The List

3 of the Best Deep Cuts from Tom Petty’s Standout Discography

Tom Petty was a unique artist when you think about it. During a time when everyone was gearing up for the next new thing (new wave, punk rock, pop music, etc.), Petty was happy to write songs the old-school way. Still, he managed to create something new and recognizable, which resulted in a decades-long career of beloved songs. Letโ€™s take a look at some of Tom Pettyโ€™s best deep cuts that havenโ€™t gotten quite as much attention as his major hits.

1. โ€œThe Best Of Everythingโ€

Southern Accents had a rough start during recording sessions, but The Heartbreakers managed to build up a truly stellar album. One deep cut from that album is โ€œThe Best Of Everythingโ€, which many believe is one of Tom Pettyโ€™s greatest breakup songs of his career. 

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It ticks all the boxes of a stellar Petty song. Excellent storytelling, emotional lyrics, and that tell-tale Petty tremble in the vocals. Itโ€™s a great tune with a theme that everyone can relate to.

2. โ€œFault Linesโ€

Petty was many decades into his career when Hypnotic Eye was released. At a time when other artists of his age would have retired, Petty kept going; and his songwriting ability clearly hadnโ€™t wavered. โ€œFault Linesโ€ is one of the best and most underrated songs from the album. It has a bluesy sort of vibe, rock elements that Petty hadnโ€™t delved into before, and intense vocal delivery. Itโ€™s unique compared to the rest of his discography.

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3. โ€œSomething Bigโ€

This Hard Promises track is another Tom Petty deep cut that didnโ€™t get as much attention as road-trip must-haves like โ€œRefugeeโ€ and โ€œEven The Losersโ€. Itโ€™s a Southern Gothic tale that grabs the listenerโ€™s attention. It also showcases how good Petty was at spinning tales and telling stories through his music.

Photo by Samir Hussein

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