Stop Draggin' My Heart Around

Album: Bella Donna (1981)
Charted: 50 3
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  • Baby you'll come knocking on my front door
    Same old line you used to use before
    I said yeah, well, what am I supposed to do?
    I didn't know what I was getting into

    So you've had a little trouble in town
    Now you're keeping some demons down

    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my heart around

    It's hard to think about what you've wanted
    It's hard to think about what you've lost
    This doesn't have to be the big get even
    This doesn't have to be anything at all

    I know you really want to tell me goodbye
    I know you really want to be your own girl

    Baby you could never look me in the eye
    Yeah you buckle with the weight of the words

    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my heart around

    There's people running 'round loose in the world
    Ain't got nothing better to do
    Make a meal of some bright eyed kid
    You need someone looking after you

    I know you really want to tell me goodbye
    I know you really want to be your own girl

    Baby, you could never look me in the eye
    Yeah you buckle with the weight of the words

    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my
    Stop draggin' my heart around

    Stop draggin' my heart around

    Stop draggin' my heart around (hey, hey, hey)

    Stop draggin' my heart around (hey, hey, hey)

    Stop draggin' my heart around Writer/s: Michael W. Campbell, Tom Petty
    Publisher: Gone Gator Music, Wixen Music Publishing
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 15

  • Under The Tree Bob from Tucson, AzAnybody who was around in the seventies thought Stevie was the most beautiful woman alive and I still think she is. She also can do a duet with anybody and make em sound great. I’ve spent time in A Capella choirs since I was thirteen and have been fortunate to sing with a lot of women who sing great, but there is just one Stevie. I’m a Tom Petty fan as well. So sorry he has moved on, but I’m sure he’s in that great choir in Heaven
  • Jay Alenby from DenverThis story is not consistent with other stories about this song from the recording engineers. Tom Petty did not write this song for Stevie Nicks. He was pissed when Iovine gave it to Nicks. Tom Petty had already recorded the song weeks before Iovine asked Nicks to come into the studio to record vocals for it.
  • Eric from Camas, WaThe melody of the verses bears a strong resemblance to that of the verses of CSNY's "Ohio," the only real difference being the beat.
  • Chris from Alden, NyThis song was actualy inspired by Tom Pettys divorce from his wife, after she had taken him to court.
  • Musicmama from New York, NyHere's #10 on my all-time list. I've always loved Stevie Nicks' voice and the way she phrases songs: She's more like a jazz/blues singer, sort of a cross between Billie Holliday and Joni Mitchell. (If you like any of these singers, you should check out Madeleine Peyroux, if you haven't already!)




    In this song, I feel,l Nicks brought out a dimension to Tom Petty we didn't hear much on his work with the Heartbreakers. I mean, their work isn't shallow, but they never had to show quite the range of emotion we hear in this song. What this song (and Stevie) did for Tom Petty now makes me think of Sean Penn in the film "Dead Man Walking." Before "Dead Man" came out, everyone knew Sean had the talent and could do a "meaty" role. But he didn't have the opportunity to do that before "Dead Man." Likewise for Tom Petty and this song.




    Plus, this song showed just how well Tom could write: Again, I like much of what he did with the Heartbreakers, but I think this song expanded the range of what he could write--as well as sing.




    Major kudos to Stevie and Tom!
  • J from Pittsburgh, PaIn Carol Ann Harris' book, she says Lindsey Buckingham called this song "Stop Draggin My Career Around."
  • Dennis from Las Vegas, Nv"then gave the tape to Petty, saying, "You love this so much... YOU take the song." He did, and included it on Hard Promises...... um this aint on my copy of Hard promises......
  • Jeffrey Walton from Maui, Lahaina, HiI met Stevie at her mother Barbaras' House in Paradise Valley Arizona right before WILD HEART was released. Stevie was sitting at her Mothers Breakfast table drawing. It was about midnight and she was wearing legwarmers and the pupils of her eyes looked like black moons. The drawing was of a dragon with a tear in its eye holding a heart in its mouth. Hence the song "Stop draggin my Heart Around!
  • Steve from Torrance, CaStevie also sang on "You can still change your mind", which appears on Tom Petty's "Hard Promises" album with "Insider".
  • Karen from Homestead, FlI was a very jealous person back in the day. You are awesome. Thank you Stevie
  • Karen from Homestead, FlFinally, I have grown up enough to realize Tom and Stevie put perfect words together I'm now 38 and no longer bitter, Stevie you look and perform absolutly A1 Thank you for your beautiful words and voice. thanks, karen
  • Julian from Anaheim, CaI heard Tom and Stevie were doing more than singing together, if you KNOW what i mean. Anyways this is a killer song, it rocks.
  • Melissa from Seattle, Wai love this video for this song. tom worked with stevie on alot of other songs . l like the demo 24 karate gold.. ( which was never released) and a few more..
  • Lisa from Ball Ground, GaThe song that Stevie wrote as a thank you to Petty on Trouble in Shangri-La was "That Made Me Stronger."
  • Jessica from Saint Louis, MoWeird Al Yankovic did a parody of this song, "Stop Draggin' My Car Around."
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