Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers — Shadow People
Album: Hypnotic EyeAvg rating:
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Length: 6:24
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Shadow people, what's in their head?
In the car next to you, when the light turns red
Could be thinking of love, might be thinking of hate
I guess it pretty much could go either way
Shadow people, in shadow land
That one's thinking of great art
And eloquent words
That one's strapped on a gun
And joined up with the herd
That one's saving up water
Got some food stored away
For the war that is coming on the judgment day
Shadow people, in shadow land
And this one carries a gun for the USA
He's a 21st Century man
And he's scary as hell
'Cause when he's afraid
He'll destroy everything he don't understand
Well I ain't on the left
And I ain't on the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in this fight
In my time of need
In my time of grief
I feel like a shadow's falling over me
Like shadow people, in shadow land
Shadow people, in shadow land
Waiting for the sun to be straight overhead
'Til we ain't got no shadow at all
In the car next to you, when the light turns red
Could be thinking of love, might be thinking of hate
I guess it pretty much could go either way
Shadow people, in shadow land
That one's thinking of great art
And eloquent words
That one's strapped on a gun
And joined up with the herd
That one's saving up water
Got some food stored away
For the war that is coming on the judgment day
Shadow people, in shadow land
And this one carries a gun for the USA
He's a 21st Century man
And he's scary as hell
'Cause when he's afraid
He'll destroy everything he don't understand
Well I ain't on the left
And I ain't on the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in this fight
In my time of need
In my time of grief
I feel like a shadow's falling over me
Like shadow people, in shadow land
Shadow people, in shadow land
Waiting for the sun to be straight overhead
'Til we ain't got no shadow at all
Comments (69)add comment
unclehud wrote:
Reading it in April 2023, but I also hope someone reads this in the future. Putin is still being an ass in Ukraine.
It ain't just Putin that's being an arse...the US industrial complex, BlackRock, Cargill, and many other global US companies are hugely benefitting from this proxy US/NATO/Ukraine/Russia conflict...
Reading it in April 2023, but I also hope someone reads this in the future. Putin is still being an ass in Ukraine.
It ain't just Putin that's being an arse...the US industrial complex, BlackRock, Cargill, and many other global US companies are hugely benefitting from this proxy US/NATO/Ukraine/Russia conflict...
bruceandjenna wrote:
Reading it in April 2023, but I also hope someone reads this in the future. Putin is still being an ass in Ukraine.
More meaningful right now as Putin invades Ukraine and threatens nuclear war.
Hope that someone will read this in the future. If not, we had a good run.
Reading it in April 2023, but I also hope someone reads this in the future. Putin is still being an ass in Ukraine.
Indeed, I second this. The conflict in Ukraine was still 2 years away (provoked by
the secession of the Donbass regions after the Maidan coup). Why should
the US president not seek an understanding with Russia, which at the
time, was deemed a friendly country?
FWIW, politics are always worth discussing - key word - discussing. It is how disputes get resolved and solutions are found and wars are avoided (or ended). This is what adults do. Unfortunately our politicians and media critters do not seem to be adults and they are leading us to disaster.
Paul_S wrote:
I don't know why Hannio was writing about politics here but you guys attempted to refute him with a complete straw man. He said Obama offered flexibility on missile defense which is absolutely true. Reuters is not exactly known for loving Trump and they provide quotes proving Hannio correct.
Obama tells Russia's Medvedev more flexibility after election | Reuters
The PolitiFact article you linked to uses Ukraine as a straw man. "How could Obama have been offering concessions on Ukraine when there wasn't even a conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the time". Hannio never said anything about Ukraine. He said missile defense.
Instead of calling people names and h8ing we should have respectful adult conversations.
the secession of the Donbass regions after the Maidan coup). Why should
the US president not seek an understanding with Russia, which at the
time, was deemed a friendly country?
FWIW, politics are always worth discussing - key word - discussing. It is how disputes get resolved and solutions are found and wars are avoided (or ended). This is what adults do. Unfortunately our politicians and media critters do not seem to be adults and they are leading us to disaster.
Paul_S wrote:
I don't know why Hannio was writing about politics here but you guys attempted to refute him with a complete straw man. He said Obama offered flexibility on missile defense which is absolutely true. Reuters is not exactly known for loving Trump and they provide quotes proving Hannio correct.
Obama tells Russia's Medvedev more flexibility after election | Reuters
The PolitiFact article you linked to uses Ukraine as a straw man. "How could Obama have been offering concessions on Ukraine when there wasn't even a conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the time". Hannio never said anything about Ukraine. He said missile defense.
Instead of calling people names and h8ing we should have respectful adult conversations.
Tom Petty, the best !!!!
More meaningful right now as Putin invades Ukraine and threatens nuclear war.
Hope that someone will read this in the future. If not, we had a good run.
Hope that someone will read this in the future. If not, we had a good run.
Tippster wrote:
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
I may be wrong, but I suggest to not using RP for politically motivated discussions, even though music, arts and culture in general cannot (and should not) be apolitical! All you need is love…
Long live RP!
Chris / Hamburg / Germany :)
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
I may be wrong, but I suggest to not using RP for politically motivated discussions, even though music, arts and culture in general cannot (and should not) be apolitical! All you need is love…
Long live RP!
Chris / Hamburg / Germany :)
rnflynn wrote:
While my toes remain decidedly un-curled, I agree that this is nowhere near Mr. Petty's best work.
this is toe curlingly awful
While my toes remain decidedly un-curled, I agree that this is nowhere near Mr. Petty's best work.
rnflynn wrote:
Well , it's bad, but maybe not that bad.
Reserve that kind of awful for Counting Crows, et al.
this is toe curlingly awful
Well , it's bad, but maybe not that bad.
Reserve that kind of awful for Counting Crows, et al.
h8rhater wrote:
Those with their heads firmly up their own arse will be just that ignorant no matter how many facts that they are presented with. Thanks for trying, though.
I don't know why Hannio was writing about politics here but you guys attempted to refute him with a complete straw man. He said Obama offered flexibility on missile defense which is absolutely true. Reuters is not exactly known for loving Trump and they provide quotes proving Hannio correct.
Obama tells Russia's Medvedev more flexibility after election | Reuters
The PolitiFact article you linked to uses Ukraine as a straw man. "How could Obama have been offering concessions on Ukraine when there wasn't even a conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the time". Hannio never said anything about Ukraine. He said missile defense.
Instead of calling people names and h8ing we should have respectful adult conversations.
Those with their heads firmly up their own arse will be just that ignorant no matter how many facts that they are presented with. Thanks for trying, though.
I don't know why Hannio was writing about politics here but you guys attempted to refute him with a complete straw man. He said Obama offered flexibility on missile defense which is absolutely true. Reuters is not exactly known for loving Trump and they provide quotes proving Hannio correct.
Obama tells Russia's Medvedev more flexibility after election | Reuters
The PolitiFact article you linked to uses Ukraine as a straw man. "How could Obama have been offering concessions on Ukraine when there wasn't even a conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the time". Hannio never said anything about Ukraine. He said missile defense.
Instead of calling people names and h8ing we should have respectful adult conversations.
rnflynn wrote:
this is toe curlingly awful
this is toe curlingly awful
His vocals are totally recognizable but with the music he frequently mixes it up. Miss this.
Dang if not Prescient today, 6 years later...
xray38 wrote:
Then show him (his memory) the decency of spelling his name out.
'TP' is something entirely different to most of us.
As someone who was raised in FL in the 70's and 80's, and has listened to Petty since his first lp - my first concert, too - I can say that alot of us old timers have referred to him as TP, and I doubt he would give a shit. pun intended.
Then show him (his memory) the decency of spelling his name out.
'TP' is something entirely different to most of us.
As someone who was raised in FL in the 70's and 80's, and has listened to Petty since his first lp - my first concert, too - I can say that alot of us old timers have referred to him as TP, and I doubt he would give a shit. pun intended.
Tippster wrote:
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
Those with their heads firmly up their own arse will be just that ignorant no matter how many facts that they are presented with. Thanks for trying, though.
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
Those with their heads firmly up their own arse will be just that ignorant no matter how many facts that they are presented with. Thanks for trying, though.
absolutely killer groove. damn, I miss this guy
surfrider4life wrote:
Then show him (his memory) the decency of spelling his name out.
'TP' is something entirely different to most of us.
T.P's passing so abruptly was never one I saw coming !
Tragic, for it
was indeed the loss of an Iconic American Songwriter/Rocker!
Tragic, for it
was indeed the loss of an Iconic American Songwriter/Rocker!Then show him (his memory) the decency of spelling his name out.
'TP' is something entirely different to most of us.
Hannio wrote:
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Are you old enough to read and comprehend this, troll?
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/nov/14/obamas-hot-mic-moment-russian-president-2012-was-u/
I wonder if the Shadow People hang with Eleanor Rigby and all the lonely people.
Tom Petty - immer wieder gut!
Hannio wrote:
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Take your worthless and shallow political opinion somewhere else KOOK : <
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Take your worthless and shallow political opinion somewhere else KOOK : <
T.P's passing so abruptly was never one I saw coming !
Tragic, for it was indeed the loss of an Iconic American Songwriter/Rocker!
Tragic, for it
was indeed the loss of an Iconic American Songwriter/Rocker!Post-Petty
VioletBuddha wrote:
Yes, BO ran a good tech-savvy campaign. But Russian bots and troll farms weren't helping his campaign and the campaign didn't collude with Russia like 45 did. 45's campaign was warned by the FBI about Russian interference but the campaign, demonstrating a complete lack of patriotism, didn't turn over any info abut being contacted by the Russians.
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Yes, BO ran a good tech-savvy campaign. But Russian bots and troll farms weren't helping his campaign and the campaign didn't collude with Russia like 45 did. 45's campaign was warned by the FBI about Russian interference but the campaign, demonstrating a complete lack of patriotism, didn't turn over any info abut being contacted by the Russians.
I'm so old I can remember when a republican candidate for president was laughed to scorn for suggesting that Russians might still be a threat.
And then there is the time that Barack Obama on a hot mic not only got caught reiterating to a Russian leader the conditions of Putin-Obama election-cycle collusion, but he also spelled out the exact quid pro quo: promised Russian quietude abroad during Obama’s reelection campaign in exchange for “flexibility” (i.e., cancellation) of U.S.-Eastern European missile-defense projects. The media and the FBI were curiously incurious about that.
Hannio wrote:
BO was very much celebrated for running a tech savvy campaign in 2012 when his people helped themselves to Facebook data. But now it's a problem because "Hitler" did the same thing and won? Is it narrow minded to point that out?
You're going to be a very busy person, policing RP song comments for divisive political content. Unless, of course, you're only concerned about comments that lean in one particular direction.
Yes, BO ran a good tech-savvy campaign. But Russian bots and troll farms weren't helping his campaign and the campaign didn't collude with Russia like 45 did. 45's campaign was warned by the FBI about Russian interference but the campaign, demonstrating a complete lack of patriotism, didn't turn over any info abut being contacted by the Russians.
BO was very much celebrated for running a tech savvy campaign in 2012 when his people helped themselves to Facebook data. But now it's a problem because "Hitler" did the same thing and won? Is it narrow minded to point that out?
You're going to be a very busy person, policing RP song comments for divisive political content. Unless, of course, you're only concerned about comments that lean in one particular direction.
Yes, BO ran a good tech-savvy campaign. But Russian bots and troll farms weren't helping his campaign and the campaign didn't collude with Russia like 45 did. 45's campaign was warned by the FBI about Russian interference but the campaign, demonstrating a complete lack of patriotism, didn't turn over any info abut being contacted by the Russians.
Laptopdog wrote:
Gee, thanks for sharing your narrow-minded and divisive politics here on RP. Just don't let it happen again.
BO was very much celebrated for running a tech savvy campaign in 2012 when his people helped themselves to Facebook data. But now it's a problem because "Hitler" did the same thing and won? Is it narrow minded to point that out?
You're going to be a very busy person, policing RP song comments for divisive political content. Unless, of course, you're only concerned about comments that lean in one particular direction.
Gee, thanks for sharing your narrow-minded and divisive politics here on RP. Just don't let it happen again.
BO was very much celebrated for running a tech savvy campaign in 2012 when his people helped themselves to Facebook data. But now it's a problem because "Hitler" did the same thing and won? Is it narrow minded to point that out?
You're going to be a very busy person, policing RP song comments for divisive political content. Unless, of course, you're only concerned about comments that lean in one particular direction.
could fold this into Hypnotized......................................................................
If I had only one parameter by which to recruit soul mates, the widest parameter possible, it would be that they dug Tom Petty. T.P. RIP.
Hannio wrote:
Yeah, I miss the days when Obama would do this stuff and nobody got upset. That and all the racial healing.
Gee, thanks for sharing your narrow-minded and divisive politics here on RP. Just don't let it happen again.
Yeah, I miss the days when Obama would do this stuff and nobody got upset. That and all the racial healing.
Gee, thanks for sharing your narrow-minded and divisive politics here on RP. Just don't let it happen again.
Stephen_Phillips wrote:
Yeah, I miss the days when Obama would do this stuff and nobody got upset. That and all the racial healing.
Shadow people in shadow land - very topical at the moment with Cambridge Analytica and Facebook conniving to undermine Democracy using the shadowy grey area of supposedly 'non-propaganda' methods to control people's thought processes.
Cambridge Analylica - apocalyptica more like.
Cambridge Analylica - apocalyptica more like.
Yeah, I miss the days when Obama would do this stuff and nobody got upset. That and all the racial healing.
Shadow people in shadow land - very topical at the moment with Cambridge Analytica and Facebook conniving to undermine Democracy using the shadowy grey area of supposedly 'non-propaganda' methods to control people's thought processes.
Cambridge Analylica - apocalyptica more like.
Cambridge Analylica - apocalyptica more like.
Tedious.
R.I.P. Another legend lost in 2017. What a devastating year for music....
kingart wrote:
Yep, that's pretty awful. Judging from the punctuation errors though, I think this is the product of some teenager with nothing better to do, who rushed to be the first to publish the lyrics when the song came out, and therefore just jotted down the first best thing that vaguely seemed to match. This is similar to the god awful movie subtitle files that can sometimes be found. Not sure whether Bill manually looks up these lyrics, or the RP website automatically fetches them from the usual lyrics websites, but even if it was done manually we couldn't blame anyone for not rigorously checking these lyrics that appear correct at a first glance.
It seems this lyric
When I aim at left
And I aimto the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in the spine
…
Must be the lyrics as heard by that stupid Suri iPhone voice app
When I aim at left
And I aimto the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in the spine
…
Must be the lyrics as heard by that stupid Suri iPhone voice app
Yep, that's pretty awful. Judging from the punctuation errors though, I think this is the product of some teenager with nothing better to do, who rushed to be the first to publish the lyrics when the song came out, and therefore just jotted down the first best thing that vaguely seemed to match. This is similar to the god awful movie subtitle files that can sometimes be found. Not sure whether Bill manually looks up these lyrics, or the RP website automatically fetches them from the usual lyrics websites, but even if it was done manually we couldn't blame anyone for not rigorously checking these lyrics that appear correct at a first glance.
Heard this on PSD half an hour ago - it's great!
Most excellent, talented boy! 
I like the song. But for all the times I've heard it, just tonight it occurred to me how much it sounds like John Stewart's "Gold". (which coincidentally was on the radio where I lived at the same time as "Refugee".)
It seems this lyric
When I aim at left
And I aimto the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in the spine
should be
Well I ain't on the
And I ain't on the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in this fight
Must be the lyrics as heard by that stupid Suri iPhone voice app
When I aim at left
And I aimto the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in the spine
should be
Well I ain't on the
And I ain't on the right
I ain't even sure
I got a dog in this fight
Must be the lyrics as heard by that stupid Suri iPhone voice app
Not feeling TP since Wildflowers which I loved. Maybe another track will be better.
There's just no musical craftsmanship here.
justin4kick wrote:
This is as exciting as it gets with Tom. I bet becoming a book keeper was too adventurous for him so he bought a guitar instead.
guess who taught him to play the guitar, yup it was Don Felder in Gainesville Florida before he became famous with a little band called the Eagles.
This is as exciting as it gets with Tom. I bet becoming a book keeper was too adventurous for him so he bought a guitar instead.
guess who taught him to play the guitar, yup it was Don Felder in Gainesville Florida before he became famous with a little band called the Eagles.
Plodding and dull.
ShamanManu wrote:
This is as exciting as it gets with Tom. I bet becoming a book keeper was too adventurous for him so he bought a guitar instead.
boring 
This is as exciting as it gets with Tom. I bet becoming a book keeper was too adventurous for him so he bought a guitar instead.
I want to just immerse myself in this bass line and guitar. Turning up the speakers to eleven.
Some serious toe-tapping going on here.
boring
Sadly, PSD is not working tonight and this song is sucking all the oxygen out of a rather large room...gasp. 
please stop....
Right, right, right!
ShaunJ wrote:
Went to the Tom Petty concert last month in Vancouver and surprisingly this song comes across better live. Mike Campbell's guitar was scorching on this one
ShaunJ wrote:
Went to the Tom Petty concert last month in Vancouver and surprisingly this song comes across better live. Mike Campbell's guitar was scorching on this one
I kind of liked it until that weird outtake at the end. What did he think this was, an audition for Smokey and the Bandit?
Not a fan of Mr Petty, sorry. I thought the intro was Leonard Cohen, so I was just heading to the Player for PSD and he started singing so I left it to play. Can't say I enjoy his vocals and I think this track is definitely among his weaker offerings.
36 hours...rolling in pain..MJMJ wrote: free me again
I cannot stand songs that have the premise that "these people suck, I am superior to them" if there's no shred of humor involved. It's just an old curmudgeonly angry rant. Not even a decent tune. What are its redeeming qualities other than it reinforces a political view that the audience might share?
I cannot stand songs that have the premise that "these people suck, I am superior to them" if there's no shred of humor involved. It's just an old curmudgeonly angry rant. Not even a decent tune. What are its redeeming qualities other than it reinforces a political view that the audience might share?
Lazarus wrote:
Went to the Tom Petty concert last month in Vancouver and surprisingly this song comes across better live. Mike Campbell's guitar was scorching on this one
This is the only bad song on the new album... lots of truly great songs on the album, but this one is pure barfomatic...
Went to the Tom Petty concert last month in Vancouver and surprisingly this song comes across better live. Mike Campbell's guitar was scorching on this one
1wolfy wrote:
I hear it, too. Like others, 7 for now.
This track has me singing John Lennon's Cold Turkey..
I hear it, too. Like others, 7 for now.
Some interesting insights in regard to Petty's career in this piece from Grantland - which phase do you think was his best?
https://grantland.com/features/tom-petty-career-arc-heartbreakers-hypnotic-eye/
https://grantland.com/features/tom-petty-career-arc-heartbreakers-hypnotic-eye/
A huge TP fan for 38 years. Like one of my kids, he can do no wrong (Well, Last D.J. . . . ) Going to see him on the last day of this month for the first time.
This must be one of the last tracks on the CD that I haven't heard yet, just got it in my truck player yesterday. I like all the other songs I've heard better than this one. This sounds like an outtake from the Mojo sessions.
Everybody in my bathroom stall be blowin' chunks to this song. Love you Tom...
Love!
This is the only bad song on the new album... lots of truly great songs on the album, but this one is pure barfomatic...
This track has me singing John Lennon's Cold Turkey..
This tune is uninspiring, lazy and dull. I never have very high expectations from TP...but I did like his last "Mojo" album. Disappointing...hopefully the rest of the album doesn't align itself to this style.
Rocks!
I've heard more of this CD before the official release than any other than I can remember
MJMJ wrote:
Sounds like classic Tom Petty to me. I'll give it a chance: 7, for beginners.
This song makes me want to insult Tom Petty, instead I'll just turn it off.
Sounds like classic Tom Petty to me. I'll give it a chance: 7, for beginners.
This song makes me want to insult Tom Petty, instead I'll just turn it off.
Wow, just.. wow.
This ones a gem.
We miss you already, Tom.
Saw you at the Cow Palace in '83 with Stevie Nicks.
Such a good time.