What! A Tom Petty record without the Heartbreakers? I think I read that some of the Heartbreakers were heartbroken when this happened. Life is full of disappointments.
Full Moon Fever might be Tom's best record. The only song I do not care for is Alright for Now. The rest are all top-shelf tracks, including--arguably--Petty's best song, Free Fallin'. I've never been a big fan of ELO or Jeff Lynne, but this collaboration works amazingly well. Just reflect on what else is on this record: I Won't Back Down, Running Down a Dream, Love is Long Road, Yer So Bad, Feel a Whole Lot Better, etc., etc. It's almost a greatest hits record.
I wasn't really a Tom Petty fan when this record came out. In fact, I had forgotten about him, after having been infatuated with Damn the Torpedoes. After that record, I completely lost track of him. One day, I heard Free Fallin' and I was stopped dead in my tracks. It is one of those songs that just grabbed my attention. As soon as it was over, I wanted to here it again. I went on a quest to reconnect with Petty because I thought Free Fallin' was such a great song. I think that is is one of those songs that everyone who hears it will like, even if you are a classic rock guy, or a country music fan, or even a fan of indie rock. I'd really like to meet someone who does not like that song.
