TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - HERE COMES MY GIRL

Released: April 7, 1980

Charted:  US: #59 

"Here Comes My Girl" is a song penned by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, featured on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' acclaimed 1979 album, Damn the Torpedoes. It served as the album's third single, reaching number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 24, 1980. The track, along with "Refugee," originated from demos created by Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell on a 4-track recorder in his home during the same week.

Mike Campbell reveal that Tom Petty experimented with various approaches to the verse before settling on a half-talking delivery. It was this stylistic choice that breathed life into the song and solidified its character.

In this song Petty chronicles his recurring experiences of being let down by a girl, yet finding himself drawn back to her irresistible allure whenever she's around. While the verses convey a sense of resignation as he acknowledges the cycle of disappointment, the chorus bursts forth with unabashed enthusiasm, reflecting the exhilaration he feels when she reappears, temporarily eclipsing his previous reservations.

Cash Box lauded "Here Comes My Girl" as a "truly excellent single," praising its "convincingly honest narrative intro" and likening its hook to that of The Byrds. Record World described it as a "raging ballad," noting Petty's "tough talk/sing vocal" that crescendos into a "pretty hook."

Notwithstanding being released before the MTV era, Tom Petty recognized the importance of visual storytelling and created a video for "Here Comes My Girl," along with "Refugee." Directed by John Goodhue, the video features the band performing the song in a studio setting, a simple yet effective approach that allowed viewers to focus on the music. This early foray into music videos laid the groundwork for Petty's later innovative visual work, earning him the prestigious MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1994.