King Of The Hill

I've had the benefit of watching the music video which is a pretty close literal interpretation of the lyrics. However, it seems to be about someone whose greed, lust, etc. have finally caught up with them. The subject - who is almost assuredly male - is probably on the run from so

In the first verse, I think the subject is 'making a run for it' and leaving town. By saying "L.A.'s asleep" and "the night air is cold - the freeway is clear", it infers that the person is on the road by themselves. The only time the freeway in L.A. is really clear from traffic is very late at night.

He seems to be skipping town on short notice as evidenced by the line "In a green Gucci bag..." meaning that he likely threw his most prized stuff into a bag and left hurredly.

The second verse, sung by Tom Petty, refers to the lifestyle he lived prior to this happening. He likely had a large house ("the driveway is long") and a beautiful/trophy wife ("your princess is lovely") and was probably used to people jumping when he spoke ("your servants all wait for your knock on the door").

I also think this verse is a subtle foreshadowing to what awaits him and also implies that his money, power, success, etc. was not acquired very ethically or even legally. There are numerous stories of people who were financial successes only to find that their success was built on lies and deceit. Bernie Madoff is probably the best example however there are many more.

This song seems to be about someone who followed that path - acquired all kinds of material wealth by less than legal means and those actions have now caught up to them. Such is Petty's line "How many years, will you crawl through this castle?" as many people who took that road are often driven by pure greed and greed begets greed. So despite having virtually everything material you could want, the person still wants more and it is never enough. This causes more and more actions to gain additional wealth or maintain the current state which can lead to even more illicit activities to keep it that way.

The last verse is quite ominous and it appears things didn't end too well for the subject. If you watch the video, he has several business associates over for a night of drinking, women and over the top celebration; only to be taken away forcefully. We can assume the people who did this are related somehow to those he did business with and probably screwed over in some way.

However, another interpretation is that the subject here committed an even more serious crime - murder - via the line "the driveway is empty" (he got away and is on the run as referenced in verse 1) and "there's blood on the wall" (evidence of the crime is in his 'castle' but he's nowhere to be found).

Like with most good songs, there are a number of interpretations one can take. The title to me is a reference to the feeling that power, wealth and money give you - the absolute king of the world. Like you rule everything. However, the lyrics suggest that those things are both material and temporary and show what happens when they are acquired and enjoyed in excess.

mine is a more literal interpretation: I think the song's a about rich dude making a late night drug score (the jewels), getting high (blinding light), and the mess of a life it causes (he cannot attend his own party).

It's about John Phillips, from Mamas and the Papas. Heard an interview with Tom Petty discussing it. Roger and Tom had both read John's autobiography. John was doing dope with his daughter, McKenzie - that's the 'she' in 'she follows you down for the kill'. Kept his rig in a green Gucci bag.

Saw the original full-length vid back in '90. If you look carefully, as the rich guy is riding home, he reads a headline about a financial firm taking a nosedive. After the video ends, there's text saying, "The looting of the savings and loan industry will cost the American people $500 billion over the next fifty years." I remember that scandal well, as millions of people had all their savings wiped out. The worst offenders were in Orange county and LA, hence McGuinn's opening line, "LA's asleep." A number of high rollers went to prison, and at the end of the video, to underscore that point, two detectives arrest the businessman.

i like the other comments.

i think this song really touches on the idea of when your ego gets out of control or when you become too self indulgent. certainly the drugs, greed, perhaps being on the run or wandering is more on the surface of the meanings.

i would add the the king of the hill has a far way to fall.

i love the folksy style that uses roundabout verse to get at universal and personal themes. and if it gets at the soul of the character,songwriter or listener then all the better.

I saw a McGuinn interview that confirms the Mammas & Pappas theory. Tom Petty was reading the John Phillips memoirs entitled “John Phillips: An Autobiography (of The Mommas and The Pappas)”. (I have seen the book variously described as “brutally honest” and “about sex, drugs, and rock and roll”.) McGuinn saw the book and asked Petty if he could borrow it when Petty was done. After they had both read it, they decided to write a song about John Phillips, and that is “King of the Hill.” As noted previously by another commenter, Petty confirmed this. So, there is no point in speculating about what the song might mean without first reading the John Phillips book.

I remember the Mommas & Poppas song “Straight Shooter,” which is full of drug references and is obviously about mainlining heroin. The “green guchi bag” apparently contains Phillip’s heroine works.

“Baby what your holding, half of that belongs to me, ‘Cause I’m a real straight shooter, if you know what I mean.”

Interesting is the reference to “a high lonesome sound.” I recently learned that country singer Bill Monroe transposed songs into a higher key to put them at the top of his very high vocal range. He said he was trying to achieve “a high lonesome sound.” I wonder if Phillips put this in his book, or if it is just McGuinn’s extensive folk music knowledge coming out. Now, is the “white blinding light” and “feel[ing] like you’re king of the hill” about the heroin drug experience? Probably so.