Day 3- Nostalgic Music Month

Tom Petty  and the Heartbreakers By Jon Hilton

The news of the passing of Tom Petty made today’s nostalgia easy to choose. I never met Tom Petty in life, but we knew each other very well when I was young. He guided me through the confusing moments of adolescence and let me know that it was alright to not fit in like everyone seemed to want.  Petty provided a voice that resonated with millions of people and always will. Growing up would have been much more difficult without him and his music and I am one of the heartbroken today.

The five songs that were most influential to me are not the most popular Petty songs but the ones that related to a particular phase of my life and particular experiences. Where the lyrics are a guide inside of the moment and still transport me to that time and place.

1. Don’t Do Me Like That– Hearing the first notes of this song, takes me back to middle school. A time when I didn’t know much about the world and imagined how people should treat others.  “And you know you better watch your step Or you’re gonna get hurt yourself, Someone’s gonna tell you lies, Cut you down to size”

2. American Girl- I have known many of these girls in my 51 years. Some were more significant to me than others but all had an impact. It is amazing when you think about it, how much women and our thoughts about them dominate our lives and history.  “God it’s so painful, Something that’s so close, And still so far out of reach”

3. Breakdown– One of my favorite songs to sing along with still to this day. Makes me happy to hear it and to remember the times when I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that a breakdown It’s alright.  Unique guitar riff, memorable feel and flow.  My “young self” loved this song and my “old self” does too.

 It’s alright if you love me
It’s alright if you don’t
I’m not afraid of you running away
Honey, I get the feeling you won’t

1. The Waiting – Throughout my life, I have found these Tom Petty words to be absolutely true, the waiting is the hardest part. The sentiment of the song was true. Good relationships and other things don’t always happen in an instant and you have to be patient to reap the benefits of these things.

Baby you’re the only one that’s ever known how
To make me want to live like I want to live now

1. Even the Losers– My number one anthem of youth. I think we all feel like we don’t fit in or are losers, but even in our awkwardness and self-doubt, there is a girl who can make you feel like it will all be ok in the end.  Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Baby time meant nothin’ anything seemed real, Yeah you could kiss like fire and you made me feel Like every word you said was meant to be. Babe, it couldn’t have been that easy to forget about me.

1a.  Mary Jane’s Last Dance– This is a classic with so many great messages that hit me in so many places. Listen to it and know that life is a fleeting group of experiences that we try to squeeze meaning out of, Tom Petty guided us. Change Indiana to Maine in the lyrics and I knew that girl.

Well I don’t know what I’ve been told
You never slow down, you never grow old
I’m tired of screwing up, I’m tired of goin’ down
I’m tired of myself, I’m tired of this town

We have all felt that way at some point and time.

honorable mention- Free Fallin’, Won’t Back Down, You Don’t Know How It Feels, Running Down A Dream, Learning to Fly, Refugee, You Got Lucky, Here Comes My Girl

Farewell Tom Petty, may you rest in peace and know that in the end

 Tom Petty Day 3- by Mike Martin

Tom Petty added some iconic sadness to #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth. He is on my short list of my favorite musician, and one of the few performers that Shannon and I both completely appreciate.

When I heard of his heart attack and almost certain death. As I right now 7:25. October 2, 2017-his status is unsubstantiated.  These circumstances reminded me of the passing of my uncle-Charles F. Martin. Unc, as he was fondly known by our family, was most surely a family Icon, to say the least.

My Uncle-like my grandfather- was a carpenter by trade and-like myself-a NAVY veteran. He served during WW II and didn’t get into much detail about his service.

I’m not sure if Unc convinced me to join the NAVY after my mother, Maxine Graham, invited the NAVY recruiter to our house-a true hoodwinking and ambush-I must say, but he didn’t stop me.

Unc’s only advice: “Don’t let anyone take advantage of you, you do know what NAVY stands for don’t you-Never Again Volunteer Yourself.”

My uncle and I were extremely close. He treated with respect and never kept me from a worksite-well unless the proprietor ran me off which only happened once. The last thing I remember Unc telling me was that he wished I was living in town, Greenville, Maine, because the opportunity was abundant, and with Scott Patrick and I working with him, we could win a lot of work.

We never got that chance, Unc passed and our family changed forever, but I never forgot the lessons he taught me. No Worries Unc, I Won’t Back Down -even at the End Of The Line,  I love you and miss you every day!

….. “Maybe somewhere down the road aways (end of the line)

You’ll think of me, wonder where I am these days (end of the line………..

…………….. “It don’t matter if you’re by my side (end of the line)

I’m satisfied”

If you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville