Tom Petty Wedding Songs: Classic Rock for the Heartland Heart
Tom Petty is more than just a rock frontman; he’s a songwriter who captured the “freedom and sincerity” of American love. My favorite Tom Petty wedding songs include tracks from his solo career and his legendary band, The Heartbreakers. Whether you’re looking for a “vow-worthy” ballad or a high-energy anthem to get the reception moving, Petty’s hits are “all you need tonight”.
Essential Tom Petty Wedding Moments
- The Perfect First Dance: “Angel Dream.” From the She’s the One soundtrack (1996), this is perhaps the most appropriate wedding song in his entire catalog. It’s a beautiful declaration of finding your “place” and your “angel,” making it a sincere choice for a couple’s first dance together.
- The Bride’s Entrance: “Here Comes My Girl.” This 1980 classic is a personal favorite for the moment a groom waits at the altar. The lyrics, “she looks so right; she is all I need tonight,” perfectly capture the emotion of seeing the bride for the first time on the wedding day.
- The Heartfelt Parental Dance: “Wildflowers.” This 1994 track is an incredibly popular choice for a Father-Daughter or Mother-Son dance. Its message of “belonging among the wildflowers” and finding a lover who treats you right is a touching way for a parent to send their child off into a new chapter.
- The “Free Falling” Love: “Free Fallin’.” If you take the title as a metaphor for falling head-over-heels in love, this 1989 hit becomes a fantastic first dance or reception sing-along. As I note in my 1980s book, it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of his most “instantly recognizable” hits.
Expert DJ Tips for a Tom Petty Set
- The “Wings” Metaphor: “Learning to Fly” (1991) works wonderfully for a parental dance or a recessional. The analogy of “learning to fly” as you grow up and spread your wings resonates deeply with families celebrating a child’s marriage.
- The High-Energy Accent: For a cake cutting or a “grand entrance,” “American Girl” is a fantastic choice. It brings an immediate “classic rock” vibe to the room and is a guaranteed hit for guests who have been through “twists and turns” in their own relationships.
- The Playful Toss: If you want to keep the garter or bouquet toss light-hearted but serious, “I Won’t Back Down” is the ultimate anthem. It captures the “competitive spirit” of the moment while keeping the mood fun and rock-inspired.
- The Chart-Topping Staples: As highlighted in my 1990s book, Petty’s 90s hits like “You Don’t Know How It Feels” (1994) bring a more relaxed, “cool” groove to a cocktail hour or dinner set, ensuring your playlist has range and “rock-and-roll” credibility.
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Tom Petty’s Highest-Charting Billboard Hits
- #7 Free Fallin’, 1989
- #10 Don’t Do Me Like That, 1979
- #12 I Won’t Back Down, 1989
- #13 Don’t Come Around Here No More, 1985
- #13 You Don’t Know How It Feels, 1994
- #14 Mary Jane’s Last Dance, 1993
- #15 Refugee, 1980
- #18 Jammin’ Me, 1987
- # 19 The Waiting, 1981
- #20 You Got Lucky, 1982
- #21 Change of Heart, 1983
- #23 Runnin’ Down a Dream, 1989
- #28 Learning to Fly, 1991
Tom Petty Wedding Hits
Learning to Fly
Released in 1991on the album Into the Great Wide Open
As a son or daughter grows up an analogy can be made that they are learning to fly and spread their wings. With this analogy, the song makes for a great Mother-Son or Father-Daughter dance song.
I’m learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Wildflowers
Released in 1991on the album Wildflowers
With the following lyrics, Wildflowers makes for a great Father-Daughter or Mother-Son dance song.
Wildflowers can also make for a great processional song with the following lyrics:
Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
American Girl
Released in 1977 on the album Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
If you have a loving relationship with your lover that you have been through many twists and turns, this song could be your first dance song or accent to the cake cutting.
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin’
She had one little promise she was gonna keep
Free Fallin’
Released in 1989 on the album Full Moon Fever
If you want to take the title of the song as a metaphor that you are free-falling in love, then this is a great First Dance song as a married couple.
She’s a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too
Here Comes My Girl
Released in 1980 on the album Damn the Torpedoes
Love this song as a groom waits for his bride to walk down the aisle to the altar. This song can make for a great Bride Entrance song.
Here comes my girl, here comes my girl
Yeah, and she looks so right; she is all I need tonight
Angel Dream
Released in 1996 on the album She’s the One Soundtrack
Probably the most appropriate wedding song on our list and makes for a perfect First Dance song.
Yeah I found an angel, I found my place
I can only thank God it was not too late
I Won’t Back Down
Released in 1989 on the album Full Moon Fever
If you are looking for a more serious or light-hearted song, depending on your participants, for your garter toss or bouquet toss, this is the song to capture the moment.
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down
Tom Petty Spotify Playlist
I hope you enjoyed my list of Tom Petty wedding songs. If you have a song not on my list that you think should be, please comment below so I can add it to my list.
