Letra de
American Girl

American Girl é uma das músicas mais icônicas de Tom Petty, lançada com sua banda The Heartbreakers. Segundo algumas fontes, Petty escreveu a música inspirado pela alta energia das músicas punk, embora não seja uma música punk per se. Há rumores de que a música foi inspirada por uma estudante universitária que saltou de uma janela na Universidade da Flórida, mas Petty negou e disse que é mais uma música sobre saudades do que suicídio.

Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn't help thinkin' that there was a
little more to life somewhere else

After all it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin' she had one little promise she was gonna keep

O yeah, all right, take it easy, baby, make it last all night
She was an American girl

Well, it was kinda cold that night
She stood alone on the balcony
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach

And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God it's so painful when something that's so close is still so far out of reach

O yeah, all right, take it easy, baby, make it last all night
She was an American girl

(Repeat to end)