Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Chords And Guitar Lesson (Tom Petty)

Here’s a powerful track that highlights an amazing moment in rock history…

The moment when Stevie Nicks (from Fleetwood Mac) became a Heartbreaker.

Nicks joined up with Tom Petty and released this emotional rock song that struck a chord with listeners around the world.

I’m going to break it down for you step-by-step.

So grab your axe and let’s dive into this “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" chords and guitar lesson! 

Who Wrote"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"?

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" was written by Tom Petty and guitarist Mike Campbell. The song marked an epic collaboration between Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) and the Heartbreakers. This song was originally written for Petty’s band, but at the same time Nicks was working on her album Bella Donna, her producer Jimmy Lovine, was also working with Petty and suggested this duet. He felt that Petty could make a strong addition to her album.  

At first, Petty was reluctant, he didn’t want to let go of the song. But after hearing Nicks vocals on the tune he agreed, and the duet was born. The song is about the struggles of a toxic relationship, where one partner refuses to fully commit, leaving the other feeling "dragged around" emotionally. A tough place to be, and the song really captures this sentiment.

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" was recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, just a few minutes away from where I am typing up this blog post. The production was led by Jimmy Iovine, who pushed for a sound that captured both Petty's rock edge and Nicks’s distinctive voice. The pairing of Nicks' and Petty's contrasting vocals created a haunting and powerful energy that resonated with audiences.

Upon release, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a major success on radio. It has since remained one of Nicks's most popular tracks and a staple in her live performances. The track also helped to solidify Nicks’ solo career while highlighting Petty’s strong influence in rock at the time.

One other interesting note is that Stevie Nicks admired for a long time Tom Petty, and dreamed of collaborating with him. When they finally connected, they struck up a deep friendship that lasted for decades. Nicks often referred to Petty as her "favorite rock 'n' roll buddy," and they shared a mutual respect for each other's artistry. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Stop Draggin' My Heart Around?

The tuning for "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" as recorded by Tom Petty is standard tuning. Petty and Campbell kept things simple.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Next, let’s talk about the…

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Chords

To play "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" on guitar you only need to know 7 main chords A, Csus2, G/B, Em, G5, C, and D. The good news is, there are no bar chords needed. All of these chords can be played using common open shapes. Let’s take a look at a few options for how they might appear on the fretboard.

I play A from the 5th string down and with my index finger like this:

Csus2 is played using 3 strings like this:

G/B is played on the middle strings like this:

Em is played using all 6 strings like this:

G5 is played like this:

C is a standard open position chord played from the 5th string down like so:

Finally we have a D chord which is played from the 4th string down like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it faster and in the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right, now that you know the "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" chords, let’s now talk about…

What key is Stop Draggin' My Heart Around in?

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" as recorded by Tom Petty is in the key of E minor. Here’s a quick breakdown of how these chords function in the key.

• A Major (IV chord in E minor) Normally, the IV chord in E minor would be Am (A-C-E), but here we have A major (A-C#-E). This creates a "borrowed" chord from the parallel major key (E major), introducing the note C#, which is outside of the E minor scale. This major IV chord is a common move in many songs. This gives a sense of tension and brightness, and it adds contrasts with the minor key. This effect is called a "modal mixture" or "borrowed chord". 
• Csus2 (VI chord with suspension) Csus2 (C-D-G) is a variation of the C major chord (C-E-G), substituting the third (E) with the second (D). In E minor, C major is the VI chord, which gives a strong, stable sound and is common in minor keys for providing a "lift." The suspension (the D instead of the E) softens the chord’s sound, creating a more open, unresolved feeling than a straightforward C major.
• G/B (III chord in first inversion) G/B is a G major chord (G-B-D) with B in the bass. G major is the III chord in E minor. In minor keys, the III chord (G in this case) often plays a role as a strong, stable major chord that contrasts with the tonic minor (E minor). Putting B in the bass gives the chord a smoother connection to other chords in the progression, especially C or D, due to voice leading. This inverted chord creates a smoother bass line without losing the major sound.
• Em (i chord) Em (E-G-B) is the tonic or i chord in E minor. Being the tonal center of the key, this chord serves as the primary point of resolution and rest. In progressions, Em often appears at the beginning or end of phrases, bringing everything back "home" harmonically. 
• D Major (VII chord) D major (D-F#-A) is the VII chord in E minor. This is sometimes called the sub-tonic and can give a bluesier rock sound often resolving back to Em.

That’s the theory, but remember knowing all this doesn’t mean a thing without a good… 

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" is a driving 8th-note rock feel. Strumming 8th notes means dividing each beat of a 4/4 time signature into two equal parts.

To properly strum 8th notes, you need to understand how to count them within each measure. In a 4/4 time signature, each measure has four beats. When subdividing each beat into 8th notes, each beat is divided into two equal parts, giving us a total of eight 8th notes per measure.

To count 8th notes, you typically use the following syllables: 

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Here’s the breakdown:  

1: The first 8th note (on the beat)

&: The second 8th note (off the beat)

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One and, Two and, Three and, Four and" 

Here’s an example of a “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" strumming pattern also combining so palm-muting:

Conclusion

There ya have it – “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around” is a stand-out tune that marks an epic collaboration between Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan