Mary Jane's Last Dance. Why Is It Covered So Much?

[Paul in Colorado]

Why is it when a band plays a Tom Petty song, they do "Last Dance with Mary Jane?" It's not even among the top 20 of his best songs IMHO.

 

[haggardfan1]

Maybe because a lot of people regard it as a cool song, and it's not especially difficult for a band to play? I don't know--I've always thought of it as a similar cover to "Cocaine"-- not quite as easy or as overdone by bar bands, but a crowd pleaser and fun for the musicians.

I do agree he has better songs.

 

[brookdalebill]

Tom didn’t write any duds, IMO.
It’s fun to play, though not many harpmonica players seem to know it.
The guitar solo is cool.
Sure miss Tom, I did not see his loss coming.

 

[Sollipsist]

Why do people know "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" better than most of Dylan's arguably more accomplished songs?

That's my guess anyway...

 

[chemobrain]

Why is it when a band plays a Tom Petty song, they do "Last Dance with Mary Jane?" It's not even among the top 20 of his best songs IMHO.

Because.

 

[schmee]

It's a cool song, but I don't hear anyone cover it anymore, it's a bit well worn by now. But 10 years ago, yes. It seems to get as much, or more, air play on classic rock radio as any TP song though.

 

[Derwood]

I think it's a great song. And a good job on the harmonica part impresses people.

 

[bgmacaw]

Catchy murder ballad esque lyrics with a semi-veiled drug reference.

 

[1293]

Can't say I've heard it.

 

[studio1087]

We cover.…..

Last Dance with Mary Jane
You Wreck Me
Listen to Her Heart
Great Wide Open
Free Falling

So there! We enjoy Tom and Mike!

 

[McGlamRock]

I think that song was a generational crossover. It appealed to old farts and young whippersnappers alike. Well that was my experience; all my friends liked it and my parents like it.
I really regret that I'll never be able to see TP & The HBs live

 

[soulgeezer]

Three chords and the melody covers about a major third. ‘Nuff said!

 

[SixStringSlinger]

I think it's also one of those progressions you can keep playing and solo over forever. Maybe Runnin' Down a Dream is like that, too. Something like American Girl, though, is kind of set in stone.

 

[studio1087]

Here's the cheat sheet from our band google docs page. It doesn't take long to put together. We keep it iPad friendly. Steve (our other guitar player) is a dynamite harp player. That's probably the hardest thing.

 

[Wallo Tweed]

It's a song that goes over well, and people can dance to it.
I was in a band for 9 years that had a good harp player, and we did it and You Wreck Me. The band I have been in for 5 years, doesn't have a harp player, and do it and Running Down a Dream, Won't Back Down, and Breakdown. Sometimes Learning to fly. We usually only do 3 TP songs at a gig, but we always do Mary Jane and Runnin Down a Dream
As stated earlier Tom Petty songs appeal to a broad age range.

 

[jrblue]

People smoke a lot of weed, the song is easy to play... audiences like their substance use to be condoned. I hear Free Fallin' and American Girl just as much, though. Loving Tom Petty and having seen him live maybe a dozen times, it's hard for me to listen to others doing his songs, though I guess it's a good thing that they last. Great musician; awesome, awesome band.

 

[cyclopean]

i have never once heard a band cover that.

 

[Nubs]

Ahh but who does it in the true tuning of 440? I bet most just play it in standard Am.

 

[Wrong-Note Rod]

because its ridiculously easy to play and people seem to dig it?

 

[StrangerNY]

We cover.…..

Last Dance with Mary Jane
You Wreck Me
Listen to Her Heart
Great Wide Open
Free Falling

So there! We enjoy Tom and Mike!

We do

You Wreck Me
Listen To Her Heart
I Need To Know

Mary Jane is still on the conditional list in case someone requests it, but we don't do it on the regular any more.

For a short time we were doing a mashup of 'Mary Jane' and 'Dani California' by RHCP. Apparently, they liked playing that Petty song enough to steal it.

- D