"I Should Have Known It" is a song by

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer S ...

from their 2010 album ''

Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

''. It was included on

Petty Petty may refer to: People * Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist * Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player * Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host * Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Amer ...

's 2019 posthumous

greatest hits album A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' The Best of Everything''. The song has been described as a great rocker with a riff in Led Zeppelin's style.

Recording

Tom Petty and Mike Campbell recorded ''I Should Have Known It'' on January 7, 2010 at The Clubhouse in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. This song was presumably written about a girlfriend of Tom's where the relationship was on the rocks. Petty's long-time lead guitarist Mike Campbell told ''Jam! Music'' that the blues-based album where the single was included was inspired by the sound of his recently acquired sunburst '59 Les Paul. "I got a new guitar which is actually an old guitar," he said. "It's the classic Jimmy Page, Peter Green, Eric Clapton-era guitar. There were only 500 or 600 of them made that year. There's just something about the harmonic overtones in it when I picked it up and plugged it in, it immediately had that classic British blues sound. He recorded "I Should Have Known It" using a 1959 Les Paul Sunburst, with a backing rhythm by

Scott Thurston Scott Troy Thurston (born January 10, 1952) is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He was a member of the Stooges, and of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sang harmony vocals and played guitar, bass, k ...

who recorded with an

Epiphone Sheraton The Epiphone Sheraton is a thinline semi-hollow body electric guitar. Though the Sheraton and all its variations were introduced under the ownership of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, Epiphone is the exclusive manufacturer. History Under the own ...

Ron Blair Ronald Edward Blair (born September 16, 1948 in San Diego, California) is an American musician notable for being the bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He was originally the band's bassist from 1976 to 1981. In 2002, he returned to the ...

, bassist for the Heartbreakers recorded this song with a 1959

Precision Bass The Fender Precision Bass (often shortened to "P-Bass") is a model of electric bass guitar manufactured by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In its standard, post-1957 configuration, the Precision Bass is a solid body, four-stringed instrume ...

and

Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin ...

recorded the song using a Steinway Grand Piano. Although Petty often played an extra guitar during the song, he was only credited for vocals and several percussion instruments.

Charts

In concert

"I Should Have Known It" became the most enduring live song among Petty's more recent material. Petty kept playing it until his death in 2017. It has been played live 188 times.

References

{{TPHeartbreakers 2010 songs Songs written by Tom Petty Songs written by Mike Campbell (musician) Tom Petty songs