The Waiting (song)

"The Waiting" is the lead single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' album Hard Promises released in 1981. The song peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on the magazine's new Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for six consecutive weeks during the summer of 1981.

The song was later reissued as the b-side to the single-only release of "Mary Jane's Last Dance" in 1993.

Background
Frontman Tom Petty explained that the song's title was inspired by a quote from fellow musician Janis Joplin, who once said of touring, "I love being onstage and everything else is just waiting." He recalled:

"That's where I think I got it from ... [Roger] McGuinn swears that he said it to me. Maybe he did. I don't think so. I think I got it from the Janis Joplin quote. That's where it stuck in my mind. I don't think she said, 'The waiting is the hardest part,' but it was something to that effect: 'Everything else is just waiting.' And so that's where that came from."

Reception
Record World praised Petty's vocal performance and said that "Those guitars ring, soar & jingle-jangle with enough rock n' roll passion to warm the most jaded heart."

Covers

 * Linda Ronstadt covered the song on her 1995 album Feels Like Home.
 * Natalie Imbruglia covered the song on her album Male released in 2015.
 * Country artist Jon Pardi covered the song on his album Rancho Fiesta Sessions in 2020.

In popular culture
The song was used in The Simpsons episode "The Cartridge Family", during a sequence where Homer was subjected to a five-day waiting period after buying a gun.

"The Waiting" was used in a promotional spot for the fifth season of the hit television comedy series, The Office.

The song is played at Philadelphia Flyers and Wisconsin Badgers home games, when a goal or other play is under review by officials.

Petty performed the song on It's Garry Shandling's Show in 1987.

The song was used on Chicago television news in 1995, as the public awaited news of Michael Jordan's return to the NBA.

Comedian Steve Goodie wrote and recorded a parody of the song titled "Ned Beatty Had the Hardest Part," which became a staple on radio morning shows, like The Bob & Tom Show, in the mid-1990s.

When the Houston Astros won the 2017 World Series, the song was played on FOX after the trophy presentation.

Personnel

 * Tom Petty – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
 * Mike Campbell – lead guitar, bass guitar
 * Benmont Tench – keyboards, backing vocals
 * Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocals
 * Phil Jones – percussion