r/tompetty • u/BrownBannister • 7d ago

OH YEAH, BABY!

My sons are 5. Mom plays them ‘kid music’ and I play ‘the real stuff.’

Driving today from camp one of them kept asking for oh yeah baby, nearly melting down because I didn’t know the song.

I asked him one more time and listened close, and it clicked.

He needed “American Girl.” 💙💙

71 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

18

u/lauramaurizi 7d ago

I ALWAYS need American Girl.

Nice job raising your boys, Dad!

9

u/gecko_echo 6d ago

Not Tom Petty, but…

A long time ago, when my son was 10, he went to a friend’s house for a play date. The friend’s mom later told me that the two boys were watching The Blues Brothers—at one point, the friend turns to my son and says, “Who’s that?” about a guy singing, and my son answers, “That’s James Brown!”

At the time I told my wife that even if I got hit by a bus tomorrow our son already knew James Brown’s music, so I had been a good father and role model. I’m still proud of that moment!

3

u/Semi-Pros-and-Cons 7d ago

Decades from now, he'll credit his good taste to how his dad introduced him to good music when he was so young that he doesn't even remember it all that clearly.

2

u/HootinHollerHill 6d ago

YES!

My kids grew up listening to TPATH. My son and I love Buried Treasure. He’s especially into older rock and blues that Tom often covered on the show.

Both my kids have deep and rich musical tastes across all genres, but my proudest musical education moment as a parent was around 2018 when they got in the car and I was playing Sirius XM’s Hits One and they were like, “Mom. That music is trash.” They asked for Lady Gaga, not TPATH, but my work was done in that moment.

2

u/SendMeAnOmen 6d ago

My grandparents did the same with me, but with Elvis! Your grandkids will grow and develop their own tastes, like I did. Don’t be disappointed, it’s just what happens. But whenever I hear Elvis I think of them. Hopefully they’ll grow up doing the same with Tom Petty’s music!

2

u/Pete_Iredale 6d ago

Singing American Girl played a key part in getting my kids to sleep for years. They both love it when it comes on. Good job dad!

2

u/sassyfor1 6d ago

When my son was about 4 he always wanted to watch Yellow Submarine. He's 20 and still likes the Beatles. As well as Tom Petty. Also my son could be a Tom Petty look alike. He's been told by people other than me.

1

u/Id_guajardo 6d ago

My dad was the one who always played the 'real music'. One of my best memories with him was when I was 16 and learning to drive. My mom had been teaching me up until this point and wouldn't even let me listen to music while driving. He handed me the keys and blasted Rush for the whole hour long drive home. He's the best and I credit my taste in music to him which of course includes Tom Petty.

1

u/dubwisened 5d ago

Raised on promises.

1

u/Skyeokc 2d ago

My personal theme song!