The Meaning Behind Wildflowers by Tom Petty

Tom Petty had a highly successful career spread over 40 years and involved him selling over 80 million records. He is most well-known for recording with the band Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. However, he also recorded as a solo artist and still found time to be an integral part of the incredibly talented group of musicians that became the Traveling Wilburys.

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He is probably best known for his hit single, “Free Fallin.” But, I think “Wildflowers” is equally important, although for very different reasons. Additionally, because the song was never released as a single, many people know little about it. So, hopefully, the meaning behind “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty will become a little clearer after reading this. 

Early Life and Career

The Meaning Behind “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty

Tom Petty was born in 1950 in Florida. He sadly passed away at age 66 in 2017 at his home in Santa Monica, California. Behind him, he left a huge catalog of music and a musical legacy that will be remembered for a long time to come. That is something I will cover shortly.

His interest in music was born from a story that frankly sounds like it was part of a Hollywood script. But, it is true. Tom Petty was just ten years old when his uncle took him to a movie set where he was working. It was 1961, and he met none other than the legendary Elvis Presley. Tom Petty has subsequently commented that Elvis absolutely shined and that his passion for music began at this point.

However, it wasn’t until a little while later, when he saw The Beatles on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” that Tom decided to pick up the guitar and try to get a band together. Also motivated by watching The Rolling Stones, it wasn’t long before he became a highly competent guitarist and was ready to make his mark.

In the mid-1970s… 

Tom Petty got his first band together called Epics. This later morphed into Mudcrutch, but the band failed to garner any noticeable success. They did, however, manage to get one record out, which was called “Depot Street” and was released in 1975 by Shelter Records. 

It failed to chart, and shortly after, Mudcrutch disbanded. Petty then decided to get another band together, and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were formed. The original lineup comprised Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and Ron Blair.

Tom Petty continued making music with The Heartbreakers right up to his death in 2017. However, he also made three solo albums whilst still recording with The Heartbreakers. It was on the second album that featured the single “Wildflowers,” which I will cover in the next section.

Chart Success

Chart Success

When Tom recorded with The Heartbreakers, the band in total released 13 studio albums. The first was the self-titled Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. It was released in 1976 and made a good start to their recording career. It peaked at #55 in the US and #24 in the UK. Additionally, they earned a gold disc in America for their efforts.

Between 1977 to 1978, they released three singles from the album. However, their only 1978 release was a re-release of their debut single, “Breakdown.” When it first came out in 1976, it failed to chart. But, their second stab at things saw it get to #10 in the US and Canada, as well as #59 in Australia. 

The band continued to release a series of well-received albums… 

The best of these was Damn the Torpedoes, which was released in 1979 and went to #2 in the US. It also earned him three platinum discs in America and two in Canada.

He released four more studio albums with the band before the first Tom Petty solo albumFull Moon River, which hit the shops in 1989. It went to #3 in the US and #8 in the UK. Additionally, it became Tom Petty’s best-selling album. It went five times platinum in the US and six times platinum in Canada. Also from this album was possibly Tom Petty’s most iconic track, “Free Fallin.”

His follow-up album, Wildflowers, came out five years later. This was the record that produced “Wildflowers” as the opening track for the album. The album, like his previous solo release, sold strongly and again went multi-platinum in America and Canada.

So, how did the single chart and how did it sell?

The simple answer is it didn’t because, for some inexplicable reason, it was never released as a single. It would seem the obvious choice as the lead single, but “You Don’t Know How It Feels” was chosen instead. Despite being looked over as a single, it was still hugely popular as a live song. And the song has a fascinating meaning and history, which I will come to now.

Recording

The song, like the rest of the album, included just about all of The Heartbreakers as the featured musicians. This is despite both song and album being accredited to Tom Petty. The only change was the drummer. Just before recording “Wildflowers,” Tom Petty had sacked their longtime drummer, Stan Lynch. A frantic search was then mounted as Petty tried out several drummers before settling on Steve Ferrone.

Originally, Wildflowers had been intended to be a double album as Petty felt he had more than enough material for it. He had a total of 25 songs, to be precise, but ten of those didn’t make the cut. However, they were included in a posthumous album, Wildflowers & All the Rest, which was released in 2020 and features all the intended 25 songs.

Tom Petty thought up “Wildflowers” in his home recording studio. It was his place of solitude and where he spent most of his time when he wasn’t touring. When he was there, he could relax and write freely in the knowledge that he would never be disturbed. Once hunkered down, unless there was an earthquake or a fire, he knew that they would never be disturbed.

The song is composed of a basic Folk chord progression… 

…but with a bit of Country thrown into the mix. When interviewed about the recording, Petty explained that he put together the entire track, in his studio, in less than five minutes. Remarkably, the entire song was ad-libbed from start to finish. He recorded it onto tape in one take, and that was that.

Apparently, Tom kept going back to it and listening over and over, but there was nothing he wanted to add or take away. Subsequently, the entire song was laid down in less time than it takes most bands these days to put in their coffee orders. With all that said, let’s look at the meaning behind “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty.

Lyrics and Meaning

Lyrics and Meaning

So, what is the meaning behind Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers”? The song is an idealized view of how the world should be. It is a four-minute piece of music dedicated to love, life, family, and freedom. It’s a romantic and sentimental kind of song that reminds us of all the beautiful things that are right there within our grasp.

Before this song was written, Tom Petty had plenty of turbulent years. Perhaps this was a cathartic moment that represented him moving on. Finally, leaving all his previous troubles behind him, and embracing a new and happy life. The song is like his version of how he wants the world to be rather than how the world is. 

Let’s face it; there are and were plenty of singers depressing us all about the harsh realities of life. Therefore, this comes as a welcome change from the often drab music coming out in the same era. I see this song as an anthem for pleasanter things and a much-needed Anti-Grunge song. I commend Tom Petty for it and wish there were a lot more songs like it.

Want To Learn The Meaning Behind Other Famous Songs?

If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili PeppersThe Meaning Behind “Summer of ‘69” by Bryan AdamsThe Meaning Behind “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” By Tom Petty, the Meaning Of “Blinded By The Light” By Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, and The Meaning Behind “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele for more insights and analysis.

The Meaning Behind “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty – Final Thoughts

I have always liked Tom Petty and his music, whether as a solo artist or with a band. I think his lyrics and experiences speak to many of us. Consequently, he will be an important part of his fans’ lives. That includes me.

Finally, I hope my look at the meaning behind Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” has given you a better understanding of the song. I also hope that this has given you a better appreciation of the artist behind it.

If you have anything you would like to add about the man and his music, or if there is something you disagree with, make sure you let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, happy listening.

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