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Tom Petty — You Don't Know How It Feels
Album: Wildflowers
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1535









Released: 1994
Length: 4:44
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Let me run with you tonight
I'll take you on a moonlight ride
There's someone I used to see
But she don't give a damn for me

But let me get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And turn the radio loud
I'm too alone to be proud
You don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me

People come, people go
Some grow young, some grow cold
I woke up in between
A memory and a dream

So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
You don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
To be me

My old man was born to rock
He's still trying to beat the clock
Think of me what you will
I've got a little space to fill

So let's get to the point
Let's roll another joint
And let's head on down the road
There's somewhere I gotta go
And you don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No you don't know how it feels
To be me
You don't know how it feels
You don't know how it feels
No you don't know how it feels
To be me
Comments (106)add comment
 peregrin wrote:

The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize how much I've underrated him over the years. He's a juggernaut that keep making excellent music ... rarely making those timeless classics, but so what. His back catalogue is outstanding and he keeps going.



I now consider Tom Petty to be in that rare class of artists who, like Robert Plant IMHO, actually got better over time. It seems hard enough to get a single on the radio in the first place, but to continue doing so while improving the quality of both music and lyrics over time has to be exceedingly difficult and attainable only by those few particularly talented individuals. I am thankful for Tom Petty's music over the years.
 jkamm14 wrote:

They backward masked it which was hilarious. "Let's roll another tniooooj". I guess I'll have to buy the vinyl and run it backwards to find out what he says!

That kind of censoring always seemed odd. Especially when I heard the uncensored version of  'Fixin-to-Rag' by Country Joe and the Fish from Woodstock, complete with F-bombs and the 'give me an F, give me a Uā€¦
Doubt that will be played on the radio again.
Clever segue from Jason Isbell ...
 TimeWaster wrote:

I'm old enough to remember when radio broadcasters censored the word "joint" when they played this song.


They backward masked it which was hilarious. "Let's roll another tniooooj". I guess I'll have to buy the vinyl and run it backwards to find out what he says!
 TimeWaster wrote:

I'm old enough to remember when radio broadcasters censored the word "joint" when they played this song.



me too. funny times.
 coloradojohn wrote:
The news of Tom's passing has tinged my world with sadness, but on the other hand, his music lives on, and it's so uplifting
 
Uplifting indeed.  That is one of the overall endearing components of his music in general.  I generally feel better after having listened to a Petty song than before it started.

Funny how I ended up with more physical Petty music than most anyone else in my collection.  I don't listen to Petty regularly often enough though.  It's more of a binge listening mood when I do. :)
 TimeWaster wrote:

I'm old enough to remember when radio broadcasters censored the word "joint" when they played this song.



I remember him winning an award for this song, possibly from MTV, and in his acceptance speech he thanked MTV for playing his song, but complained that he never could hear one word in the song
I find it bizarre that anyone doesn't like TP!
Did Petty channel Bonzo on the drums? Somebody did.
whats with that wiki descript??  Thomas Earl MFing Petty? whoaaaa gonna fact check that
 justin4kick wrote:
Tom Petty, the most boring man in the R&R-scene.



You are entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it is.
CGP Grey made one very unusual video clip version to this song. Surprisingly good... https://youtu.be/FX_sbDAPvek
If you roll another joint you'll probably forget what the point was, but that's OK, I guess.
"Wait, what was I saying? . . . . . Are those cheezies?"
I'm old enough to remember when radio broadcasters censored the word "joint" when they played this song.
Love Tom Petty! I find "The War On Drugs", another band Radio Paradise shows much love to, to sound very similar!
I think this is Bill's 'RIP' set. Ric Ocasek, Tom Petty.
Maybe we'll get some more of the Wilbury clan...
c.
 sirdroseph wrote:
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.
 

You really missed the mark here. His first 2-3 albums were so unusual that he was often lumped in with punk and new wave. But the first-class talent of the band as a whole repeatedly showed them to be trailblazingly original (as far as rock bands go, anyway) and allowed him to explore different sounds many times over his long career. Yeah, we can look back and see "classic rock" as far as the eye can see, but that's only because everything he did was incorporated into the canon.
 sirdroseph wrote:
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.
  LPCity wrote:
If this was intended to be a compliment I believe you failed.  However, if snide was your intended target, congratulations.  Mission accomplished.
 
I believe it was intended to be a neutral (possibly dismissive) observation - not a compliment or snide. 
 pvg44 wrote:

Absolutely ā€” absolutely ā€” wrong.
 
A little petty if you ask me
"Let's get to the point: roll another joint, and head on down the road."

One of my anthems during the dark days of divorce, often sung to my little dog, Miss Pallas Athena. as we readied for an overnight backpacking trip.

That was long ago and now, emotionally, far away.  (Thank goodness.)
 drictor wrote:
This is way overplayed on my local FM station (KMTN), but ya know, I still crank it up when it comes on!
 
While FM radio is not something I listen to anymore, I can say this song has been featured on KZOK 102.5 FM in Seattle for ages on April 20th, during the "drive at five" listener requests.  Sounds much better via FLAC stream provided by BillG...Long Live RP!!  RIP TP.  
Somewhat odd 'Infobox' caption below the wikipedia image on player info... Hacked?
 m_logie wrote:
I like Tom Petty.  But...
"You don't know how it feels, you don't know how it feels, to be me"
I'm sorry, but no.  That's a line from a teenage emo band.
 
what are you talking about? even my small lego figure has emotions.  "Tom Petty" 
He is great... god have emotions, evil have emotions... no emotion, no art... my mechanic clock is more valuable than you I am sorry you are not.
I still enjoy his lovely music... I will.
I like Tom Petty.  But...
"You don't know how it feels, you don't know how it feels, to be me"
I'm sorry, but no.  That's a line from a teenage emo band.
This is way overplayed on my local FM station (KMTN), but ya know, I still crank it up when it comes on!
See the lonely boy
Out on a weekend ....


 justin4kick wrote:
Tom Petty, the most boring man in the R&R-scene.

 
Absolutely — absolutely — wrong.
One of the TP Top 5, for me.  Please keep Tom in heavy rotation, Bill.  It soothes the hurt.
Awesome! The news of Tom's passing has tinged my world with sadness, but on the other hand, his music lives on, and it's so uplifting
The best poem about rolling another joint:  https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45364/the-lotos-eaters
Tom Petty, the most boring man in the R&R-scene.
Lets rol another joint.
From "Ulalume" by Edgar Allan Poe:

    I replied- "This is nothing but dreaming:
    Let us on by this tremulous light!
    Let us bathe in this crystalline light!
    Its Sybilic splendor is beaming
i'm with peregrin. i started really coming around to him with this cd. i love all of it. saw him live when he was touring for it. it was a fantastic show. he was great with the audience.
 sirdroseph wrote:
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.

 

And just like with Norman, there are going to be people who don't like Tom just because so many do.


The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize how much I've underrated him over the years. He's a juggernaut that keep making excellent music ... rarely making those timeless classics, but so what. His back catalogue is outstanding and he keeps going.
 +1

sirdroseph wrote:
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.

 


 sirdroseph wrote:
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.

 
If this was intended to be a compliment I believe you failed.  However, if snide was your intended target, congratulations.  Mission accomplished.
Great song for a sunny Sunday morning feeling like everything must always somehow Begin Again no matter what comes between...
The more I think about Tom Petty over the years, the more I realize that he is the Norman Rockwell of Classic rock.  Not overwhelmingly talented or different, but appealing to the masses with his unoffensive musings.
 Grammarcop wrote:
What, wealthy and talentless? You're right. I don't know how it feels. 

 
Couldn't have said it better. 
What, wealthy and talentless? You're right. I don't know how it feels. 
 CamLwalk wrote:

dude
 
Hey, I was referring to the previous song on the playlist, it was Morphine "Bueno"
Probably my favorite Tom Petty CD/Album (although its tough to say if I like it better than "Damn The Torpedos"). But its right up there.
 Curio wrote:
Like Tom Petty, but this is a pretty boring offering.
 
Same here. Big Tom Petty fan for many years, but this song has always bored me to death

Like Tom Petty, but this is a pretty boring offering.
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
I'm hearing Primus
 
dude

Felix_The_Cat wrote:
I'm hearing Primus


Felix_The_Cat is your name, and you say unto thee ...

I'm hearing Primus
Did anyone else notice the brilliant fade from the previous song (Lucinda Williams - Hot Blood) to this one. It was perfect. Great work Bill.

toterola wrote:

I think both of you are on the right track. Bogey always had a cig stuck in his beak, speaking his lines around the moving cig and a cloud of smoke.

I think the modern rendering of this ideal would be "puff-puff pass". Hit it, pass it on. Don't sit there with it stuck in your mouth like a Marlboro. {#Cowboy}

{#Yes}

{#Devil_pimp}

 reason06 wrote:
I thought it meant don't keep it the corner of your mouth so it gets wet (like Humphrey Bogart?)cause we don't mind sharing the stuff, but we don't want to share the spit.
 
I think both of you are on the right track. Bogey always had a cig stuck in his beak, speaking his lines around the moving cig and a cloud of smoke.

I think the modern rendering of this ideal would be "puff-puff pass". Hit it, pass it on. Don't sit there with it stuck in your mouth like a Marlboro. {#Cowboy}
nmcvaugh wrote:
All I want is a chance to know how it feels to be Tom Petty.
Roll it, light it, inhale it, repeat.
reason06 wrote:
I thought it meant don't keep it the corner of your mouth so it gets wet (like Humphrey Bogart?)cause we don't mind sharing the stuff, but we don't want to share the spit.
Never heard that one. It always meant "take a hit and keep it moving", down here.
El_Penguino wrote:
The local radio edit out the word joint here. Strange society we live in. "We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!"
P.S. Maybe if everyone had more "joints", there'd be less war!
El_Penguino wrote:
The local radio edit out the word joint here. Strange society we live in. "We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!"
What's more obscene than war? Anyone? Anyone?
ajlept wrote:
It means, don't "hog" that joint, pass it over to me!
I thought it meant don't keep it the corner of your mouth so it gets wet (like Humphrey Bogart?)cause we don't mind sharing the stuff, but we don't want to share the spit.
mefrombrazil wrote:
what's the meaning of "bogart"? i can't translate your words.
It means, don't "hog" that joint, pass it over to me!
robco1 wrote:
Just don't Bogart it . . .
what's the meaning of "bogart"? i can't translate your words.
mefrombrazil wrote:
wait for me.
Just don't Bogart it . . .
All I want is a chance to know how it feels to be Tom Petty.
The local radio edit out the word joint here. Strange society we live in. "We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!"
robco1 wrote:
Let's!
wait for me.
a_genuine_find wrote:
What I like about this CD is that every song is good, unlike so many CD's. PLEASE, let's get to the point.
Let's!
one of my favorite songs by Tom Petty. it makes my heart break.
What I like about this CD is that every song is good, unlike so many CD's. PLEASE, let's get to the point.
davyjrshort wrote:
I remember when they first played this on the radio they wouldn't allow "Let's roll another joint" so they really really horribly dubbed the mystery word that I've still yet to define: "Let's roll another maownge"
Maownge, haha. Funny, and also disturbing, but not altogether surprising. "Freedom of speech" my ass!!! Just another example of what a farce America can be.
I remember when they first played this on the radio they wouldn't allow "Let's roll another joint" so they really really horribly dubbed the mystery word that I've still yet to define: "Let's roll another maownge" What the heck is a maownge? Beautiful dub, so fine.
eskles wrote:
I'm not sure how or when it happened, and it's probably just me but....as much as I loved Petty in the 70's and early 80's, I just can't stand listening to him any more. I think it was Mary Jane's Last Dance that started the slide.
Yep.
Petty has written some amazing songs over the years. This is not one of them.
Oh I know how it feels Tom..I know
That harmonica stopped me in my tracks, of course....OK, who needs sleep...just let me put some food in the microwave.....
dunno, could be more ambitious. the tic-tic-BAM is sort of annoying.
wonderunit wrote:
There's just something about the spare, stripped-down arrangement that appeals to me.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
I'm not sure how or when it happened, and it's probably just me but....as much as I loved Petty in the 70's and early 80's, I just can't stand listening to him any more. I think it was Mary Jane's Last Dance that started the slide.
I normally like Petty, but this song isn't very good.
Imagine the crowd participation when it gets to the point of the song, "Let's roll another joint"....It has to be madness....I, of course, have no problem with that..
A fun song with a great beat off of Tom Petty's masterpiece. It'd be nice to hear some of the deeper cuts off this album, like "Wake Up Time" or "It's Good to be King".
Hey, it's not 4:20 yet ...
-never want to hear this song again-
milehighYinzer wrote:
I bet if the mainstream radio never played this, You would be asking yourself, "Now why doesn't RP play this?" Just because it was on mainstream radio doesn't mean it is not a great song.
But that is IF it were a great song, which it isn't. It's rubbish.
milehighYinzer wrote:
My Theme song!
We should meet up...
Mot wrote:
A petty Petty song. Standard Clasic Rock radio faire. We could find better in Paradise.
I bet if the mainstream radio never played this, You would be asking yourself, "Now why doesn't RP play this?" Just because it was on mainstream radio doesn't mean it is not a great song.
deadline wrote:
These drums are annoying
Has this not been played since 2003? There's not a weak track on this album and Steve Ferrone is one of the best drummers in rock so I'll pretend I didn't hear that...
I LOVE THIS SONG! Thanks as always RP!
My Theme song!
These drums are annoying
I\'ve always liked Tom Petty, but this feels pretty slight. Maybe he rolled a few too many joints and never quite got around to finishing this one...
I always feel ambivalent about the steady beat of this sort of Tom Petty song. It sounds good enough for a few seconds, but it sure gets tedious over a few minutes.
Intelligence is not directly disproportionate to simplicty. Great depth can be found in simplicity. While, lyrically, that may not be the case with this song, the music is powerful because it is simple (and well performed). And that\'s OK.
A petty Petty song. Standard Clasic Rock radio faire. We could find better in Paradise.
Music by numbers. Even if you drew the original outline, shutup and colour over the lines. Petty is as petty does.
I like Tom Petty but never cared much for this effort. I think even I could play drums on this. :roll:
Originally Posted by zaknafein: A good song, and good to hear it without the petty censorship of commercial radio.
Was there a pun intended somewhere in that comment
There\'s just something about the spare, stripped-down arrangement that appeals to me.
Remarkable compared to the Last one...
A good song, and good to hear it without the petty censorship of commercial radio.
Not bad for a Tom Petty song, but not all that good. The kind of music more suited for the ClearChannel Corporate weasels that have ruined FM radio...
Love this station, can\'t stand Tom Petty. You see my dilemma? Guess now\'s the time for a potty break.
I feel a little burned out on this one. But it may just be me :roll:
Agree with that TrevorG2. His up tempo work sometimes sounds so tensed and his voice gets small(er). This song has got a bit of a Steve Miller feel. Take The Money and Run, that kinda stuff. Nice. People come, people go. Some grow young, some grow cold. Like that line, simple but effective.
This is one of the more pleasing Tom Petty songs... sounds simplistic ... beat driven, added guitar, then harmonica, then electric organ, and it works well together... There are a few others of his that also work well in their spots.. but not all (IMHO) as some times his faster sounding songs tend not to be so good.