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Full Moon Fever 1989
Album · by Tom Petty ↗ View artist

Full Moon Fever

When Tom Petty embarked on the recording of Full Moon Fever, he was coming off a tour with the Heartbreakers in 1987. He decided to undertake a solo project, something that had been brewing for a while and which, reportedly, caused some discomfort among some members of his usual band. The idea was to explore his musical roots with a production that, in part, moved away from the more direct sound of the Heartbreakers. Most of this work was gestated in 1988, in a relaxed atmosphere, even in Mike Campbell's home studio. Petty himself described this period as one of the most enjoyable of his career. The recording process was even interrupted to make way for the creation of the first album by the Traveling Wilburys, where Petty shared credits with figures like Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and George Harrison.

Year
1989
Songs
12
Duration
39 min 58 seg
Listen to the album ★

12 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱
01

Free Fallin’

coming soon

4:16
02

I Won’t Back Down

2:58
03

Love Is a Long Road

4:08
04

A Face in the Crowd

3:59
05

Runnin’ Down a Dream

coming soon

4:52
06

Feel a Whole Lot Better

2:50
07

Yer So Bad

3:06
08

Depending on You

2:49
09

The Apartment Song

2:32
10

Alright for Now

coming soon

2:01
11

A Mind With a Heart of Its Own

3:31
12

Zombie Zoo

2:56

About the album

Full Moon Fever, according to DoReSol

The sound of Full Moon Fever shows a clear influence from Jeff Lynne, who also participated in the production. A more polished sound is perceived, with layers of keyboards and choruses that give it an atmosphere reminiscent of the Beatles. Petty paid homage to his influences, including a cover of The Byrds' "Feel a Whole Lot Better" and making nods to Del Shannon in Runnin' Down a Dream. Songs like Free Fallin' address nostalgia on the path to recognition. The rhythm of A Mind With a Heart of Its Own evokes the style of Bo Diddley, while The Apartment Song features an instrumental interlude with a drum pattern reminiscent of Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue". The composition of the tracks was mainly based on the collaboration between Petty and Lynne.

The album, released on April 24, 1989, became a commercial and critical success. It reached number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified 5 times platinum there, in addition to 6 times platinum in Canada. Three singles from the record managed to place in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, and five of them topped the Mainstream Rock chart. In 2019, Full Moon Fever was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 298 on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".