grew up right
With them Indiana boys on them Indiana nights

Well, she moved down here at the age of eighteen
She blew the boys away, was more than they'd seen
I was introduced, and we both started groovin'
She said, "I dig you, baby, but I got to keep movin' on, keep movin' on"

Last dance with Mary Jane
One more time to kill the pain
I feel summer creepin' in
And I'm tired of this town again

Well, I don't know, but I've been told
You never slow down, you never grow old
I'm tired of screwin' up, tired of going down
Tired of myself, tired of this town

Oh, my my, oh, hell yes
Honey, put on that party dress
Buy me a drink, sing me a song
Take me as I come 'cause I can't stay long

Last dance with Mary Jane
One more time to kill the pain
I feel summer creepin' in
And I'm tired of this town again

There's pigeons down on Market Square
She's standin' in her underwear
Lookin' down from a hotel room
Nightfall will be comin' soon

Oh, my my, oh, hell yes
You got to put on that party dress
It was too cold to cry when I woke up alone
I hit my last number and walked to the road

Last dance with Mary Jane
One more time to kill the pain
I feel summer creepin' in
And I'm tired of this town again
Comments (213)add comment
 ne1 wrote:

Oh my my, oh hell yes.

Finally got to  see TP in London Hyde Park on the last tour. Stevie Nicks as support and joining in on Stop dragging... and my son on my shoulders. Good memories and sadly missed.



Wow, Flac really changes this song. Amazing!
Гэта топ-песня!
I think there's wayyy deeper personal meaning in these lyrics than many realize. Sure, interpret-able of course.
That aside ... simply awesome raw energy and incredible harmonics.  Nobody can say no to that presentation. (The video was absolutely  mistake).
Full Screen Fever: Tom Petty's Most GIFable Video Moments
What a song. And the video. One of my very fave music videos. Looks like Tom can act, too. 
So a 10! And not just because I'm a Hoosier.
One of my least favourite Tom Petty songs.
And I like just about any of his hits (plus others that aren't such big hits).
This one is just ... meh.
 stevebeaver wrote:

Also, this reminds me of when I interned on Capitol Hill in DC. I was walking with one of the staffers to the House of Reps and he was telling me about organizing a letter-writing campaign demanding MTV pull the video for this song because it glorified necrophilia. My response was "But that song rocks!" Then I flashed a devil sign at him and punched him in the shorts. Well, maybe not the last part there.



You should have made his head explode and told him the truth that it is a farewell to marijuana.
 eileenomurphy wrote:

First time that I have heard this in FLAC! ...With high quality headphones, amp & DAC! ...WOW!




Once again, WOW!
The trademark raw, over-amped, totally southern-inflected chords that open this thing are worth gold to start with, but then, it only gets better. This is a freaking NOVEL in a song! One magical morning in the paradise-on-Earth town of Pereira, this came on my iTunes. I had my little portable speakers cranked in the corners of the hotel room. I was with Edilsa, a Colombian actress, who gasped and grabbed me, rapt, saying, "Oh, yes! It is good! I love this!" It was our first of many mornings together, and I realized that I cherished her even more in that moment because she loved and understood the pure Universal power of this song. In my opinion, you can't lose, putting this song on! And oh my, my -- oh, hell, yes I'm glad I got to see Tom jam at Red Rocks (with Dire Straits!) in late Summer of '85 with sweet Tish from Wisconsin!
 Tomasni wrote:

Only 7 to me ...



10.0 to me - the best TP song ever.

It is a matter of taste 
Buy me a drink, sing me a song
Take me as I come 'cause I can't stay long  . . .

Miss ya, Tom!
Oh my my, oh hell yes.

Finally got to  see TP in London Hyde Park on the last tour. Stevie Nicks as support and joining in on Stop dragging... and my son on my shoulders. Good memories and sadly missed.
This mix kicks ass.
Best Petty. Best version
First time that I have heard this in FLAC! ...With high quality headphones, amp & DAC! ...WOW!
 lizardking wrote:
Wow, first time hearing this track both A) since Tom's too-soon departure and B) as a FLAC file. 

A) this song will always remind me of MTV; this song came out when I watched HOURS of their Music Videos (back when they did that) each day, and was the first Petty song I knew.

B)  Having only heard this on MTV and FM Radio, and maybe once or twice over the years on RP, now that I'm hearing it in FLAC, WOW....that intro has some cool guitar sounds I've never noticed before.  KUDOS to BillG for offering the FLAC files to us Android (and iphone) app users; it's very much appreciated!

PS - huh, I can't believe I never bought any Petty albums.  I might have to change that here soon.


 
As part of the generation that grew up with MP3s and desktop PC speakers, I, too, am amazed at how different a song like this sounds with a FLAC stream and Bose headphones. I don't claim to be an audiophile, but I can see why one would aspire.
The greatest hits album with this song was released in 1993
The guitar is strong in this one!
Great song. However, I think the release date listed under the album cover is incorrect. Greatest Hits was released in 1993, and that's when the song was recorded as well.
Only 7 to me ...
I can't get tired of listening this great, great song. Most perfect! 
Happy Holidays to R&B and the entire RP community 

For all you podcast listeners out there, check out the latest episode of Broken Record.  It's an interview with Rick Rubin about the recording of Wildflowers and this song.

Cheers 
the last dance with Fentanyl was such a heartbreaker. The road is a killer.
My fave songwriter , this song is superb , the video was one of the best ever watch. Kim Basinger is very very cool !!!
 sdn wrote:
a_genuine_find wrote:
Mary Jane? Is he singing about what I think he is singing about?
Listening to the actual lyrics, it's hard to imagine.
 

Oh, come on folks; you can't be that naive...
 lizardking wrote:

Wow, first time hearing this track both A) since Tom's too-soon departure and B) as a FLAC file. 

A) this song will always remind me of MTV; this song came out when I watched HOURS of their Music Videos (back when they did that) each day, and was the first Petty song I knew.

B)  Having only heard this on MTV and FM Radio, and maybe once or twice over the years on RP, now that I'm hearing it in FLAC, WOW....that intro has some cool guitar sounds I've never noticed before.  KUDOS to BillG for offering the FLAC files to us Android (and iphone) app users; it's very much appreciated!

PS - huh, I can't believe I never bought any Petty albums.  I might have to change that here soon.



 
I can't believe I never gave Tom Petty the respect he deserved. He was never on my playlist and for that I should be smacked upside the head. I'm sorry it took me until he died before I really listened. A great talent sadly gone.
Upgrade to 10 and set volume to 12!

Wow, first time hearing this track both A) since Tom's too-soon departure and B) as a FLAC file. 

A) this song will always remind me of MTV; this song came out when I watched HOURS of their Music Videos (back when they did that) each day, and was the first Petty song I knew.

B)  Having only heard this on MTV and FM Radio, and maybe once or twice over the years on RP, now that I'm hearing it in FLAC, WOW....that intro has some cool guitar sounds I've never noticed before.  KUDOS to BillG for offering the FLAC files to us Android (and iphone) app users; it's very much appreciated!

PS - huh, I can't believe I never bought any Petty albums.  I might have to change that here soon.


Another classic. RIP Tom Petty.
another Friday Night Jam song!
:-(
'Mary Jane's last dance'.
Petty give up weed ?
Right.

Yes.
{#Razz}
Very cool video too.
Really like this!!

Love Tom, Proper rock n roll with a tele.   


9
Fave Tom Petty cut.{#Sunny}
 oldfart48 wrote:
 keller1 wrote:


Funny how things change in three years.

Petty still can't sing, and I loathe this song.

A friend lent me Tom's autobiographical DVD Runnin Down A Dream, which got me into stuff of his which was not necessarily what made it onto the radio.  Some great stuff there.  And in the DVD Petty did a nice job of explaining where he thought he fit into rock history without sounding arrogant.

And Mojo was one of the best albums of 2010, IMHO.

Call me converted.




folks why it was Tom not Neil that George went after for the Willburys? ( hint, he wanted talent)

 

Why George should ask Neil Diamond?

So Petty is a talent - aha!


For f*ck's sake...

Stingray wrote:
TOM, the sixth Beatle!

 


 IrieTom wrote:
This song was written right around the time The Jayhawks were his opening act.  Take a listen to "waiting for the sun" and you'll hear a rough blueprint for "mary jane."

 
Also check out Dani California from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
 IrieTom wrote:
This song was written right around the time The Jayhawks were his opening act.  Take a listen to "waiting for the sun" and you'll hear a rough blueprint for "mary jane."

 
Thank youTom. I mentioned the same comment on the Jayhawk's song.  
This song was written right around the time The Jayhawks were his opening act.  Take a listen to "waiting for the sun" and you'll hear a rough blueprint for "mary jane."
Huh, didn't know he did anything decent.
 grant wrote:
Might be one of TP's best . . .

 
I like Breakdown even better. But this gets a solid 8 from me. 
Good song, get's too much play . . . here and elsewhere.
Might be one of TP's best . . .
 Proclivities wrote:

I don't think either of them (or just about any popular recording artists of the 20th Century) will even be remotely thought of one hundred years from now.  If you asked ten people under 25 to name a tune by either of those artists, you probably wouldn't get very many responses - so it's even more unlikely that their great-grandchildren will think of either artist very much either.  Personally, I prefer Neil Young's work to Tom Petty's as well, but it's all primarily, fleeting, pop music.  Aesthetics are generally not dictated by some hypothesis or analysis of what may be remembered one hundred years hence.
 
True enough.  But to reinforce your sentiment the likes of Mozart and Beethoven will be remember for as long as music remains a facet of humanity (at its best). 

This is not taking anything away from the likes of Tom P. or Neil Y. as I like 'em for the music they've created.    Only to say that while one is pop music self-referencing within the time and culture that created it, the other is.....Art that surpasses time and culture.  It's like the cave paintings in France....it expresses and touches something basic in every human being..

So it goes.

Highlow
American Net'Zen
 funkyalfonso wrote:
What's this Mary Jane reference?
 
mj
 funkyalfonso wrote:
What's this Mary Jane reference?
 
A woman's shoe style consisting of slipper-like construction, no significant heel, round toe, and thin strap across the instep.
What's this Mary Jane reference?
THE BEST VIDEO OF ALL TIME GREAT TOM PETTY I LOVE KIM BASINGER
THIS is a seque, folks......continue
STINGRAY! 

 keller1 wrote:
a. Tom Petty can't sing. To be fair, Neil can't either. 2. Neither Tom nor Neil is a great technical guitar player, but Neil can (and has) gotten more out of one note than Tom could, if he did a solo —- doesn't he normally hand the solos off to Mike Campbell? iii. In the end analysis, Tom makes pop songs, a few of which are ok. Neil makes art. Ask yourself who is going to be remembered in a hundred years.
 
I don't think either of them (or just about any popular recording artists of the 20th Century) will even be remotely thought of one hundred years from now.  If you asked ten people under 25 to name a tune by either of those artists, you probably wouldn't get very many responses - so it's even more unlikely that their great-grandchildren will think of either artist very much either.  Personally, I prefer Neil Young's work to Tom Petty's as well, but it's all primarily fleeting, pop music.  Aesthetics are generally not dictated by some hypothesis or analysis of what may be remembered one hundred years hence.
 p2h2d2 wrote:
Here's to using your bong for fresh cut flowers...
 
Ha ha! I have comment envy. . . this is the one liner comment of the year for me. 
One of my favorite ones!
Here's to using your bong for fresh cut flowers...
 keller1 wrote:


a. Tom Petty can't sing. To be fair, Neil can't either.

2. Neither Tom nor Neil is a great technical guitar player, but Neil can (and has) gotten more out of one note than Tom could, if he did a solo —- doesn't he normally hand the solos off to Mike Campbell?

iii. In the end analysis, Tom makes pop songs, a few of which are ok. Neil makes art.

Ask yourself who is going to be remembered in a hundred years.
 

Funny how things change in three years.

Petty still can't sing, and I loathe this song.

A friend lent me Tom's autobiographical DVD Runnin Down A Dream, which got me into stuff of his which was not necessarily what made it onto the radio.  Some great stuff there.  And in the DVD Petty did a nice job of explaining where he thought he fit into rock history without sounding arrogant.

And Mojo was one of the best albums of 2010, IMHO.

Call me converted.


 One of my ALL TIME favorite songs. Don't know why! I just LOVE it.




10 without talking. And the video, yes, super.
Ah yes - the video that gave a stylish turn to necrophilia (and took home 1994 Best Male Video honors from MTV in the process).
Art conquers all taboos. 8


Petty-esque Rap Music
7 {#Arrow} 8


...at his best...
 Stingray wrote:
TOM, the sixth Beatle!

 
OK, I'll bite ... who is the fifth one?  George Martin?

Since I'm here, I'll take the opportunity to reiterate how much I hate this fargin song.
 gjeeg wrote:
Wish I was standing there in my underwear with her.
 

Wish we were laying there - without!

"I don't know, but I been told..."  my mind always finishes with "big leg woman ain't got no soul" and then he always surprises me.
TOM, the sixth Beatle!

 lmic wrote:
I don't really know what it is he does exactly, but Tom is the only one who can do it. 10

 
{#Whisper} I agree with you completely!

 Mandible wrote:

Kim Basinger in the video
 
. . . she never looked better than in this video!

I don't really know what it is he does exactly, but Tom is the only one who can do it. 10

 psycholynx wrote:
Yes, Kim played the role. But I don't think it was his wife or GF. Tom's role in the video was a morgue worker who stole her away for one "last dance" Which is very necrophilia indeed. However, I have every reason to believe that this is not anything to do with the original meaning of the lyrics. This is a song about giving up pot (Mary Jane) ....but having just one more hit for old times sake.
 
but.....is it wrong for a guy and a corpse...?  
Wish I was standing there in my underwear with her.
mary jane tee shirt

Kim Basinger in the video
 fortyonejb wrote:


both, definitely. Just because you like Neil better doesn't make him more history friendly.
 

ha....that was funny.

phelps_header_0102_25557a.jpg

Micheal Phelps' last dance

sdn wrote:
Tom Petty has lots of really neat, catchy tunes. This is not one of them.
No, no. no, he hasn't much. TP is just my kind of music, but his melodies just fail to move me. By several yards. I guess that's what he wants to sound like.
nate917 wrote:
I just read that the people who hired Petty to play this year's Superbowl specifically requested (required) that he not do "You Don't Know How It Feels" because of the reference to smoking another joint. I wish we could advance a little more as a civilization and stop being afraid of ghosts.
keller1 wrote:
a. Tom Petty can't sing. To be fair, Neil can't either. 2. Neither Tom nor Neil is a great technical guitar player, but Neil can (and has) gotten more out of one note than Tom could, if he did a solo --- doesn't he normally hand the solos off to Mike Campbell? iii. In the end analysis, Tom makes pop songs, a few of which are ok. Neil makes art. Ask yourself who is going to be remembered in a hundred years.
both, definitely. Just because you like Neil better doesn't make him more history friendly.
keller1 wrote:
a. Tom Petty can't sing. To be fair, Neil can't either. 2. Neither Tom nor Neil is a great technical guitar player, but Neil can (and has) gotten more out of one note than Tom could, if he did a solo --- doesn't he normally hand the solos off to Mike Campbell? iii. In the end analysis, Tom makes pop songs, a few of which are ok. Neil makes art. Ask yourself who is going to be remembered in a hundred years.
Both of them will be remembered in one hundred years for their unique contributions to popular music.
horstman wrote:
Tom Petty is what Neil Young would be if Neil could either sing or play guitar (both of which he sucks at)!
a. Tom Petty can't sing. To be fair, Neil can't either. 2. Neither Tom nor Neil is a great technical guitar player, but Neil can (and has) gotten more out of one note than Tom could, if he did a solo --- doesn't he normally hand the solos off to Mike Campbell? iii. In the end analysis, Tom makes pop songs, a few of which are ok. Neil makes art. Ask yourself who is going to be remembered in a hundred years.
great song, great artist
This was a wild video.
Tom Petty is what Neil Young would be if Neil could either sing or play guitar (both of which he sucks at)!
a_genuine_find wrote:
Mary Jane? Is he singing about what I think he is singing about?
Listening to the actual lyrics, it's hard to imagine.
Never realized, until listening to RP, that Petty was a one-hit wonder. Too bad it was with THIS.
healyf52 wrote:
Actually he uses about 8 chords and does a pretty good Dylan impression.
It shouldn't be a hard imitation seeing as how their cousins.
I don't know, but I've been told You never slow down, you never grow old.
If you wrote the song and someone stole it; it would matter to you. a_genuine_find wrote:
Tom Petty Responds To Red Hot Chili Controversy Does "Dani California" sound too much like "Mary Jane's Last Dance"? Tom Petty tells Rolling Stone he doesn't give a shit. "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock 'n' roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took 'American Girl' , and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you' ... If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe . But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous law suits in this country without people fighting over pop songs."
I,m geting off work soon and this song has got me fired up! Oh My Hell YES!
Anyone that criticizes Tom Petty doesn't have a clue. He is truly one of our most classic influences in music history. When his band first came out, they didn't know where to "pigeon-hole" him...so they put him in New Wave. New Wave! That's how ahead of his time he was. And now, as we look back we see, he's just CLASSIC ROCK.
marktberry wrote:
The only thing that has ever impressed me about Tom Petty is that he's made a very good living out of three or four chords and a bad Bob Dylan impression.
Odd, I've heard lots of guitarists say his stuff is harder to play than you might think.
marktberry wrote:
The only thing that has ever impressed me about Tom Petty is that he's made a very good living out of three or four chords and a bad Bob Dylan impression.
Actually he uses about 8 chords and does a pretty good Dylan impression.
I just read that the people who hired Petty to play this year's Superbowl specifically requested (required) that he not do "You Don't Know How It Feels" because of the reference to smoking another joint. I wish we could advance a little more as a civilization and stop being afraid of ghosts.
a_genuine_find wrote:
Mary Jane? Is he singing about what I think he is singing about?
Goodbye, Mary, Goodbye, Jane, Will we ever meet again? Tried to see your point of view, Hope your dreams all come true.
Tom Petty Responds To Red Hot Chili Controversy Does "Dani California" sound too much like "Mary Jane's Last Dance"? Tom Petty tells Rolling Stone he doesn't give a shit. "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock 'n' roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took 'American Girl' , and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you' ... If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe . But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous law suits in this country without people fighting over pop songs."
Mary Jane? Is he singing about what I think he is singing about?
One of the best .In concert truly aswome for the past 30 yearrs
fatcatjb wrote:
that guitar solo sets my hair on fire every time I hear it
I know what guys like I know what guys want
I love Petty, but this is not his best by any stretch.
fatcatjb wrote:
that guitar solo sets my hair on fire every time I hear it
Mine too!
Not many three syllabale words in a Tom Petty lyric. Goes to show what the effects of too much Mary Jane will do to you.
that guitar solo sets my hair on fire every time I hear it
Tom Petty has lots of really neat, catchy tunes. This is not one of them.
I've had this song in my head for days. Nice to hear it from outside.
Wow ... you guys are cold.
The only thing that has ever impressed me about Tom Petty is that he's made a very good living out of three or four chords and a bad Bob Dylan impression.
TJS wrote:
Go see him in concert sometime. He's one of the best showmen I've ever seen.
said he learned a lot from Blondie
Cinimod wrote:
Who doesn't like at least 1 Tom Petty song
Agreed ... Breakdown, Refugee ... but I really can't stand most of them, especially this one. Cumulative rating 7.6 --- shows ya what I know.
Ah Jeffery Steele .. a great lyricist ...
Tom Petty is an American rock & roll icon!!!! Brilliant musician!
pattiecovert wrote:
Everything Tom Petty does is so solid. He's really, really good.
Go see him in concert sometime. He's one of the best showmen I've ever seen.
Everything Tom Petty does is so solid. He's really, really good.
Just love this song. Wish I was with Mary Jane right now. But, gotta work to pay the bills.