The song was later reissued as the b-side to the single-only release of "Mary Jane's Last Dance" in 1993.
Background
Frontman Tom Petty explained that the song's title was inspired by a quote from fellow musician Janis Joplin, who once said of touring, "I love being onstage and everything else is just waiting."[4] He recalled:
That's where I think I got it from ... [Roger] McGuinn swears that he said it to me. Maybe he did. I don't think so. I think I got it from the Janis Joplin quote. That's where it stuck in my mind. I don't think she said, 'The waiting is the hardest part,' but it was something to that effect: 'Everything else is just waiting.' And so that's where that came from.[4]
Reception
Record World praised Petty's vocal performance and said that "Those guitars ring, soar & jingle-jangle with enough rock n' roll passion to warm the most jaded heart."[5]
Country artist Jon Pardi covered the song on his album Rancho Fiesta Sessions in 2020.
In popular culture
The song was used in The Simpsons episode "The Cartridge Family", during a sequence where Homer was subjected to a five-day waiting period after buying a gun.
"The Waiting" was used in a promotional spot for the fifth season of the hit television comedy series, The Office.[6]
The song was used on Chicago television news in 1995, as the public awaited news of Michael Jordan's return to the NBA.
Comedian Steve Goodie wrote and recorded a parody of the song titled "Ned Beatty Had the Hardest Part," which became a staple on radio morning shows, like The Bob & Tom Show, in the mid-1990s.
When the Houston Astros won the 2017 World Series, the song was played on FOX after the trophy presentation.
