This week we lost a true legend, Tom Petty.

 

Though his music was typically simple and folksy yet thought-provoking, his videos were some of the best around. Back in the days when MTV and VH1 actually played music, I always stopped whatever I was doing whenever a Tom Petty video came on and watched with rapt attention. Here are three of my faves (and should/will be yours too!):

 

"Don't Come Around Here No More" - Featuring an Alice in Wonderland theme, this video, set to one of Tom Petty's more sinister-sounding songs, followed a video vixen Alice being tormented by the inhabitants beyond the looking glass, egged on by their leader, Petty as a rather subdued Mad Hatter...

 

 

 

"Mary Jane's Last Dance" - Petty goes mega-dark here as a lovesick morgue attendant who takes his work home with him, literally. He peels a dead Kim Basinger (who's hot even as a corpse) from off the slab and attempts to make her his bride, with relatively unsatisfying results. Look out for he twist ending!!

 

 

 

"Free Fallin'" - This is quite a simple video, but I include it hear because it epitomizes the remarkable "small town" feel of Los Angeles. Before I moved here, this was just a catchy song with a lighthearted video. After I moved to L.A. (and, specifically, to the Valley to which he refers), this song and video actually has meaning! Reseda, Mulholland, Ventura Blvd... all were practically in my backyard!

 

 

 

We'll miss you, Tom!