Thursday August 5, 2021 “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers vs “Dani California” Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Mary Jane’s Last Dance” was written by Tom Petty and recorded with his Heartbreakers in 1993 and became a top twenty hit for them while the video that accompanied the song won several MtV Video awards including Best Video of the Year.
Heartbreaker guitarist Mike Campbell said the song started out as “Indiana Girl” but Tom didn’t think that sounded right and switched it up to be “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” but left the Indiana references in the song intact. In the recent posthumous album/CD releaseWildflowers, the song “Leave Virginia Alone” was included which Petty had written at the same time as “Mary Jane…” but decided not to include it back then because it had a similar feel lyrically and musically.
According to Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer and lyricist Anthony Keidis the Dani in “Dani California” is a representation of every girl he has come in contact in his life and she also makes lyrical appearances in “Californication” and “By the Way” by the Chili Peppers.
Their video is intended to reference all of the music that has influenced them from rockabilly through grunge and everything in between. And doesn’t Anthony Keidis bear a remarkable resemblance to Prince in a couple of segments or is it just me.
Petty has been questioned about the similarities of the two songs which have been pointed out by many people and he has said “A lot of rock and roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry”. Did I mention that both “Mary Jane's Last Dance” and “Dani California” were produced by Rick Rubin?
Stay safe and well…and yes that is Kim Basinger in the more than a little creepy Tom Petty video.