"Here Comes My Girl" is a song written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, and recorded by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, their third single from their breakthrough hit 1979 album, Damn the Torpedoes. It peaked at number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on May 24, 1980.[4]

"Here Comes My Girl"
Single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the album Damn the Torpedoes
B-side	"Louisiana Rain"
Released	April 7, 1980 (1980-04-07)
Recorded	1979
Genre	R&B folk[1] pop[2] rock[3]
Length	4:27
Label	Backstreet
Songwriter(s)	Tom Petty, Mike Campbell
Producer(s)	Tom Petty, Jimmy Iovine
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers singles chronology
"Refugee" (1980) "Here Comes My Girl" (1980) "Even the Losers" (1980)
Music video
"Here Comes My Girl" on YouTube

Content

In a November 2003 interview with Songfacts, guitarist Mike Campbell explained the story behind "Here Comes My Girl":

It's very similar to "Refugee" - those two were written the same week. I made some demos and Tom liked those two. "Here Comes My Girl" was interesting because we had the chorus and Tom wasn't sure how to do the verse, he kept trying to sing it different ways and he finally came across sort of half-talking it, and that's when the song seemed to come to life.[5]

Petty remembers Campbell's chords and tune on a cassette tape, and struggling with the lyrics. Bassist Ron Blair told Petty that what he had was a "really good piece of music." Petty learned to use narration in the verses, similar to Blondie or The Shangri-Las. Petty said the chorus was inspired by The Byrds.

Reception

Cash Box called it a "truly excellent single" with a "convincingly honest narrative intro" and a "Byrds-like hook."[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by John Goodhue and was released in April 1980.

Personnel

• Tom Petty – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Mike Campbell – lead guitar
• Ron Blair – bass guitar[7]
• Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocals
• Benmont Tench – piano, organ

Charts

Cover versions

• In 2009, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs covered the song for their cover album, Under the Covers, Vol. 2.
• In 2011, Relient K covered the song for their cover album, Is for Karaoke.

References