The Waiting
Tom Petty
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Oh baby don't it feel like heaven right now Don't it feel like somethin' from a dream Yeah I've never known nothing quite like this Don't it feel like tonight might never be again Baby, we know better than to try and pretend Baby no one could have ever told me 'bout this, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part Well yeah I might have chased a couple of women around All it ever got me was down Yeah, then there were those that made me feel good But never as good as I feel right now Baby you're the only one that's ever known how To make me want to live like I want to live now, yeah,yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part Oh, don't let it kill you baby, don't let it get to you Don't let 'em kill you baby, don't let 'em get to you I'll be your breathin' heart, I'll be your cryin' fool Don't let this go to far, don't let it get to you Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part Yeah, the waiting is the hardest part Ooh Is the hardest part Ooh Is the hardest part
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12 facts about this song
Release Date"The Waiting" was released on April 21, 1981.
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Album HistoryIt was included as the lead single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' fourth studio album, "Hard Promises."
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Commercial SuccessThe song peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the band's highest-charting hit at that time.
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Song Duration"The Waiting" runs for 3 minutes and 58 seconds.
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InspirationTom Petty once said that the waiting referenced in the song is about the thrill of anticipation he felt in making music.
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Songwriting ProcessThe song came to Petty while playing the electric piano in his living room, and the lyrics took him only 10 minutes to write.
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Musical StyleThe musical arrangement of "The Waiting" is said to embody a classic Heartbreakers sound, with its bright, Byrds-inspired guitars and anthemic chorus.
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Noteworthy PerformancesA popular live staple of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' concerts, "The Waiting" was performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2012.
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Celebrity FanMusician and actor Eddie Vedder, the lead vocalist of Pearl Jam, cited "The Waiting" as one of his favorite songs, and even joined Petty on stage for a performance of the song in 2006.
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Cover Versions"The Waiting" has been covered by numerous artists, including Natalie Imbruglia and Linda Ronstadt.
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In MoviesNotably, this song has been featured in several movies such as "The Family Stone" and "Ricki and the Flash."
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Iconic LineThe line "You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, the waiting is the hardest part" is often quoted and is recognized as one of Petty's most memorable lyrics.
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Citation
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"The Waiting Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 9 Feb. 2025. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3180773/Tom+Petty/The+Waiting>.
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