Don't Come Around Here No More

"Don't Come Around Here No More"
Single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the album Southern Accents
B-side	"Trailer"
Released	February 28, 1985
Format	7"
Recorded	1984
Genre	Psychedelic rock[1]
Length	5:07
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Tom Petty, David A. Stewart
Producer(s)	Tom Petty, David A. Stewart, Jimmy Iovine
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers singles chronology
"Change of Heart" (1983) "Don't Come Around Here No More" (1985) "Rebels" (1985)
"Change of Heart" (1983) "Don't Come Around Here No More" (1985) "Rebels" (1985)

"Don't Come Around Here No More" is a song written by Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and David A. Stewart of Eurythmics. It was released in February 1985 as the lead single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Southern Accents album.

Background and writing

The original inspiration was a romantic encounter that producer David A. Stewart of Eurythmics had with Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.^[2] On The Howard Stern Show, Stewart explained that the title's phrase was actually uttered by Nicks. She had broken up with Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh the night before,^[3] and invited Stewart to her place for a party after an early Eurythmics show in Los Angeles. Stewart did not know who she was at the time, but went anyway. When the partygoers all disappeared to a bathroom for a couple of hours to snort cocaine, he decided to go upstairs to bed. He woke up at 5 a.m. to find Nicks in his room trying on Victorian clothing and described the entire scenario as very much reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. Later that morning, she told Walsh, "Don't come around here no more."

Music video

The music video is themed around Alice in Wonderland and was directed by Jeff Stein. Dave Stewart appears as the caterpillar at the beginning, sitting on a mushroom with a hookah water pipe while playing a sitar. Petty appears in the video dressed as The Mad Hatter, and actress Louise “Wish” Foley played Alice.^[4] At the climax of the video, Alice is turned into a cake and is eaten by Petty and even friends of her own. The video ends with her being swallowed whole by Petty, after which he gives a small burp and pats his mouth dry.

Personnel

The Heartbreakers

• Tom Petty – lead vocals, piano
• Mike Campbell – guitar, bass synthesizer
• Benmont Tench – string synthesizer
• Stan Lynch – drums, percussion
• Howie Epstein – bass guitar, vocals

Additional personnel

• David A. Stewart – electric sitar, synthesizer, vocals
• Dean Garcia – intro bass guitar
• Daniel Rothmuller – cello
• Marilyn Martin – backing vocals
• Stephanie Sprull – backing vocals
• Sharon Celani – backing vocals
• Alan "Bugs" Weidel – wild dog piano

Chart performance

Cover versions

Susanna of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra gives the song a low-key, piano-based cover on her 2008 album Flower of Evil. Indie band Vampire Weekend covers the song on a steady basis during live shows. British indie pop singer-songwriter Diana Vickers covered the song as a promotional track ahead of the release of her second album. The song was parodied by Bob Rivers.^[9] Showrunner Noah Hawley and composer Jeff Russo also performed a cover for a season two episode of the TV show Legion.

References