Well, the moon sank as the wind blew
And the streetlights slowly died
Slowly closing his eyes, he leaned his head back, and she was behind him.
They call you the wild one, said stay away from her
Said she could love no one if she tried
Her arms wrapped tight around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder, her weight pressed against him.
But then something I saw in your eyes
Told me right away that you were gonna have to be mine
The wide night sky lit by the full moon. The inky velvet water catching the starlight.
When the strangest feeling came over me
Down inside
They leaned into the turn, coming up onto the bridge. He felt her relax and hold tighter as he accelerated. There was nothing better, nothing else in the world for him.
No matter what it takes
I’ll never get over how good it felt
The bridge inclined; she leaned back, her arms loosening from his waist to linger at his hips. He knew what she wanted. He wanted to be the one to give it to her.
When you finally held me
I will never regret
She stood up behind him as they crested the bridge. He was one with the bike, the grooves in the bridge; holding steady, building speed for her. She took off her jacket. Arms outstretched, she let go. The jacket whipped upwards then floated high above them.
Baby, those few hours they grow in my head forever
She was flying.
It was too bad but I want you to know I understand
Her laughter was stolen by the biting wind before it reached his ears. He flew them into the darkness, surrounded by shards of light. Her skin softly lit against the black sky and deep silky water.
Yeah, it’s been a long time but I don’t mind
Yeah, it’s alright, I understand
Breathing in, the dull ache in his chest turning sharp, holding his breath as the sensation grew deeper. He played the chords and accelerated — deeper, sharper; he kept her there.
Because something I saw in your eyes
Told me right away that you were gonna have to be mine
When the strangest feeling came over me down inside
The car horn blared outside.
I knew right away I will never get over how good it felt
When you finally kissed me, I will never regret
He exhaled, dropping the chair back to the floor. Opening his eyes, he reached for the bottle of Jack Daniel’s. He poured into his coffee mug and let the quick burn guide him back. Another.
Baby, those few hours may grow in my head forever
Getting up, he grabbed his tool belt and opened the door. Momentarily blinded by the sunlight, he braced himself. “Hey man, what the hell!” Jimmy was hollering about something.
And ever
His boots hit the concrete.
.
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This is a revision of one of my favorite stories I first published here.
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[Lyrics in italics, from: “The Wild One, Forever,” by Tom Petty. Original release: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]
Video posted to youtube by user Tom Petty on MV.
Purchase song or album here.
_________
Copyright Disclaimer:
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as comment, criticism, scholarship, teaching, research and news reporting. Fair use is a use permitted.
“Fair Use” guidelines: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
_________
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An album that’s deserving of its place on the 1001 list – nice to see it appear in a post that also deserves to be read!
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It is a great album, isn’t it?
Thank you, I’m glad you like it.
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Lovely stuff Danica.
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Thank you, Joe.
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One of my all-time favorite TP songs, if not my favorite, baby (I think I already mentioned that). What inspired this revision?
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Mine too! Yes, I remember you mentioned it before.
There are some earlier stories where I posted the story and song separately. I wanted to combine them in one post to reduce the need to click around.
I also love this particular performance of this song. Is it a bit slower than the studio version?
Then, I’ve been considering what to do (if anything) with earlier stories. My writing style has changed in these posts, there’s more dialogue now. I wanted to explore whether a different spin on the same story would be interesting. I found that I didn’t want to change much about this one. These two don’t need to talk. 🙂
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Yes, it is definitely slower, and a much more laid back vibe with the acoustic guitar and piano. Plus, no drums. Very nice.
“These two don’t need to talk.” Right. There’s enough going on there, sans dialogue. I love it.
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Good to know I wasn’t the only one to hear a difference. I prefer this version although the original is wonderful.
I’m so glad you think dialogue isn’t necessary. Thank you for loving it, Kevin. 🙂
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Your writing + Tom’s music = a win-win combination!
Cheers!
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Thanks very much, Brad! 🙂
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U r most welcome!
U r a delight, Danica! 🙂
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RIP, Tom Petty. So sad. 😦
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It’s so sad, Kevin. I don’t usually post tributes, but I’m thinking of one.
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If you do, I’m sure it will be appropriate and excellent. We’ve lost so many just over the past two years. It’s a strange feeling of loss. We still have everything we had of him before he died, which is the music, of course. It’s his family and friends than suffered a real loss. But it still feels like losing a long-time friend.
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Thank you for your vote of confidence and I hope you’re right. Yes, it’s a strange and real feeling of loss. It’s more than sentimentality or nostalgia and, as you say, like losing a long-time friend. His music is so inspired and prolific that it reached many people on a very personal level. He struck a chord that resonated through American rock and roll. To have his voice silenced is a real loss.
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