Don't Do Me Like That

Last updated

"Don't Do Me Like That"
Don't do me like that tom petty US.jpg
U.S. 7" vinyl
Single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the album Damn the Torpedoes
B-side
  • "Casa Dega" (US)
  • "Century City" (UK)
ReleasedNovember 5, 1979 (1979-11-05)
Genre
Length2:44
Label Backstreet
Songwriter(s) Tom Petty
Producer(s) Jimmy Iovine
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers singles chronology
"Listen to Her Heart"
(1978)		"Don't Do Me Like That"
(1979)		"Refugee"
(1980)

"Don't Do Me Like That" is a song by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on November 5, 1979 as the lead single from their third studio album, Damn the Torpedoes . Written by the band's eponymous frontman, the song was first recorded as a demo with his band, Mudcrutch, in 1974. Tom Petty considered giving the song to The J. Geils Band, but producer Jimmy Iovine convinced him to include it on Damn the Torpedoes. [4]

Contents

The single is one of the band's most popular in North America, and is their only song to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. [5] It was even more popular in Canada, peaking at No. 3, but in the UK, despite airplay by Capital Radio in the summer of 1980, the track failed to make the Top 75 chart.

Background

Petty wrote the song and recorded a demo version with his previous band Mudcrutch in 1974. At one point he strongly considered giving the song to The J. Geils Band because he thought it had their sound. During the Damn the Torpedoes sessions he was convinced by producer Jimmy Iovine to include it on the album because he sensed it would be a hit. [6]

Reception

Billboard praised the song for its "strong lyrical hook backed up by some solid mid to fast rock instrumentation" and its "urgent" vocal. [7] Cash Box said that it "bounces along to a rock steady, engaging beat, bopping hook, staccato guitar chords with lively production". [8] Record World called the hook "irresistible". [9]

The Fort Worth Star Telegram rated it to be the 4th best single of 1979. [10]

Single track listings

Chart performance

References

  1. ↑ "Posthumous Music By Tom Petty to be Released". CBS Detroit . July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  2. ↑ Molanphy, Chris (October 30, 2017). "Le Petty Prince Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate . Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  3. ↑ Rotondo, Andrea M. (February 12, 2014). Tom Petty: Rock 'n' Roll Guardian. Omnibus Press. p. 110. ISBN   978-0-85712-868-3.
  4. ↑ Uitti, Jacob (March 1, 2023). "Behind the Meaning of the Spirited Song "Don't Do Me Like That" by Tom Petty". American Songwriter . Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  5. ↑ Sahai, Fred (April 28, 2022). "Tom Petty's Top 25 Billboard Hot 100 Hits". Billboard.
  6. ↑ Bosso, Joe. "Tom Petty: Damn The Torpedoes Deluxe Edition review track-by-track". MusicRadar. Retrieved October 14, 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. November 17, 1979. p. 76. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  8. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 17, 1979. p. 22. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 17, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ Kaye, Roger (January 13, 1980). "The best albums, singles and concerts of 1979". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 1D, 10D. Retrieved June 18, 2022– via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Top 100 1980-02-09". Cash Box . Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Pop Singles" Billboard December 20, 1980: TIA-10
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