Tom Petty Would Have Been At Home in Colorado
Rock fans are still mourning the death of the late great Tom Petty. Did you know that several of his biggest hits had weed references?
Even though Tom lived in Malibu, California it appears Tom would have been right at home in Colorado. California has a history of being one of the more cannabis tolerant states. It was first to decriminalized marijuana in 1975 and also becoming the first to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. However, it wasn't until the passing of Proposition 64 on November 8th, 2016 did the recreational use of marijuana for adults become legal. With, or without, the approval of the law Tom enjoyed lighting up having what he called "a pipeline of marijuana since 1967." It's should come at no surprise he included his fondness for the herb in many of his biggest hits.
We all know "Mary Jane's Last Dance", which is actually more of a goodbye love song than a weed tune. Another obvious track is “You Don’t Know How it Feels” from his 1994 solo album “Wildflowers” and its line: “So let’s get to the point, let’s roll another joint…” I remember playing the track on the radio having the words edited out. Even MTV at the time wouldn't air the word "joint" in the video. The edit didn't slow its success. The song spent 22 weeks on the Hot 100 rock charts.
Besides the aforementioned, other Tom Petty weed tunes include, "U Get Me High", "Girl on LSD", and "Tweeter and The Monkey Man", just to name a few.
Rest in peace, Mr. Petty. Your songs will live forever but there is no replacing you. We will miss you and we're confident you enjoyed your many visits to Colorado, including your last two. Those two sold-out shows at Red Rocks just this past May 29th and 30th.
Credit: The Cannabist