Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK #108 - TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS - HARD PROMISES (DISCOVERING TOM PETTY - PART 4)

Artist: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: Yes

Album: Hard Promises

Released: May 5, 1981

Producer: Jimmy Lovine/Tom Petty

Singles: The Waiting (#19)/A Woman In Love (It's Not Me) (#79)

Song Of The Week: A Woman In Love (It's Not Me)

Cover Me: N/A

RIAA Certification: Platinum

Album Cover: 5/10

 

So we're up to the 4th studio album from Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers.  It's the follow-up to the extremely successful Damn The Torpedoes album.  And although this was the band's second release on Backstreet Records, Petty and MCA seemed to find more trouble.  This time, MCA wanted to release the album with "superstar pricing", due to Petty's rising fame.  This meant simply that the album would retail for $9.98, which was one dollar more than the standard release at that time.  Petty was not amused.  He considered naming the album Eight Ninety-Eight or just not delivering the album to the record company.  But MCA backed down and the rest is history.

 

The album reached the 5th spot on the Billboard chart and spawned the Top 20 hit "The Waiting".  It contained Petty's first duet with Stevie Nicks (Insider).  Around the same time, Petty and the Heartbreakers recorded Stop Draggin' My Heart Around for Stevie's solo album "Bella Donna".  Personally, the duet is just okay in my book.  The one on Stevie's album is way better.  One more interesting tidbit from this album is that John Lennon was scheduled to be in the studio around the same time and Petty wanted to meet him.  Unfortunately the meeting never took place as Lennon was murdered.  The band had " We love you JL" etched onto the master copy of the album.  That same etching can still be found on any vinyl copy of the album.

 

So there you have it.  Now somebody that has the vinyl needs to let us know if you can indeed find that etching on it.  I believe I'll start looking a little harder for a copy.  I don't think this album is as strong as Damn The Torpedoes or the debut, so I'd rank it at number 3 so far.  But we have a long, long way to go. 

 

Ultimate Tom Petty Playlist (This Album): The Waiting/A Woman In Love (It's Not Me)/Nightwatchman/Something Big

 

1. The Waiting ***

2. A Woman In Love (It's Not Me) ********

3. Nightwatchman ***

4. Something Big ***

5. Kings Road **

6. Letting You Go **

7. A Thing About You **

8. Insider **

9. The Criminal Kind **

10. You Can Still Change Your Mind **

 

 

Ultimate TP Playlist (Running List): Breakdown/The Wild One, Forever/Strangered In The Night/Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)/American Girl/Magnolia/I Need To Know/Refugee/Here Comes My Girl/Even The Losers/Shadow Of A Doubt (A Complex Kid)/Don't Do Me Like That/You Tell Me/What Are You Doin' In My Life?/Louisiana Rain/The Waiting/A Woman In Love (It's Not Me)/Nightwatchman/Something Big

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Replies to This Discussion

There you go...Nightwatchman!

I totally called that last two AOTW Posts, I should be winning something big!

If he would have made Damn The Torpedoes a double album this would be the second disc.  How awesome would that have been!

Nice series RJ, this album is like 1a to Damn The Torpedoes, hard to pick a favorite.

The Waiting is a great song.

I didn't know there was another duet with Nicks. Really, not a bad duet and a hidden gem. If I was a DJ or had my own radio station, I would play The Insider.

I heard Stop Dragging My Heart around years ago on the radio (and I remembered the song when I heard the CD).

I was never much of a Petty fan, but am starting to like him more.


I remember listening to this in the mornings before I went to Jr. High School. Another Great Petty album! It had a couple of Awesome hits & a few hidden gems. The rest is just solid Petty. I think "A Thing About You" should have definitely made the playlist though. You were a little stingy, extended invitations this week!

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