“The Devil’s just blowing smoke. If you listen to that, there’s just a bunch of noise. There’s no melody to it, there’s no nothing.” »read more
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Mike Campbell, guitarist for The Heartbreakers, wrote the music for this and gave Petty the demo. Tom held it for a while and didn't do anything with it until one day when he was working with Bob Dylan. They came up with some lyrics by picking words out of a newspaper and off the television. Tom pulled out Mike's demo, and they inserted those words over the track.
Many of Petty's songs start as demos written by Campbell. Mike also wrote the tracks for Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer" and "The Heart Of The Matter," and helped Petty produce this album. (Thanks to Mike Campbell for speaking with us about this song. Read his full interview in the Songfacts Interviews. Learn more at tompetty.com.)
In 1986, the band toured with Bob Dylan in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, which led to Dylan's contribution on this song. In 1988, Petty and Dylan played together in The Traveling Wilburys, a band whose other members were Jeff Lynne, George Harrison and Roy Orbison.
In the lyrics, Petty mentions various places and events that were in the news and getting constant media exposure. Actors Vanessa Redgrave, Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy also show up.
More songs by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
More songs about television
Comments:
THE most underrated Heartbreakers song ever...just hard rocking jangly guitars, great backbeat with a killer vocal by Tom. Sadly, this song is never heard on radio anymore. I always request it and the DJ always says "YES! Wow, GREAT RECORD!" or similar.
- john, Grand Island, NY
I heard this song pissed off Eddie Murphy...So that makes it pretty damn good in my book.
- Jami, Redding, CA
Underated Tom Petty song from the summer of 1987!
- Lance, Pittsburgh, PA
Peaked at #18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1987. "Jammin' Me" also spent four weeks at #1 on the Album Rock Charts.
- Eugene, Minneapolis, MN