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"Jammin' Me" is a song by
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American Rock music, rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell (musician), Mike Campbell, ...
, co-written by
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the late ...
, and Mike Campbell. The
heartland rock Heartland rock is a genre of rock music characterized by a straightforward, often roots musical style, often with a focus on blue-collar workers, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment. The ...
tune first appeared on the band's 1987 album '' Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)'', and was later included on Petty's 'best of' albums ''
Playback Playback or Play Back may refer to: Film * ''Playback'' (1962 film), a British film in the ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' series * ''Playback'', a 1996 film starring Shannon Whirry * ''Playback'' (2012 film), an American horror film by Michael A. N ...
'' and '' Anthology: Through the Years''.


Background and lyrics

In a November 2003 interview with ''Songfacts'', guitarist Mike Campbell explained the song's origins: On the True Confessions tour between Petty and Dylan (who both later became members of the Traveling Wilburys), they collaborated on this track which became the opening song on the album. The song is about a man "overwhelmed by the volume of disconnected 'news' generated in the disinformation age" containing a "laundry list" of 1980s celebrities such as
Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...
, Joe Piscopo, and Vanessa Redgrave, and "the apple in young Steve's eye" referring to
Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; ...
at Apple Inc., among others. It follows in line with an ongoing theme throughout the album of people "who are reeling from media assaults and shattered relationships", but have a strong desire to survive in order to make sense of the world. Some lyrics came from Dylan and Petty picking words out of a newspaper and off the television. Petty later commented that "the verse about Eddie Murphy, that was all Bob ylan Which embarrassed me a little bit because I remember seeing Eddie Murphy on TV really pissed off about it. I had nothing against Eddie Murphy or Vanessa Redgrave. What ylanwas talking about was media overload and being slammed with so many things at once. And times were changing; there weren't four television channels anymore."


Release and reception

"Jammin' Me" was released as the first single from ''Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)'' in 1987, reaching No. 1 in the '' Billboard''
Album Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...
chart, as well as No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It became Petty's third single to hit No. 1 on the Album Rock (later known as Mainstream Rock) chart and stayed there for four weeks; previous songs to top this chart were " The Waiting" in 1981 and " You Got Lucky" in 1982. Whitburn, Joel (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 490. Critics were generally favorable towards the single with
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
comparing it to the
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
song " Start Me Up", saying "the fabulous groove is positively infectious". ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' complimented Petty and Campbell's "raw guitar chords" and Benmont Tench's "honky-tonk piano fills". '' Cash Box'' said it features a "]strong, earnest vocal and a gritty, guitar-based production." The song became a standard in Petty's live sets with "astounding results", though it was not actually played as often as other songs which remained more popular. When "Jammin' Me" was performed during the Heartbreakers' impressive multi-performances at the Fillmore in 1997 and 1999, Petty played lead guitar, rather than Campbell. Despite the high chart position, the song failed to appear on the 1993 release '' Greatest Hits (Tom Petty album), Greatest Hits'', but did appear on the compilations ''
Playback Playback or Play Back may refer to: Film * ''Playback'' (1962 film), a British film in the ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' series * ''Playback'', a 1996 film starring Shannon Whirry * ''Playback'' (2012 film), an American horror film by Michael A. N ...
'' and '' Anthology: Through the Years'', as well as the posthumous collection '' The Best of Everything''.


Personnel

*
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the late ...
- lead and backing vocals * Mike Campbell - lead and rhythm guitars, bass guitar, percussion *
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 M ...
- piano, organ *
Stan Lynch Stanley Joseph "Stan" Lynch (born May 21, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the original drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for 18 years until his departure in 1994. Early years Lynch was born in ...
- drums, percussion


Charts


References

{{authority control 1987 singles Tom Petty songs Songs written by Bob Dylan Songs written by Tom Petty Songs written by Mike Campbell (musician) 1987 songs