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She’s The One
I bought the soundtrack because I loved its signature song, “Walls,” which appears on the soundtrack twice. “Walls (Circus)” includes damn near eleventy people singing on it and probably thirty billion guitar and keyboard tracks. But no matter how much Rick Rubin tries to drown it in production, the song refuses to let its simple hook succumb. I’m not sure why the song so affects me. Petty’s lyric, “You’ve got a heart so big, it could crush this town” might be the key. That little hook takes me in a bunch of different directions. I’ve included it on more than one mix tape for more than one girl, and it’s never meant quite the same thing. But maybe it is the production that lends it such immediacy. The second version, “Walls (No. 3),” is stripped down and features a more relaxed vocal from Petty. It’s terrible. It sounds like a rough mix that never got mastered, and it’s marred by a ridiculous harmonica solo. That’s not to say the song can’t be treated sparely. Josh Ritter’s acoustic version captures its middling pleasures pretty well:  Much as I love “Walls,” the rest of the record is where She’s the One draws its staying power. Petty’s albums have always been half-filler, half-killer. Since filler is sort of the nature of the soundtrack beast, She’s the One is stronger than it should be, despite the instrumentals and two versions each of the record’s strongest songs, “Walls” and “Angel Dream.” “Angel Dream” is probably the most direct love song Petty’s ever done, on a record that’s uncharacteristically personal and confessional. It’s impossible to say whether Petty was just trying to channel the movie or whether he used the soundtrack as a bucket for songs that didn’t appropriately maintain his usual distance.  It’s the covers that best capture the hurt and recrimination that seem to color the whole record. Lucinda Williams’s awesome “I Changed the Locks” is the most convincing rocker on the record, although Petty’s vocal doesn’t do much to communicate the vulnerability and bitterness of the original. Here’s Williams and Elvis Costello doing the song together. How’s that for vulnerable and bitter?  Petty fares better with an unexpected cover of “Asshole”, a song from Beck’s now classic One Foot in the Grave (easily my favorite Beck record that isn’t Midnite Vultures). My favorite thing about Petty’s version is the fact that freaking Lindsey Buckingham is singing backup. If I’m Beck circa 1996 and only famous for three years, this blows my Southern California mind.  She’s the One was kind of a return to form for the Heartbreakers. Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers were both great solo records. But sandwiched between them was the Jeff Lynne-produced Into the Great Wide Open. Except for “Learning to Fly,” I hated that record. Although the Heartbreakers were credited, it sounded like Full Moon Fever-lite, and the songwriting was dull, dull, dull. On my favorite She’s the One songs, “Grew up Fast” and (especially) “Hope You Never” the Heartbreakers sound like they got their balls back. And the lyrics are mean enough for an entirely different mix tape.
 I don’t know what Petty was thinking. Wasting all these songs on a soundtrack for some bland filmmaker’s second movie. But She’s the One isn’t a throw-away. It’s got some of my favorite Tom Petty songs ever. Maybe he thought he’d have plenty more classic tunes with which to stock his future records. He didn’t. She’s the One is the last good record he ever made. It’s also one of his most consistent. I can’t think of a single song he’s written since that sounds as good as the worst thing here. But he crapped out hit singles for 20 years, and that’s a pretty good run. Now I just wish I could find the CD to go with my She’s the One jewel box. I had to download these songs from Amazon just to write this post. Some records, though, I don’t mind buying twice. 7 comments to She’s The One |
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I once really knew, really knew, what it meant to love someone to pieces. Referring to the lyric you really like above.
You seriously think the Heartbreakers have balls on that song? It sounds like the drummer is about to fall off his seat snoring and everything else about it sounds muffled and above all else utterly boring especially that duh duh duh bass line.
I don’t get the tempo with the sentiment with the harmony. It just sounds like middle of the road americana fluff like most of Petty’s songbook.
I do seriously think.
We once covered Break Down in a Project Grimm show. It was genius.
Tom Petty’s balls look like raisins.
Uh… When did you see his balls? If you are publicly willing to admit that, then I guess I can come out and tell you that I think Nancy Wilson’s vagina IS a pock marked haunch of Limburger that was half infiltrated by gigantic maggots–that actually relocated from the Body Farm to enjoy her particularly rockin’ buffet. But apparently her velvet is soft and mild. In general Tom Petty reminds me of Sherman Oaks California, and that’s not a good thing.
There’s a bit of genius in Tom Petty as much as I hate to admit it. to myself, I guess. Because I have never liked him. He kind of looks like the walking dead to me. Which I guess is a lot like Sherman Oaks California.
A couple, friends of mine, went to see Tom Petty and bought the cheapest lawn seat tickets available, they brought blankets and sat down, and then someone came to them from the Tom Petty crew and gave them front row tickets, saying that apparently Mr. Petty reserves some front row seats at every show to give away to people that buy lawn seats, then he sends some crew to pick the lucky ones that get to move up front. I thought that was pretty cool.
And tom petty maybe middle of the road americana, but he’s penned some very good songs in a very simple, no frills way. I totally admire that.