After more than a decade of working with The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty took a breather and decided to fly solo. Well, sort of. "Full Moon Fever" is a Tom Petty album in name, but features songs co-written by Mike Campbell (who co-produced), and features Campbell, Howie Epstein and Benmont Tench on assorted songs.

What set this apart from the Heartbreakers' work was the impressive guest list. ELO's Jeff Lynne produced, Roy Orbison and George Harrison - three of the Traveling Wilburys - sang (and Del Shannon contributes 'barnyard noises'), along with a crack group of session cats. Lynne's fascination with roots rock hybrids (Dave Edmund's Information and some of his ELO songs) meshed perfectly with Petty's new direction, and Petty brought his strongest album's worth of songs since Damn the Torpedoes.

The result was an album that was consistent all the way through, with Petty sounding loose and relaxed. There's his terrific anthem "I Won't Back Down," the rocking "Running Down a Dream" and the powerful tribute to Los Angeles, "Free Fallin'," some of the best singles he's ever done. Finally, there's a serious affirmation of his influences with the Byrds' "Feel a Whole Lot Better" marking Petty's first cover.

The non-hits here carry "Full Moon Fever" to the top of the ratings. The single-acoustic guitar of "Alright For Now" was one of the simplest pieces Petty ever committed to tape and one of the most beautiful. "Zombie Zoo" is a lighthearted laugh of a rocker, and "Yer So Bad" has a great sense of humor in it. There really isn't a bad song in the bunch, with the weakest ("Apartment Song") still better than some of his other album tracks. It's a classic album from an artist that already had two five-star albums under his relatively young belt.

Of all the songs Tom petty has ever wrote, the song-"A MIND WITH A HEART OF IT's OWN", maybe the most AWSOME music i have heard him play. "BUT" This has the most terrible (STUPID) lyrics, I have ever heard -----and just shoot-downs the song. WHY? If you are ever going to change one song in your career TOM, keep the CHORUS line the same, and please rewrite the lyrics. This music to this song, and chorus line are awsome. Write, something like "my girl friend left me for a lawyer.....a mind with a heart of it's own......or I got into a fight with a boss....A mind with a heart of it's own.......My dog never barks....a mind with a heart of it's own......etc. Honestly the lyrics, in the song make everyone nut's------but----they love the song (music). It would be great to save this good song and rewrite the lyrics and put it on a REMASTER OF THIS ALBUM. HECK ! it would be another hit.SERIOUSLY, I aint the only one that agrees. This is the only mess-up ,in your collection.

A pretty strong album from Tom Petty, Full Moon Fever offers up a great mix of harder, driving rockers and slower, more laid back numbers. The result is an album that never leaves a listener bored for lack of variety.

Having listened to Tom Petty on the radio for many years, I could never break down and buy one of his CD's
This is the CD that changed all of this. Tom along with Jeff Lynne and former Beatle and fellow Willbury George Harrison contribute to this effort, and it makes it just that much sweeter. It's fun seeing Harrison and Lynn on the video as well.
This CD is pretty much a best of package in itself.
This CD contains, I won't back down, Runnin' down a dream, Freefallin' Love is a long road and several others.
Once I listened to this CD for a few months, I was able to buy much of his catalog with the Heartbreakers.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are truely one of the great Rock and Roll bands ever.
I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves Rock and Roll.........A true classic.................

One of Tom Petty's better efforts. "I Won't Back Down," "Running Down a Dream," and, of course, "Freefallin'" are superb pop songs. Beautifully written and beautifully sung, with ringing harmonies and jangling guitars. Buy it.