King Of The Hill by Roger McGuinn

Album: Back From Rio (1990)

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Songfacts®:

Tom Petty joined McGuinn in writing and performing this song, which was released as a single and video. Petty's affinity for singing like McGuinn had been well documented and this song offers a fascinating example of the two soundalikes trading verses. For the non-initiated, it may be hard to tell where McGuinn ends and Petty begins. >>
Suggestion credit:
Kevin - Reading, PA

Comments: 7

.mikeOutstanding! Great story!
William from UsaIt's the winged goddess of retribution - Nemesis - who's "following him down for the kill". In other words, as the King of the Hill falls from grace due to his self-serving lifestyle, Nemesis, with the "high lonesome sound" of a hawk's hunting cry, swoops to follow his downward trajectory and will strike for the kill as with a wounded dove.
Mb from UsaMuch of the meaning is portrayed in the official video which seems to have been removed from the internet. I could not recently locate it anywhere.

"White blinding light and feeling like the king of the hill" are feelings (the rush) a Wall Street business bigwig gets from either using cocaine, using and selling it, or laundering money for some group of unsavory people. In the video, this Wall Street character seems to have gotten involved with embezzling money from the wrong people such as the mafia possibly, while laundering drug money for them through investments, but skimming off the top for himself. In the end, "the crystal is cracked and there is blood on the wall" was the aftermath of the main characters' shady, high-flying lifestyle when the people he stole from or screwed up a shady business deal for make him disappear mob-style. "In a green Gucci Bag are your prized possessions" likely refers to the cocaine he is using and/or dealing and possibly bricks of skimmed mob money. This is the story the song tells, and fits the rest of the lyrics. Use your imagination.
Jared Doerr from UtahIt is fairly easy to identify Tom Petty's crappy voice in this track.
AnonymousAbout a money scammer - true story - who bilked millions.
Eli. from Living Room Basement When I Blow The Dust Out My KlipschsCouple questions please? What the white lite? That room down the hall a BR? Bath? Whose blood? and finally, we know she follow him down for the kill, so she kill he? Who kill who? Who he who she, whose goddamn blood and why he blow off the whole party in that room in the first place? Other than a need to sort out a few things, one of the greatest songs ever. Am I missing a happy ending or anything else? Thanks
Niles from Belpre, Ohsome amazing sounds come out of his 12 string guitar

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