Hard On Me

TP purposely will sometimes write songs in an ambiguous way. He doesn't always like to put the meaning right out there. This song is less like that. The first time I heard this, my 25 year old had gone through a breakup and his daughter was caught in the middle and it really tore him. Then when he found someone who was very good for him, his ex made things very difficult for him and his daughter. To me, this song fits that situation to a tee. However, I like to think of Tom Petty's music like a fine and maybe sometimes abstract painting. The artist has an idea or definite thought he wishes to convey. The audience may sometimes get what the artist is saying, or may find his own interpretation. Either way, Tom successfully does his job and beautifully I might add. He is an incredible songwriter and performer. His music compels and moves me like no other artist. The music world was so blessed when he was born to it.

just an amazing song. What I get out of it is about a friend and he is just talking about how that friends betrayed him.

i think its about a guy who is married and they have a daughter then his wife dies and after he mourns his lose its like he gets angry at his wife for leaving (dieing) and he is trying to be strong for his daughter but its hard

i agree that this song is about a guy loosing his wife and having to try to stay strong for his daughter. not sure if his wife has died or left him. "how big do i have to be" makes it sound as if she has left him but i think he is talking to a higher power as in the beginning of the song he is tlaking about trying to keep faith. beautiful song

get you're own fucking opinion... seriously, what it means to you dumbasses...

I think it's about a guy that desperatly wants a relationship (the little girl) and he's trying hard to be with her... and she doesn't get him... it's like a pre break up song.. in my opinion... he's willing to try anything to be with her, not only for her, but himself... a "what do you want me to be" type of thing... and the bitch of it is... she is making it hard on him.

Great song, no deep or hidden meaning. Pretty straightforward When I first heard this album I thought I was in heaven RIP TP

Always interpreted it as a guy in a relationship that was struggling with drugs which were making it hard on him to keep his faith and keep his relationship in tack. “You were supposed to be the friend that I needed when I was down out and you wanna make it hard”.

I think this song is about a man with a girlfriend/wife, and other people don't approve of their relationship. He wants her family, friends, etc. to understand how much he loves her. He wishes that he could impress them.

This is why you shouldn't allow your friends and family to control your entire life. You hear about people ignoring family/friends when they start dating someone new, but I've witnessed the opposite situation: a relationship was damaged because family/friends were jealous and self-centered.