Full Moon Fever

Infobox Album
Name = Full Moon Fever
Type = Studio album
Artist = Tom Petty


Released = April 25, 1989
Recorded = 1988–1989 at M.C. Studios, Rumbo Studios, Sunset Sound, Devonshire Studios, Conway Studios and Sound City Studios
Genre = Rock
Length = 39:58
Label = MCA
Producer = Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Mike Campbell
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:13820r3ac48c link]
* Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=tom+petty link]
* "Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=53568 link]
Last album = "Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)" (1987)
This album = "Full Moon Fever" (1989)
Next album = "Into the Great Wide Open" (1991)

"Full Moon Fever" is the first solo album by Tom Petty, though it features contributions from several members of his backing band, the Heartbreakers, along with fellow members of the Traveling Wilburys. Mainly, it was an opportunity for Tom Petty to record several tracks he had written with Electric Light Orchestra front man/Traveling Wilbury collaborator Jeff Lynne before Lynne jetted back to England after a stay in America. However, as Petty thought that they "sounded nothing like Heartbreakers songs," he decided to record them primarily as solo efforts, which at first stirred a bit of controversy amongst some of the band mates. It is also noteworthy that some of the greatest hits that helped define the band as a modern rock legend, namely "Free Fallin'," "I Won't Back Down," and "Runnin' Down a Dream," were ironically cuts off an album sans the Heartbreakers moniker.

The record itself shows Petty's musical roots and influences with a Byrds cover ("I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better") and a nod to Del Shannon ("Runnin' Down a Dream"'s lyric of "me and Del were singin' little "Runaway"). The album features one of Petty's most popular and recognizable songs, "Free Fallin'". A few songs were recorded for this album that did not make it: "Down the Line" and "Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger" were among them, and were released as b-sides. During the sessions, Petty wrote "Indiana Girl", an early draft of what would eventually become "Mary Jane's Last Dance"

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, except as indicated.
# "Free Fallin'" – 4:14
# "I Won't Back Down" – 2:56
# "Love Is a Long Road" (Mike Campbell, Petty) – 4:06
# "A Face in the Crowd" – 3:58
# "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Campbell, Lynne, Petty) – 4:23
#* The CD version also features "Hello CD Listeners", an interlude distinguishing where LP listeners would have to turn the record over for side two.
# "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" (Gene Clark) – 2:47
# "Yer So Bad" – 3:05
# "Depending on You" (Petty) – 2:47
# "The Apartment Song" (Petty) – 2:31
# "Alright for Now" (Petty) – 2:00
# "A Mind With a Heart of Its Own" – 3:29
# "Zombie Zoo" – 2:56

Personnel

*Tom Petty – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, sound effects, tambourine, Vocals, handclapping
*Jeff Lynne – bass, electric guitar, keyboards, sound effects, backing vocals, handclapping
*Mike Campbell – bass, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, slide guitar
*Phil Jones – percussion, drums

Additional personnel

*Benmont Tench – piano on "The Apartment Song"
*Kelsey Campbell – sound effects, vocals
*George Harrison – acoustic guitar and backing vocals on "I Won't Back Down"
*Roy Orbison – backing vocals on "Zombie Zoo"
*Jim Keltner – drums, maracas and tambourine on "Love Is a Long Road"
*Howie Epstein – backing vocals on "I Won't Back Down" and "Love Is a Long Road"
*Del Shannon – sound effects on "Hello CD Listeners"

Charts

Album