This song was deemed too peppy to be included on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1999 album Echo, though it was recorded at that time.
“Echo is supposedly his dark album,” says An American Treasure producer Ryan Ulyate. “‘Gainesville’ is this guy who is looking back on this early life with some nostalgia for a simpler time. I love the song. It’s just great, but I can see how it didn’t necessarily fit the vibe of Echo.”
“Gainesville” is included in the band’s new box set (which includes “studio outtakes, demos, alternative takes, live cuts and songs that deserved a bigger following”), An American Treasure ($149.99).