Hey everyone, I was just sitting around listening to "Free Fallin'" and I started thinking about which song is Tom Petty's most famous song. I don't really know what one I would say his most famous one is, but I'd like to hear what you guys have to think about it.

I think its one of these 3:American Girl,I Wont Back Down or Free Fallin`

Free Fallin'
It is not my favorite, but everybody loves it.

Mary Jane's Last Dance is my favorite song.

I couldn't believe he sang "it's good to be king" wed. nite. It was soooo good!

most famous? either American Girl, Free Fallin', or Runnin'Down A Dream

my favorite? I don't even want to try to think of that

well the other day my friend wanted to hear stuff so i showed him free fallin, immediately knew that, then i picked american girl, i wont back down, then refugee. he didnt know those but he knew runnin down a dream cuz it was in a video game....

I think 'You get me high' is the best. Yeah, I do.

Free Fallin' hands down. Everyone knows that song, even people who aren't necessarily fans.

'American Girl' and 'I Won't Back Down' or 'Runnin' Down A Dream'.... Driving music as far as I'm concerned....

I would have said "Refugee."

It's not my favourite but I always assumed it was his best-known and, arguably, his most popular song.

Free Fallin (when I told I friend that I was going to see Petty she said, "that's the guy who does free falling) and when i was walking to my car from the berkely show one of the students asked who was playing, and someone said "tom petty" and the student asked if he played free falling. Also, people who watched Jerry McGuire will always remember the part where Tom Cruise sings it in the car.

I would say Free Fallin. I once saw this little kid wearing a "50 Cent" t-shirt at a resteraunt. Free Fallin came on and I swear to you that kid knew every single word.It shocked the hell out of me.

yeah, EVERYONE seems to know Free Fallin. But American Girl has certainly gotten it's share of radio play...it's become a Fourth of July standard

quote:

Originally posted by pettyrebelette:
yeah, EVERYONE seems to know Free Fallin. But American Girl has certainly gotten it's share of radio play...it's become a Fourth of July standard

Very true...over here they play it often near the 4th of July.

younger people know the "Joint" song as they commonly refer to it -- when I tell my students that I like Tom thats always their response ~~ so I guess it could be an age thing as to which song is the most popular among which age group

Well I hope it's not "the joint song"; I've never thought that "stoner band" was at all the right label for these guys, though maybe that was a temporary phase during the lame Rick Rubin era. My guess is that the most famous song - to the extent there is one - is probably "American Girl", "Free Fallin" or "Refugee"; although the one I hear the most often outside of radio is "The Waiting" (e.g. during "instant replay" sports reviews, news footage of people standing in line, etc.).

The great thing here I think is that there is no one "famous" song, there are many, and of course a huge number of great songs not known to the casual radio listener. Think of the Beatles, what is their most famous song? I'm not sure there is one. Not one-hit wonders. Then there are bands like "? and the Mysterians", which if anyone has heard of them at all, 100% of those who do know that band's name would say "96 Tears". I think TP&HB are in better company with The Beatles in not really having one definitive famous song.

I would have to say i think "Free Fallin" is his most widely known song
because when people ask who tom petty is i will start naming off songs he sings and they wont know them until i get to free fallin
but then again "American Girl" in my opinion is not far behin it.

^ Same here. Free Fallin' and American Girl are two songs that are basically known by everyone. A lot of people tend to know Refugee also.

G'day everybody very first post.
Being of a younger generation and living in Australia it seem's quite simple as to hat are his biggest songs. Refugee, I won't Back Down, Learning to Fly and You Wreck Me are the only songs that i know of to still get airplay. To quiz anybody on a Tom Petty song usually responds with Refugee (Older generation, I Won't back Down or Yor Wreck me (Younger generation). You Wreck Me has become a popular cover song and still appeals to new listners.

When i try to convince a friend to listen to some Tom Petty it would normly be by playing You Wreck Me.

I however could not name my most favourite as they are all good.

At Who2 theyClaim his most famous hit to be 'Breakdown'! I wouldn't have said this but hey they did.

http://www.who2.com/tompetty.html