The first verse talks about the DJ as the independent voice of the radio station, the one who will always bump up against corporate management (the hereforto "boys upstairs"). The DJ in this first verse is the one who controls the shots and causes the boys upstairs to go into convulsions, that they cannot control this guy.
The second verse is a split meaning:
First, the argument that is commonly made about DJs is that they corrupt the youth by speaking freely about things (Opie and Anthony, etc.). The three lines there are the moral authority (Libs and Conservatives alike) complaining.
Second, Tom slaps the hand of the bigwigs and their mediocre, cookie cutter music selections. Playlists today, as an insider, are about 100 songs on a Top 40 station. 300 for a classic rock station. This is what Clear Channel and others want to peddle.
The Pay for what the others get for free talks about CDs. Previously, music was exchanged with people by audiotape and was a free way to express. And now, Clear Channel and others want you to pay for the CD, satellite radio, and other things, instead of allowing people to listen for free.
The last mini-verse is what most DJs did way back when. They'd go to a 1 million watt blowtorch of a station in Mexico and do what they felt there. Generally it's an AM station, and it has less FCC restrictions (cause it's in Mexico).
On the whole, it's good Tom Petty vs. the Clear Channel machine...and it apparently is working, as Clear Channel and other companies start divesting 1/2 of it's station lineups.
As a DJ, I can tell you what this is all about:
The first verse talks about the DJ as the independent voice of the radio station, the one who will always bump up against corporate management (the hereforto "boys upstairs"). The DJ in this first verse is the one who controls the shots and causes the boys upstairs to go into convulsions, that they cannot control this guy.
The second verse is a split meaning:
First, the argument that is commonly made about DJs is that they corrupt the youth by speaking freely about things (Opie and Anthony, etc.). The three lines there are the moral authority (Libs and Conservatives alike) complaining.
Second, Tom slaps the hand of the bigwigs and their mediocre, cookie cutter music selections. Playlists today, as an insider, are about 100 songs on a Top 40 station. 300 for a classic rock station. This is what Clear Channel and others want to peddle.
The Pay for what the others get for free talks about CDs. Previously, music was exchanged with people by audiotape and was a free way to express. And now, Clear Channel and others want you to pay for the CD, satellite radio, and other things, instead of allowing people to listen for free.
The last mini-verse is what most DJs did way back when. They'd go to a 1 million watt blowtorch of a station in Mexico and do what they felt there. Generally it's an AM station, and it has less FCC restrictions (cause it's in Mexico).
On the whole, it's good Tom Petty vs. the Clear Channel machine...and it apparently is working, as Clear Channel and other companies start divesting 1/2 of it's station lineups.