Full Moon Fever

Background and recording

Having earlier in the year finished a Heartbreakers tour behind the album Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), Petty decided to record a solo album without the Heartbreakers (similar to the arrangement between Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band at the time). This stirred some controversy among members of the Heartbreakers, although all but drummer Stan Lynch contributed to the album. Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein initially were not happy about playing the Full Moon Fever songs live during Heartbreakers concerts. Stan Lynch hated playing them right up until his departure from the band, saying it made him feel like he was in a cover band.

The recording process was a low-key affair, with many of Petty's friends contributing, including the members of the Traveling Wilburys, minus Bob Dylan. Recorded mainly in the relaxed atmosphere of Mike Campbell's garage studio, Petty would later say it was the most enjoyable record of his career. Recording of Full Moon Fever was actually interrupted to allow time for recording of the first Wilburys' album. A few songs recorded during the sessions did not make the Full Moon Fever album. "Down the Line" and "Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger" were released as B-sides. "Waiting for Tonight" features the Bangles and was released on the box set Playback. During the sessions, Petty wrote "Indiana Girl", an early draft of what would eventually become "Mary Jane's Last Dance".

Musical style and themes

The album is noted for being heavily influenced by Jeff Lynne, resulting in a cleaner and glossier version of the Heartbreakers roots rock from previous albums. Lynne incorporated layers of keyboards and backing vocals, giving it a Beatlesque feel. The songs show Petty paying dues to his influences with a Byrds cover ("I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better") and a nod to Del Shannon in "Runnin' Down a Dream". Other songs, such as "Free Fallin'", show Petty addressing nostalgia on his rise to fame. "A Mind With a Heart of Its Own" uses a Bo Diddley-style rhythm, while "The Apartment Song" features an instrumental break with paradiddle drumming reminiscent of Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue".

Release and reception

The album, which became Petty's commercial peak as an artist, was helped by favorable critical reviews and three hit singles. The album was released on April 24, 1989 and rose to eventually peak at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 8 in the UK. Five singles were released from the album; two hit the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and three topped the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. The RIAA certified Full Moon Fever 5x platinum on October 5, 2000 in the US and the CRIA certified it 6× platinum on September 18, 1991 in Canada.

Critical praise was generally high, with AllMusic giving the album 4-and-a-half stars, admiring the craft of the album and rivaling it with the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes. This review notes there are no weak tracks on the album, calling it a "minor masterpiece". The original Rolling Stone review compared the album favorably to the Traveling Wilburys' debut, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, saying it has the "same restless charm", but commenting that Full Moon Fever at times seems "sprawling". The review claims the album is "another rewarding, low-key side project for Petty", giving it three-and-a-half stars out of five. A later Rolling Stone biographer claims Full Moon Fever was a "masterful solo album". It was ranked number 92 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 best albums of the 1980s.

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, except as indicated.

1. "Free Fallin'" – 4:14
2. "I Won't Back Down" – 2:56
3. "Love Is a Long Road" (Petty, Mike Campbell) – 4:06
4. "A Face in the Crowd" – 3:58
5. "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Petty, Lynne, Campbell) – 4:23
6. "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" (Gene Clark) – 2:47
7. "Yer So Bad" – 3:05
8. "Depending on You" (Petty) – 2:47
9. "The Apartment Song" (Petty) – 2:31
10. "Alright for Now" (Petty) – 2:00
11. "A Mind with a Heart of Its Own" – 3:29
12. "Zombie Zoo" – 2:56

"Hello, CD listeners…"

The original U.S. compact-disc release of the album contains a hidden track in the pregap of Track 6, at the point where cassette or LP listeners would have to flip sides to continue. The track consists of a brief tongue-in-cheek monologue by Petty, over a background of barnyard noises. The interlude is not included in other versions of the album, though it is mentioned (as "Attention CD Listeners") in the album credits in all versions.

Personnel