We all know the power certain songs have on us. We can be sitting in the car, waiting in the doctor’s office, making love to our spouse when WHAM! a tune comes on the radio and takes us somewhere else. Allie Dunn applies this concept to show what happens when a couple drives down the road and their special song plays. It serves as an epiphany to the narrator as she witnesses her partner’s obliviousness. The song means nothing to him. It provides her with insight: their relationship is broken.
Dunn doesn’t name the particular cut. We just know it’s by “Tom Petty”, as Dunn’s lyrics refer to more than one of his compositions. That deepens the emotional punch as we learn much of Petty’s music has been the soundtrack for many of their good times. The listener can imagine even more examples as Petty’s songs have been strongly connected to many people’s most memorable moments.
The video for “Tom Petty”, the first single from Dunn’s debut EP Good As Gone (October 15 via Porter Rose Records), has just been released. The imagery captures the narrative by focusing on the characters as the music plays. The Nashville by way of New York City native has more than a little Laurel Canyon in her soul, as evidenced by the folky and introspective nature of the song. This song shows she has learned how to feels to fly like Petty.
Hear this song on the PM Picks Spotify playlist.