Don't Do Me Like That by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Album: Damn The Torpedoes (1979)

Charted: 10

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Tom Petty wrote "Don't Do Me Like That" after his first group, Mudcrutch, moved from Florida to Los Angeles in 1974. The song finds him warning (or at least asking) a girl not to dump him, as he has a friend who recently had his heart broken. Not one of the group's more meaningful songs, Creem magazine called it a "throwaway romp."

Many listeners enjoyed this romp, making it one of Petty's most popular songs.
"Don't Do Me Like That" was the lead single from Damn The Torpedoes, the third Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers album, but Tom Petty tried to give it away to J. Geils Band.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers had opened for the J. Geils Band on tour, and Petty thought the song was a better fit for their sound. The J. Geils Band turned it down because they were already deep in the mixing process for their album, and Damn The Torpedoes producer Jimmy Iovine persuaded Petty and his bandmates to record it themselves. They were glad they did: the song reached #10 on the Hot 100, becoming the group's first Top 10 hit.
When Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers made their first appearance as musical guests on Saturday Night Live November 10, 1979, they played "Refugee" and "Don't Do Me Like That."
"Don't Do Me Like That" is part of a long line of songs with titles that are pithy sayings in the realm of wrongdoing in love. Others include "Don't Make Me Over" and "Don't Bring Me Down."

Comments: 15

L E Mack from OhioOf course the song is popular! Ain’t no one wanna be done like that!
Eric B. from Troy, OhIt seems to me that every source gets the lyrics wrong on this which is a shame as it's one of the best Petty turns of phrase. To rhyme with "Someone is sayin'" he takes the phrase "Day in and night out" and reverses it. The song is sung "I got this feeling inside, night out and day in." That's how I always heard it and after observing this song life in more than one recording, I am sure this is the real lyric.
Subsct from Ny,nyIt's really a great lesson in rudimentary songwriting with verse A, verse B, chorus, bridge, back to the verses and finishing with that chorus. Simple, effective, with a subject that resonates with all young men on the verge of being let go. And yes, don't we all know that feeling. Excellent tune, easy enough that everyone always remembers the lyrics after all these years. Bravo!
Jaykay from Worldwide If you all read Petty the biography by Warren Zanes you may draw the same conclusion as I. This song is about his father's relationship with his mother.
Ken from Louisville, Ky"Don't do me like that" is an old Southern expression, meaning either "Don't try to fool me" or "Don't mistreat me". So it's hardly surprising that Florida native Tom Petty would write a song around it.
John from Grand Island, NyDamn The Torpedoes was one song short from completion. Tom asked the band if they had any song in mind they should record, someone suggested this song from his Mudcrutch days so this song almost never made it to vinyl, its funny how stuff works out.
Jim from Long Beach, CaTP wrote this with his first band Mudcrutch in 1974. The he recoreded it solo in 1979..
Jami from Redding, CaGeesus all these years I thought the lyric was listen honey can't you see maybe you would marry me. I obviously need to get out more. I still love this song though.
Vernon from Trinidad, Wi, OtherCuriously enough, Tom Petty got into the Top 10 three times. Once with the Heartbreakers (this song), once with Stevie Nicks (Stop Draggin' My Heart Around) and once solo (Free Fallin') although I guess technically the Stevie Nicks one included the Heartbreakers too.
Mary from Phoenix, AzWow. Y'all are saying this doesn't get enough airplay and that it's underrated, but they play it here in AZ on KSLX all the time. And on ThePeak.
Cricket from Moscow, Idthis song rules! this one and 'you're so bad' don't get enough airplay
Kendall from Thomasville, GaI agree with you Leon, as a matter o fact, I believe that it is one of the most underarted songs of any group in these days
Tracy from Rogers, OhMy son who is 4 goes around singing Don't do me like that all the time and people find it so cool that a kid his age enjoys music like this. Anyways thought it is cool myself.
Snake from Custer , Sdthe Mudcrutch Version of this song can be found on the boxed set "Playback"
Leon from Waterbury, CtI love this tune and it's one of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' most under-rated songs.

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More Songfacts:

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.