Damn the Torpedos – Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers

Some albums paint a picture in your head. When I hear Damn the Torpedoes, I am immediately transported.  It’s Friday night somewhere in America. I wander into a Roadhouse bar to blow off some steam. The neon sign in the window says “Live Music”.  I enter and head straight for the bar.  Soon, the house band gets on stage and minor attention is paid to the performers as the band launches into the first song.  I look over at the slight, fair haired front man with a distinctive voice and his musical conspirators and they have my interest. Over the next hour I moved from casual observer to committed accomplice in this groups mission to light this scene up.

Petty, The Heartbreakers and the 9 songs on Damn the Torpedoes hit hard. The combination of relatable storytelling, Mike Campbell’s southern rock influenced guitar riffs, layered with synth keyboards and Stan Lynch’s distinctive drum beat, brought a freshness to what was going on in the music scene during 1979. The sound they created seems to have laid a blue print for many of the early 80’s rock records.  But, listening today, the songs are still great yet some feel a little dated — I think it is the keyboards.

On this and later Heartbreaker albums, Petty, like Springsteen, Seger and Mellencamp, crafted and produced songs that embodied a gritty working class Americana spirit. Some of the credit goes to legendary record producer Jimmy Iovine who helped this band find their sound on this breakthrough multi- platinum album, but the rest lies with the group.  They seem to have an authenticity to the music that is not contrived.

I would like to be more original in my choices for favorites from this record, but the big 4 that had radio play deserved it– “Refugee”, “Here Comes My Girl”, “Even the Losers” and “Don’t Do Me Like That”. When you look at the lyrics for most of these songs, they are not over written or particularly lengthy.  Petty finds an idea and with a quick, cool turn of phrase you are right in sync with his take on a situation. His uncanny ability to be both a participant and an observer of life  is why his music rings so true. You believe it and feel it.

I agree; the record is full of hits and breakout tracks because it very clearly paints a picture.  The way he speaks at the beginning of tracks like “Here Comes My Girl” or how he bluntly describes things and emotions allows people to relate to and connect with the music. The lyrics are so genuine and he seems so down to earth that it’s a breath of fresh air.

I really like the way the guitars and keyboards are layered to create this awesome sound. The song “Louisiana Rain” wasn’t a huge hit, but it has a cool harmonica line, an organ intro, a sweet acoustic guitar line, long sustained keyboard chords, and electric guitar riffs played with a slide. It very much has a country feel, but I really love it.

My top tracks for this one are “Even The losers” which has great, quick drum fills, “Refugee” and “Don’t Do Me Like That”.  However as I reviewed this album I was reminded that we lost Tom at the age of 66 this past year, which made me listen to more of their work – an impressive original artist who is sorely missed.

Damn the Torpedoes is number 315 on Rolling Stone Magazine 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

“Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes”