Last Dance With Mary Jane (Tom Petty)?

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Bob B

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What do you believe the meaning of this song is? Ive been told it is about marijuana, ive been told its about a girl that travels from town to town, ive been told its about a girl that died... i dont know the real meaning and ive searched online and i cant find out.
 
It is actually about mans need for acceptance and our inability to fully separate from our mothers. Also, it is a social commentary about genocide and existentialism.


Seriously, I thought it was about pot, but only Petty knows.
 
Let me see if I can find the question that came up recently where this was discussed. If memory serves me correctly there were some insights...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApnnP_o_zQ_BSi21nXADSmfty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090130113543AAjtLmz&show=7#profile-info-1vCoaf08aa
 
From songfacts.com (which is a great site for this kind of stuff):

Petty has not said what this is about, but there are 2 common interpretations. It could be about Petty's divorce from his wife Jane, which happened a year before this was recorded. Another possibility is that it is about marijuana, as "Mary Jane" is slang for pot and the lyrics refer to killing the pain, which the drug is known for. Campbell offered this explanation: "My take on it is it can be whatever you want it to be. A lot of people think it's a drug reference, and if that's what you want to think, it very well could be, but it could also just be a goodbye love song."
 
Basically, it means whatever you want it to.

Stoners always say it is about marijuana because that is what they like to think.

I've always thought it was more about giving something you love up, be it a drug addiction or a woman. Part of what makes this song great is just wondering what he really means here. The lyrics just seem to lean towards just moving on from time to time, but that is just my opinion.
 
Definitely about marijuana. He is using a lot of metaphors and personification. Just listen to it a few times; one time for each possible interpretation. Then, you can decide if you agree.
 
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