Tom Petty wrote “American Girl” in 1976 while living in a rented apartment in Encino, California, near Leon Russell’s house. The song’s iconic imagery of cars sounding like ocean waves was inspired by the traffic on the nearby freeway, which Petty likened to the sound of waves crashing in Malibu.
The track, which features a jangly guitar riff inspired by The Byrds, appears as the final song on the self-titled debut album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
It was recorded on July 4, 1976, and Petty has described the title character as a composite figure representing youthful longing and the pursuit of the American Dream, rather than a specific individual.
The Midnight Special June 2, 1978:
