Coming out of the mouth of virtually any other rock star of Petty’s generation, it wouldn’t register as remotely notable – this was the ‘70s, after all. Like on “Listen To Her Heart,” wherein Petty pronouncing the word “cocaine,” just because of the intonation of his voice, makes it sound like an expletive. Tom Petty has one of the most laid back, laconic voices in rock, so no matter how often he can and does get bitter and angry lyrically, the effect is still almost always disarming. So simple-sounding is this and many other Petty songs that the actual level of difficulty in crafting such pure pop/rock is known only to those who have tried and failed. You have your introductory remarks, casual dialogue, establishment of motifs, an increase in tension, a satisfying release and a dénouement that serves as a bookend to the whole of the proceedings. Not a second of the compactly structured song is wasted, each moment of the utmost importance, building as though a tightly scripted play. From the emotionally masochistic lyrics to the layered, angelic harmonies, “Breakdown” manages to distill the essence of Petty’s appeal in under three minutes. He, like John Fogerty before him, is capable of effortless American rock ‘n’ roll that resonates with listeners across the spectrum. There’s nothing flashy about any of this it’s a workmanlike approach that lies at the heart of Petty’s appeal, with and without the Heartbreakers. It starts off simply enough: a slow drum groove followed by some lethargic blues licks that gradually build into a laidback, almost nonchalant guitar figure that crops up here and there. Just about everything on “American Girl” is an instant classic, from the vocal and instrumental performances to the composition itself. The Heartbreakers are sharp as knives, and their harmonies backing up Petty already evoke the Byrds well before Petty started covering them. Petty’s vocal performance is remarkable, evoking proto-punk snottiness and the wistfulness of early rock & roll. Of course, “American Girl” is more than a riff. It’s a powerful piece of music, and it’s easy to see why everyone from low-rent bar bands to The Strokes has tried to bite off of the riff to “American Girl” over the years. Even the song’s brief instrumental bridge can’t seem to hold that riff back for much longer than a few seconds before it comes roaring back. It espouses endless possibility, a place and a life where anything can happen.
Nothing that Tom Petty sings on “American Girl” so effortlessly captures that unsuppressed, carefree spirit in the way that that riff does. It’s that riff, isn’t it? That has to be what makes “American Girl” such a timeless piece of pop history, right? Well, no, but that’s a big part of it. The Spectrum Culture staff rolled up its sleeves and analyzed the collection, track by track. Tom Petty’s seminal Greatest Hits albums recently received a vinyl reissue upgrade.
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