The Untold Truth Of Tom Petty

Even if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it's strictly "hands off" for most artists and writers. But while Tom Petty had his share of experiences with parts of his music turning up in other hit songs, he never seemed bitter about any of it. In 2006, headlines in the New York Post (via Rolling Stone) suggested Petty could have a pretty good lawsuit against the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The similarities between "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "Dani California" were obvious enough that everyone saw it, but according to Petty's statement, those things just ... happened.

"The truth is, I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there," he said. When asked if he planned to sue, he said he might if it was maliciously lifted note-for-note, but not in this case. "I don't believe in lawsuits much," he added. "I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over pop songs."

His laid-back attitude showed up again in 2015, when he ended up with a writing credit on Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" after similarities were pointed out. Again, he was brilliantly deferential, saying to Rolling Stone, "All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. ... A musical accident, no more, no less."

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