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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers — Burnt Out Town
Album: Hypnotic Eye
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1618









Released: 2014
Length: 2:57
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Yeah, uh-huh

I was walking down the street the other day
A woman stopped me
She said, "Why is it you look so down in the mouth?"
And I told her

This is a burnt out town
It's full of dirty looks
There's ashes on main street
And the mayor is cooking the books

Why, even my best friends
Are turning into crooks

Yeah this is a burnt out town
New Emperor, same clothes
They're dancing on the glass ceilings
While the filthy money flows

Yes, and here I am stealing gas
With a garden hose

Aw, look out now...

This is a burnt out town
The city fathers have come to blows
It's out of their realm of reality
The truth's indecent when exposed

Yeah, it's a burnt out town
It's going down but no one knows
Yeah, it's a burnt out town
Ain't dead but getting close
Comments (64)add comment
 erwinphoto wrote:

"Yeah this is a burnt-out town. New Emperor, same clothes"
Beautiful description of the Obama years



Clown comment, bro.
Petty can makes your day better or worst!! 

The magic of this magical man. 
"Yeah this is a burnt-out town. New Emperor, same clothes"
Beautiful description of the Obama years
 TurtleMan wrote:

Everything is broken…



on purpose
Wow rather prophetic song by TP. An absolute clear vision of American urban societies today, and yet no one will change a darn thing they do in response. The fix is in and those in charge are getting the desired result. Enjoy the dystopia.
Everything is broken…
TP at his best!!
Completely on laptopdog’s page Solid 8
 CoYoT51 wrote:
Sorry, but not missing them.
 
Hate to have to agree.  The late 70's / early 80's stuff was great, but then...meh...
Last studio album peaks at # 1 gotta love it. Gotta love it if you saw them live
 CoYoT51 wrote:
Sorry, but not missing them.
 
Yup.
Top 40 Radio Fodder,  at best.
Sorry, but not missing them.
A horse walks into a bar, and the barman asks "why the long face?" Original found in King Tut's tomb :o)
 On_The_Beach wrote:
I could see the Stones covering this.  
 
As if the Stones would take the time to learn this tune. That's just Absurd and Idiotic.
Between tea with the Queen and golfing, it would have to be a good song.
Not my favorite TP song, but just the fact that he was still coming up with such original compositions nearly 40 years into his career, it rates at least an 8 for me.
 ace-marc wrote:
Most over-rated artist in recent history.
 
Most asinine song comment in recent history.
I could see the Stones covering this.  
These lyrics are based on real events. I can relate as much.
Hmm. I'm anticipating some Capn Beefheart somewhere along this sequence ... but not sure whether RP has ever ventured in such a direction. Twould be nice.
Perfect timing for a favorite song... I'm living in a burnt out town and it may not be worth fighting against the expense of remaining in California.RIP Tom, I love you.
 ace-marc wrote:
Most over-rated artist in recent history.
Slam Dunk.
 

 curtlichter wrote:
Ironic song  to be hearing at this sad time.  Hope all is well with you, Bob.  Paradise will rebuild.
 
I'm sure Bob is OK....BillG on the other hand was safely away from Paradise during the fire, though Paradise is a Burnt out Town, sadly; love to all those impacted by the fire...Long Live RP!!  I'm at an 8 on this groovy blues-rock funk track! 
how have I never HEARD this? !!!
Can a tune sound more "american"?
Ironic song  to be hearing at this sad time.  Hope all is well with you, Bob.  Paradise will rebuild.
I am sure some of us have attempted to siphon some gas (petrol in the UK) out of a car with a garden hose.

It does work but not until the obligatory mouthful of the stuff followed by much spitting and cursing.

Even swilling your mouth out with milk afterwards takes a long time to erase that taste.

Tom Petty and the lyrics in this song just brought that memory back  {#Drunk}
Love this album. Nice transition from Allman Brothers! Great tribute to a bunch of (great) fallen brothers. Thanks for doin' what you do RP!!{#Notworthy}
Coïncident: Tom Petty after Steely Dan? Two great artists (from SD that is Walter Becker) who have unfortunately passed away recently way too soon...{#Sad}
 Hannio wrote:


He won a $53,000 insurance settlement.  He'll never have to work again.
 
Didn't he work in a corn chip factory in Waco some years ago?
tom
haven't heard this in a while. always refreshing, always pertinent.
 Bone wrote:


 

He won a $53,000 insurance settlement.  He'll never have to work again.
 Baby_M wrote:
Reminds me of my old hometown, Youngstown, Ohio.

 
Reminds me of a hung-over, untied-shoes variation on John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun"...
 kingart wrote:
Is that right? 

"here I am stealing Guinness with a garden hose"

 What is he complaining about? I'd like to try that on occasion. 

 
Let me know when you find the source, I'll join you.
Tom Petty may have supported Zep at Knebworth, I've probably got that wrong?!
Don't know wich one is copying now, but is a good copy this time 😐
it's got major cajones like ZZTop with a solid slinky spirit that puts me right in the groove man, and that's Excellent!

 Emwolb wrote:
i wrote Mr Petty and his Heartbreakers off years ago, but so far everything i've heard from this collection of tunage rates among the best i've heard produced by this band.  If it takes burning down a couple of his houses to inspire him to create such great music, then burn, baby, burn!

 
Give Mojo a listen.  It came out in 2010.  Maybe his best work!
very,very nice!
 fredriley wrote:
"Why is it you look so down in the mouth?"
"Because I've just eaten an Eider Duck."

As the old saying goes, you don't get down off a horse, you get down off a duck :o)

I'll get me coat...

 

Its the way ya tell'em Fred, cracked me right up .....
i wrote Mr Petty and his Heartbreakers off years ago, but so far everything i've heard from this collection of tunage rates among the best i've heard produced by this band.  If it takes burning down a couple of his houses to inspire him to create such great music, then burn, baby, burn!
Reminds me of my old hometown, Youngstown, Ohio.
This i like!!
 Lazarus wrote:

This song is great 12-bar blues... what an incredible album... everybody in my homeless camp loves this song... we understand why Tom Petty has fire on his mind—

In 1987, when he lived over the hill in Encino, his home burnt to cinders in an arson that may have had homicidal intent. Trapped in the house after hustling his family out a side door to the pool, he crawled through smoke to save himself.

Two decades later, after he had relocated to Malibu, Petty woke one night to the odor of smoke. After rousing his wife, Dana York, and a friend in a nearby building, he had time to grab only one item as they fled the so-called Canyon Fire. “It was a Hohner bass that I’ve used on every record, and you can’t find another one,” says Petty. “I grabbed that and I went, ‘Hell, is this going to happen to me twice in my life where everything I own is just wiped out?’ And then I thought, ‘Well, I’m OK with that.’ Because things come back, but people don’t.”



 
That's interesting. Thanks for the post, Lazza :)
"Why is it you look so down in the mouth?"
"Because I've just eaten an Eider Duck."

As the old saying goes, you don't get down off a horse, you get down off a duck :o)

I'll get me coat...
hmmm wonder what town he's talking about?
I like Tom Petty, but you play an inordinate number of his songs....and this bluesy one doesn't work for me.
Very much like this one, great bluesy groove, and definitely reflects Doors roadhouse for sure.
Is that right? 

"here I am stealing Guinness with a garden hose"

 What is he complaining about? I'd like to try that on occasion. 
'very nice song from a genius band!
John Sebastian on harmonica from the Doors' Roadhouse Blues?
These Blue's are giving me the blue's.
And don't forget Mike Campbell, musical genius of this band.
 LPCity wrote:

Been listening to this album for two days worth of commuting so far, it is excellent!

 

American Dream Plan B and All You Can Carry are both stellar work.  No doubt that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers still have got the spark.  Would love to see this tour.



 
Do yourself a favor and catch this tour. Saw Tom's show in Vancouver last month and it's well worth it {#Bananajam}
Seems a bit like it is carrying on from MOJO, which is OK with me.

Been listening to this album for two days worth of commuting so far, it is excellent!

 

American Dream Plan B and All You Can Carry are both stellar work.  No doubt that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers still have got the spark.  Would love to see this tour.


{#Crown}
So good to hear a new TP album but out of  all the tracks this is good but not the best
Great raw sound !

This song is great 12-bar blues... what an incredible album... everybody in my homeless camp loves this song... we understand why Tom Petty has fire on his mind—

In 1987, when he lived over the hill in Encino, his home burnt to cinders in an arson that may have had homicidal intent. Trapped in the house after hustling his family out a side door to the pool, he crawled through smoke to save himself.

Two decades later, after he had relocated to Malibu, Petty woke one night to the odor of smoke. After rousing his wife, Dana York, and a friend in a nearby building, he had time to grab only one item as they fled the so-called Canyon Fire. “It was a Hohner bass that I’ve used on every record, and you can’t find another one,” says Petty. “I grabbed that and I went, ‘Hell, is this going to happen to me twice in my life where everything I own is just wiped out?’ And then I thought, ‘Well, I’m OK with that.’ Because things come back, but people don’t.”


That's twice now that I've been drawn to low-volume background music and didn't immediately recognize the songs as being Tom Petty. Both times it was this album. He's still got the goods...
good to hear some tom petty again....