Walls (Circus)

"Walls (Circus)"
Single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
from the album Songs and Music from "She's the One"
ReleasedJuly 16, 1996 (1996-07-16)[1]
Genre
Length4:25
LabelWarner Bros.
SongwriterTom Petty
Producers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers singles chronology
"A Higher Place"
(1995) 		"Walls (Circus)"
(1996) 		"Change the Locks"
(1996)

"Walls (Circus)" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Tom Petty and recorded by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was released in July 1996 as the first single from their soundtrack album Songs and Music from "She's the One". The song features Lindsey Buckingham on background vocals and was recorded at Sound City Studios by engineer Sylvia Massy. The song peaked at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number two in Canada. An alternate arrangement of the song, played at a faster tempo, was included on the soundtrack under the title "Walls (No. 3)". The song was later covered by Glen Campbell on his 2008 album Meet Glen Campbell and by the Lumineers on the first anniversary of Petty's death.

Style and reception

Tyler Wilcox of Uncut describes the upbeat, radio-friendly "Walls (Circus)" as a "swirling psychedelic pop number bolstered by Lindsey Buckingham's polyphonic backing vocals and an instantly memorable chorus."[3] Also for Uncut, Mark Beaumont writes, "initially disguised as a chamber acoustic ballad, this Beatledelic flume of psychedelic country pop [...] is among Petty's finest and most colourful compositions."[4] Al Shipley of Spin calls it a "jangly single",[5] while Bryan Wawzenek of Ultimate Classic Rock calls it a "swaggering" track with "merry-go-round keyboards, sweet strings and yelping backing vocals from Lindsey Buckingham."[6] The song was praised by Uproxx's Steven Hyden, who recalled it being a mild MTV hit and described it as "Tom's last big pop moment, and it includes some truly epic backing vocals from his best friend [Buckingham]."[7] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic highlighted the song's "circular harmonies" as an example of the variety on She's the One.[8]

The song's genesis laid with Johnny Cash, who wrote the song's opening line, "Some days are diamonds, and some days are rocks."[3] Beaumont highlighted the song's "luminous showmanship", courtesy of Petty, and the "none-more-Pepper of psychedelic elephants and Buddhist Jennifer Anistons."[4] Wilcox and critic Dave Swanson note that the song is led by 12-string guitar.[3][9]

Petty had a disliking for "Walls (Circus)". He told Men's Journal in 2015, "Never listened to it. I hated that record – the whole idea of it offended me. I only did it because I didn't have anything else to do."[10] In a 2025 ranking by Ultimate Classic Rock of the opening songs to Petty's 16 studio albums, "Walls (Circus)" finished 15th.[10]

Music video

Maxine Bahns, Edward Burns and Jennifer Aniston appeared in the video. The music video was directed by Phil Joanou and was premiered in July 1996.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 69
US Adult Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[13] 1
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[14] 25
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 6
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[16] 32

Year-end charts

Chart (1996) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 32
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[18] 41
US Triple-A (Billboard)[19] 14

"Walls (No. 3)"

"Walls (No. 3)"
Song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
ReleasedAugust 6, 1996
Length3:03
LabelWarner Bros.
SongwriterTom Petty
ProducersRick Rubin, Tom Petty, Mike Campbell

Track 12 on the album is a faster, more mellow version titled "Walls (No. 3)". It has the same lyrics and melody, but the intro is different and the song in general has less emphasis on the instruments.

References

  1. ^ "Selected New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1154. July 12, 1996. p. 36.
  2. ^ Lewis, Randy (October 4, 2017). "Tom Petty's final interview: There was supposed to have been so much more". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2019. Classic-rock staples including 'Breakdown,' 'American Girl,' 'Refugee,' 'Even the Losers,' 'Learning to Fly,' 'Listen to Her Heart,' 'Here Comes My Girl,' 'Walls,' 'Mary Jane's Last Dance.'
  3. ^ a b c d Wilcox, Tyler (2026). Robinson, John (ed.). "She's the One". Uncut Ultimate Music Guide: Tom Petty (74). Kelsey Media: 84–85.
  4. ^ a b c Beaumont, Mark (2026). "The Singles". Uncut Ultimate Music Guide: Tom Petty (74). Kelsey Media: 120–127.
  5. ^ Shipley, Al (November 1, 2024). "Every Tom Petty Album, Ranked". Spin. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  6. ^ Wawzenek, Bryan (March 18, 2016). "Tom Petty Albums Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  7. ^ Hyden, Steven (October 21, 2024). "Every Tom Petty Album, Ranked". Uproxx. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Songs and Music From "She's the One" Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  9. ^ Swanson, Dave (August 6, 2026). "When Tom Petty Reconvened the Heartbreakers for 'She's the One'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  10. ^ a b Rapp, Alison (May 27, 2025). "Tom Petty Opening Songs Ranked". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 9627". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  13. ^ "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  14. ^ "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  15. ^ "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  16. ^ "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  17. ^ "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved December 15, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  18. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Mainstream Rock Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 23.
  19. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 24.
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