Something Good Comin', I Know It Will

It was two years ago when I discovered and got obsessed with 'Something Good Coming' by Tom Petty. I could tell you I'm over it, but I'd be lying. I listen to this song every day. It's still fresh to me.

In some ways, I feel like I know even less about the song now. It's more mysterious to me than it was two years ago. How weird is that?

It's a song about hope, about holding on. Yet it's not like your average pop song; there's a lot of pain in 'Something Good Coming'. Pain and wisdom. It's a guy in his 60's who's been through it, he's seen what life does to you -- but he still believes, through gritted teeth; that something good is coming.

I'm in for the long run

Wherever it goes

Riding the river

Wherever it goes

I blogged about this song on the day I discovered it. I wrote:

"In the hands of a lesser singer, or perhaps even Petty earlier in his career - the song would have been something different. It might have been more obvious; more anthemic, more ballad-like. But that's what gets me about this song; it has so much restraint. It has a voice of experience, a voice of maturity, a voice of pain and a voice of love. And it's all rolled into one."

Two years later, I totally stand by what I said. That's why I love Tom Petty --- this song isn't trying to be a hit, it isn't trying to recreate glory years --- it's an honest statement from where he is in life now. It's simple, quiet, haunting.

Yeah, haunting is the word. It really is.  

I know that look that's on your face

There's something lucky about this place

There's something good coming for you and me

There's something good coming

It has to be.

And the instrumental bit from 2.25-2.44 kills me, absolutely blows me away. Why? I can't explain! Don't you love it when you can't explain something? I'm so sick of everyone always having an explanation for everything. Everyone has an answer, everyone has a commentary. Even me, on this blog -- always turning junk into words (even this post, you could argue). But I love that so much of this song has me stumped.

I'm not pretending I really know what this song is about, and I can't explain what it means to me -- I can only state the facts, which are: this song means everything to me.

There’s somethin’ good comin’
For you and me
Somethin’ good comin’
There has to be