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IT'S ALIVE: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "American Girl" (Philadelphia, 1985)

It's Alive briefly devotes the airwaves to live music everyday at 1pm. Tune in today hear this performance and more live tracks!

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released their eponymous debut album on this day in 1976. The album did not initially achieve much traction in the United States, and instead saw the album peak at No. 24 on the UK charts. The UK also made "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll" a hit. The album's lead single "Breakdown" did find its way to the US Top 40. The song "American Girl", like the album, did not perform well in the United States, but was well-received in the UK. Despite the inconsistent reception, the song has gone on to become a rock staple and one of Petty's signature songs.

This video features the band during their appearance at the United States portion of the massive Live Aid concerts, at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here, they perform the iconic tune "American Girl".

Otis is the late morning host on WFPK. Email Otis at ojunior@lpm.org

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