When my son was dealing with cancer I got “ You can stand me up at the gates of Hell but I won’t back down” tattooed on my arm. I have use this to help me get through both his treatment and his passing. This is literally one of the most important songs in the world to me.
I spent 63 days in ICU myself after an injury, and Tom Petty was about the only music I wanted to listen to once I woke up. It does seem to provide a great deal of strength at a time when you need it the most. I'm glad it helped you, but sorry you needed it to.
Chris D thank you. I’m glad it helped you also. He was performing close to where I live and my wife and I got tickets at the last moment. I had been up since 2:00 am and wasn’t sure I wanted too. But we went, and it was great. He passed a couple months later. You rarely regret the ones you see but often regret the ones you don’t.
Tom Petty said at Jeff Lynne’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony he thought he knew a lot about recording music until he worked with Jeff. Tom said it was like going to “Recording College” every day. Also, that Jeff is the greatest overall musician he ever knew. High praise for Jeff indeed.
Just a comment about the demonetization. I assume that the issue with this series is that it is referencing copyrighted material. I think UA-cam really needs to re-examine the algorithms they are using for this. There is a huge difference between this type of analysis and just "copying" someone's content. This is not a cover of someone's song, it is a technical breakdown. Flagging this video is like a journalist being denied pay for doing a book review if they directly quoted material from the book. Clearly, this is something that needs to be challenged and sorted out.
I assume he is doing these with permission since he is accessing the masters (or digital copies of them). Demonetisation is more about generating revenue from musical activity. Much harder now.
@Greg Elchert I saw him in Atlanta in 2017 and you could tell he was hurting because he didn't move around much on stage. I saw Tom in concert at the Cal st Fair in Sept of 81 and it truly one of the best performances that I have ever seen. I had a gut feeling that this would be last time I would get to see him live. So I drive from Charlotte to Atlanta to see him.
Artists that are blocking these vids are out of their mind. I've bought quality copies of almost every song done in this series because I've learned to listen to them a different way. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I’ve been around the world several times and lived many places in the process. Gypsy blood I s’pose. Point is, I’ve met people from all walks and everybody is going through it. Doesn’t matter how well put together someone may appear, we all have our demons and they’re very good at adapting to catch us off guard. In fact, they hit hardest when we get comfortable. In my opinion, that’s a trap we lay for ourselves. Maybe too smart for our own good? Brother, thank you so much for the video. The one thing I’d add is just how powerful those “simple” lyrics are when sung by Petty’s super mellow voice. He’s giving us a blueprint. We need not scream into the hurricane, we simply draw our line and stick to it. Simple words, simple chords, simple message: The genius of Tom Petty. That’s what makes it a great song in my estimation.
I was in the Army stationed with W. Germany when Full Moon Fever came out. After picking up the CD, I proceeded to listen to it so many times from beginning to end. In December of '89, The Kinks had a concert in a nearby city. Took the train there and before the show started, Full Moon Fever was played in it's entirety....needless to say the German crowd loved it. Brings back a lot of good memories.
When a Tom Petty song comes on it’s pure joy. His music always has a signature intro and unique sound. I’m a huge music fan but a little tone deaf and even I can recognize what you’re describing. This song is pretty much my life’s musical mantra. I’ve had Life kick me in the gut many times but all I can do is play this song and get back up. A true inspiration.
Man I miss him💔 You always knew there was something new coming down the pike from Tom Petty. He always had something for you & it was gonna be good. He's such an important part of the backbone of rock & roll. And personally...a major voice on the soundtrack of my life. Luv that guy!
This was the first song I heard on the day before I graduated from Parris Island. When I was in the commissary this video was playing on Mtv. The album was released April 28th, 1989 an I was already at boot camp. It was a very satisfying experience to watch the video before graduation. RIP Tom. Thanks for the great music!
Tom Petty's voice, heard alone, is much better than I expected. Most singers, even good singers, don't sound all that great unaccompanied, at least from what i have heard. He sounds really good. This analysis from Rick is, as ever, excellent. He finds all the most salient points, and all the overlooked points too, and explains it all so well.
Tom Petty always wrote great songs. Though he was a singer of limited capacity he understood his vocal strengths and utilized them well. Your production breakdowns are great and show the deceptive simplicity of a great pop song. All the subliminal enhancements that grab our attention that we may not even be aware of.
Saw Tom & the Heartbreakers with Bob Dylan in the late eighties. Football stadium concert in Oz. Fantastic band, very tight. Had an all access areas pass and got in between the crowd barrier and the stage to listen to Refugee in front of the stacks. Amazing. One the top 3 concerts I've ever had the pleasure of being at, maybe even the best concert I've been at.
A thing worth noting (for drummers at least): notice how the build-up-fill in the last bar before the chorus is played from the 1st to the 3rd beat of the bar and is finished with a crash on 3. Normally you would NEVER do this. But he doesn't want to get in the way of the vocals and it works perfectly.
Is it not fair to say of just about all of Tom Petty's music that it is very simple rock, combined with Tom's southern rock character, done in a very nice high quality execution. And the "subtle" nature is, to me, a trademark of southern rock in general. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Marshall Tucker Band, and on, none of it ever sounds like Van Halen, it always has a subtleness to it. I love the "What Makes This Song Great'' series and I am amazed how you pick up on all the detail, like, I would never hear that the snare drum was isolated. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for this breakdown, Rick. This is one of the Petty songs I'd grown tired of because radio stations have played it, Freefall, and a couple of others to death, as if they were Petty's ONLY songs. Your analysis has given me a new appreciation for the song.
I'd like to hear you talk more about Jeff Lynne. Apologies if you have done and I missed it... I've been loving ELO and Lynne's music since the early 70s and he just seems like such an important piece of musical history given all of his interactions with other great music makers.
One of my all time fav tunes. Mike Campbell, ridiculously underrated, still. Tom and band are total rhythm-meisters. Great breakdown Rick, thanks again
Tom Petty truly evolved into a exceptional song writer.Roger McGuinn and the Byrds were a major influence on Petty's musical journey. Thank you Rick for all of your musical insight.
It just never seemed like he got mentioned very much in the guitar magazines back in the day. Thanks for highlighting a great part by a great player Rick.
I've not been a long time Fan of Tom Petty's music but one thing I've always admired is Mike Campbell's servitude to the music. He NEVER overplays but his parts are so "perfect". I love the solo in this song. It's really tasteful. The sign of an amazing musician, to me. I do agree he is an underrated guitarist.
That was a wonderful lesson,and exploration of studio techniques of Jeff Lynne the master recordist,technical wiz.I like your love of the process of recording/playing/constructing songs,and peak behind the curtain to enhance enjoyment thru understanding what goes into songs.
Learning to fly played live at Bonnarroo is one of my favorite live performances ever. The crowd interaction towards the end is absolutely Earth moving
This series is incredible. You are THE BEST Rick! I love how you separate each instrument and point out nuances I would never have noticed in my lifetime, but will never unhear now. Thank you so much! God bless
Hey gang, you won't find a smarter or more enthusiastic musician online. Rick lives and breathes music. Ha! and he just showed you how to produce and record a solid tune in ten minutes :)
I miss Tom.... He was an American original.... straight ahead great rock music... Thanks for the music Tom. RIP.... We will remember you through your great music...
i sweat every track rick you can FEEL the energy and the soul. Swear thats what makes things great. Every song ive ever herd from tom is just so full of life. Amazing recording and performances.
I am a songwriter and run a small recording studio, I like the way this guy points things out, really helpful insights into the little things that really "Make" the song.
If you do another Petty- "You Wreck Me." I consider it one of the most perfectly constructed rock songs ever. The other top perfect rock song in my book is "What I Like About You" by The Romantics. Both are masterpieces of economy.
George Strait covered this, but he played it fast, almost challenging the band to keep up. Petty sang I’ll be the guy in the corduroy pants. Strait sang it cargo pants. I was around and wore those Levi corduroy pants. It was an amazing cover.
I love how Tom and Jeff, being in LA and all, incorporate the Beach Boy's extreme high end harmony with the Byrd's twelve string chime !!!!!! Great song! Great instruction! Keep 'em coming!
Nice breakdown Rick! I remember when it came out and it seemed so direct and simple compared to his earlier work with the Heartbreakers. Jeff Lynne hated all the giant reverbs. Currently sounds more in fashion than the big 70s/80s productions. Small point of dispute. Petty was known for 12 strings too, mostly electric Rick 12 string. I think it's a touch point for Tom and Jeff. Really enjoy your analysis videos.
It seems like there's lots of reverb because it sounds so wide and big. But really it's the perfectly layered and chosen guitar parts that make it sound as if it's all happening in a huge room
Thanks! I love Jeff Lynn's production on this record. It's definitely one of my favorites, & I've owned a copy - whether on tape or CD - ever since it came out. As far as the 12 strings go, it's always seemed to me that T.P. & the Heartbreakers were something of a spiritual successor to The Byrds. Even when there's not an obvious 12 string in there, their music just has that feel. I secretly imagine that Tom and/or Mike must have played a lot of Byrds tunes in their past, & the ascetic seems to inform their sound. Jeff Lynn is probably aware of that, in addition to using 12 strings himself in ELP. So, thanks again, & remember: Byrd is the word! ;) Rikki Tikki.
Those 2 guitars at 1:51 remind me a lot of Jessie's Girl's start... it's not the same but it's close enough in tempo and notes for my head to instantly start singing along with it...
He has also worked with Chris Stapleton on Chris's Starting Over album, as did Benmont Tench. You can definitely see Tom Petty's influence on Chris Stapleton.
I was 13 going on 14 when this came out, and I fell in love with it forever more. Sounds incredible hearing it broken down like this. Thank you so much, Rick!
Great breakdown!! As a guitar player and songwriter, your videos in this series really validate my ideas about simplicity and what I call "simple complexity" and why so many cover bands fail to "get" the songs right :)
And adding to the brilliant minimalism of the drums, he got Ringo to appear in the video-almost as if the approach to the recording's rhythm section was based on Ringo's genius. 👍
Tom Petty is one of my favourite artists. I think Mike Campbell is very underrated in the music world and is a fantastic guitarist. Benmont Tench really ‘filled out’ the band sound and I felt it was a pity that he got sort of sidelined when Tom played with the Wilbury’s.
Well done. Thanks for the excellent walk through. A lot of great pop tunes make creative use of very simple ingredients. Tom Petty and Mike Campbell's work offers many examples of the very skilful use of simplicity. The song Free Falling, for instance, is just about as simple as it gets.
This song always sounded to me like ELO (or Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lynne's band, for those of you who don't know) with Tom Petty on vocals. Now I know why. :D
Thanks again for this run through. as you say the harmonies are stunning but i suppose it helps that George Harrison had been doing them all his recording life since 1962. (Yes i'm old enough to remember the Beatles first single). I'm so glad that this series reflects all of my music favorites.
I see some folks don't like this song, and I've never been more than a casual listener of Tom Petty - but this song sticks out like a sore thumb to me and I've become more fond of it as time passes. I think that particular use of the suspension hearkens back to some of my high school days favorites of 79-81. This series has me thinking of stand-out favorites that seem to improve with age - how about Rod Stewart's "You Wear it Well"?
This is the song that started my lifelong love affair with Tom Petty. He was to me what Elvis was to my parent's generation. There's some great live videos online of this song and Benmont's keys are much more pronounced and he gets to really play with it more, as heard in the box set. Full Moon Fever is a perfect record, no filler. I actually gave my son this record for Christmas. Needless to say, "I Won't Back Down" hasn't aged one bit since its release in 1989. Everyone, from ages 12-92 know this song. It's a song that you would play for somebody who has no idea who Tom Petty is.
This is the second time I've watched this video. Love the What makes this song great series BTW. @rickbeato what would be great is to get an interview with Mike Campbell or Jeff Lynne and reconcile your best educated guesses with their recollection of the recording sessions. It would be fun and interesting to see and hear the discussion.
Jeff Lynne might have the best ear ever in production of popular music. He's amazing. And of course, Petty is sorely missed.... So happy I got to see his last tour.
Thanks for this! Have been a big Tom Petty fan since I was a little kid in the 1970's. He passed away on October 2, and it hit me hard. 2 days later, on October 4, I was at my sacred spot in the woods by the creek and lit a bonfire. There was a small speck of sky above me that wasn't hidden by the trees. The Full Moon was shining down, just perfectly in that small speck of sky. I looked at the fire next to me and then up at the Full Moon shining above me... Full Moon Fire! (ala Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever) That inspired me to write a song called "Full Moon Fire" dedicated to Tom Petty. The song and video of the inspiration are on my youtube profile if anyone is interested. And thanks for this video, Rick.
Rick, I love that you are teaching us with so much knowledge and passion, not because it's where your paycheck comes from, but because it's who you are. Imagine if our schools and colleges were filled with teachers like you, who can turn you on to a subject for life. I went to an Ivy League college, and I only had a couple of professors in 4 years this good. And a bored or boring teacher can make you hate a whole field of knowledge for life. In this globally competitive and rapidly changing world we're in now, we can't afford to turn out young people who aren't self-motivated by passion for their subjects to continually learn and get better throughout their lives. You teach this by your life example. This is what the Internet is for -- to spread enthusiasm and respect for all the human arts and sciences by showing us that there's so much going on technically behind even something as spontaneous-feeling as music. Self-esteem comes from mastering difficult skills, not from being told you're "special". (If everybody's special, then nobody is special, and kids know this deep down.) The great part is, if you love something, the work you have to put in to master it is not a burden, it's a joy. And then you have real competence that everyone respects, which draws people and job offers and great projects into your life, AND makes everyone else's life better. It's a win-win-win, to use a cliche. And it all starts with great teachers like you -- thank you Rick!
...key name ....Jeff Lynne.....nice breakdown !....PS ...Rick you and I could discuss music for days ....yes you're great with disecting a song .....but it's also you're passion and appreciation.....cheers 🍷🍷
Not much about the "song" here, more about the record. Petty was a master of simplicity, and always had SOMETHING TO SAY in his songwriting. Lynn is a master of making enormous complexity sound simple and smooth. What a combination eh? By the way, how did you get access to the multitrack?
Your expertise and passion in your analysis beautifully illustrates the amazing features of this outstanding song! Thank you for your talent in describing pure awesomeness!
The sound of a little boy in pain appeals to a man that says the little boy is me. A woman says I can comfort him. A man wants to fix the pain as in an ER a burning building or by ordering a mob hit.
Tom Petty...a true rock and roll maniac! The music world will miss his presence! Great song breakdown! I have always love Tom Pettys music and hearing it broken down like this just illustrates why he was a great rock n roll artist!
Once again Nice Job Rick! The D-G-D drone picking absolutely MAKES the chorus blossom..Its like really good glue! Funny how the little simple things accomplish so much! Interesting about the drums as well. I never would known had it not be for the track isolation! Looking back though, the hi-hat DID seem a bit too perfect...thanks again!
I've never heard anyone making a music tutorial that reproduces the tracks so well for their audience. Rick has his voice and individual music tracks in a pristine balance.
Funny story about the refrain: Tom was laboring over the lyrics, saying, "hey, baby. Standing on the edge of the world." George Harrsion looks at him and says, "what the Hell is that?" Suffice it to say, Tom kept working on the refrain.
Wow I like "Standing On The Edge Of The World" so much better. It denotes dramatic tension in a nice metaphor. "Won't back down" is really ordinary and cliche. I like this song but really find it a throwaway tune compared to so many great Petty songs and have been mystified by its popularity.
Randy Hansen Maybe it’s the meaning “I won’t back down” it can be a very powerful message to a lot of people, for many different reasons. Just my thoughts. Great song, but he definitely has better ones.
Do a two part episode with part one being a great song and part 2 being a great cover. And you can talk about what is the same and what is different about each of the two. Ex: With a little help from my friends Beatles/Joe Crocker. Ex. 2 Hurt NIN/Johnny Cash
i think 'a woman in love' is the most remarkable petty song because of its contrary motion and atmosphere (had to steal your thunder- sorry). but don't let that prevent you from doing a compact 12 minute analysis of the RUMOURS album by fleetwood. every tune on it is a gem. with your equipment and access to the tracks, i would so appreciate someone to say what i hear. somebody already did it? oh no.
I didn't like these at first but they have really grown on me, super insightful especially with regard to the way the songs are mixed and the recording process. Every one of these I listen to changes the way I play these songs (for the better!) and affects the way I record. Thanks Rick!
When my son was dealing with cancer I got “ You can stand me up at the gates of Hell but I won’t back down” tattooed on my arm. I have use this to help me get through both his treatment and his passing. This is literally one of the most important songs in the world to me.
May your son rest in Peace.
I spent 63 days in ICU myself after an injury, and Tom Petty was about the only music I wanted to listen to once I woke up. It does seem to provide a great deal of strength at a time when you need it the most. I'm glad it helped you, but sorry you needed it to.
Chris D thank you. I’m glad it helped you also. He was performing close to where I live and my wife and I got tickets at the last moment. I had been up since 2:00 am and wasn’t sure I wanted too. But we went, and it was great. He passed a couple months later. You rarely regret the ones you see but often regret the ones you don’t.
I'm sorry for your loss. My condolences.
Strength to you Sir,
Tom Petty said at Jeff Lynne’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony he thought he knew a lot about recording music until he worked with Jeff. Tom said it was like going to “Recording College” every day. Also, that Jeff is the greatest overall musician he ever knew. High praise for Jeff indeed.
saw ELO not long before pandemic.. one of the best live shows ive been to (and ive been going to shows for 40 years)
Jeff elevated Tom's music; Tom elevated Jeff's "coolness" factor. - if that's a thing ;)
@@cgomelJeff was already ridiculously cool, he had an orchestra made of electric lights for God's sake. Nothing cooler than that.
Petty has such a classic rock sound I miss him so much :(
I miss Tom Petty! I didn't even realize that George Harrison was on this... I like what you said: there's nothing like real vocals instead of tuned
Just a comment about the demonetization. I assume that the issue with this series is that it is referencing copyrighted material. I think UA-cam really needs to re-examine the algorithms they are using for this. There is a huge difference between this type of analysis and just "copying" someone's content. This is not a cover of someone's song, it is a technical breakdown. Flagging this video is like a journalist being denied pay for doing a book review if they directly quoted material from the book. Clearly, this is something that needs to be challenged and sorted out.
I assume he is doing these with permission since he is accessing the masters (or digital copies of them). Demonetisation is more about generating revenue from musical activity. Much harder now.
💯
This is an educational video, so it should be quite comfortably covered by fair use. It's, in fact, what fair use was designed for.
Alan Wilson he hasn't necessarily got all of the Masters, many of the times he just has the stems.
Agree
The apparent simplicity of Tom Petty's songs is the trademark of the greats. Just simple pure great music!
Simple is hard to do. Knowing when less is more.
The great thing about Tom Petty is he sounded just as good live.
Agreed, saw him live & yes it's true. RIP
@Greg Elchert I saw him in Atlanta in 2017 and you could tell he was hurting because he didn't move around much on stage. I saw Tom in concert at the Cal st Fair in Sept of 81 and it truly one of the best performances that I have ever seen. I had a gut feeling that this would be last time I would get to see him live. So I drive from Charlotte to Atlanta to see him.
The sign of true talent.
I would argue better! The heartbreakers were amazing live and Tom’s voice was the same but Live you’d get a little uniqueness to the songs!
George Harrison from The Beatles, not to be confused with all those other George Harrisons.
You'd (hopefully) be amazed at how often it needs to be said.
And the drummer is a guy called Ringo Starr, whom a few folk might also have heard of.
🤣
@@1530peterfoster he's not the drummer he just played the drums in the music video
He do probably have the least known name out of the group though. John Lennon was their most famous member.
Artists that are blocking these vids are out of their mind. I've bought quality copies of almost every song done in this series because I've learned to listen to them a different way. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Yeah... But sadly it's not even the artists it's the record companies not even knowing what they're blocking
no you are not.... ive redone my CD collection with masters
Exactly. Every analysis or reaction channel I watch has led me to buy more songs.
I’ve been around the world several times and lived many places in the process. Gypsy blood I s’pose.
Point is, I’ve met people from all walks and everybody is going through it. Doesn’t matter how well put together someone may appear, we all have our demons and they’re very good at adapting to catch us off guard. In fact, they hit hardest when we get comfortable. In my opinion, that’s a trap we lay for ourselves. Maybe too smart for our own good?
Brother, thank you so much for the video. The one thing I’d add is just how powerful those “simple” lyrics are when sung by Petty’s super mellow voice. He’s giving us a blueprint. We need not scream into the hurricane, we simply draw our line and stick to it. Simple words, simple chords, simple message: The genius of Tom Petty. That’s what makes it a great song in my estimation.
I was in the Army stationed with W. Germany when Full Moon Fever came out. After picking up the CD, I proceeded to listen to it so many times from beginning to end. In December of '89, The Kinks had a concert in a nearby city. Took the train there and before the show started, Full Moon Fever was played in it's entirety....needless to say the German crowd loved it. Brings back a lot of good memories.
my stepmom suffered from cancer for years and this was her favorite song. everytime i hear it it makes me tear up
Jeff Boxing Aw sorry 🙁
Jeff Boxing
My deepest sympathies. Your step-mom sounds like she was one cool lady!
My mom died of cancer. Her favorite song was What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. We played it at the funeral. Everyone cried!
Tom Petty has so many of these songs, he was a genius, his songs were an experience of emotion and feelings, the great ones can do that
Jeff Lynne is also a genius, as is Mike Jackson.
When a Tom Petty song comes on it’s pure joy. His music always has a signature intro and unique sound. I’m a huge music fan but a little tone deaf and even I can recognize what you’re describing. This song is pretty much my life’s musical mantra. I’ve had Life kick me in the gut many times but all I can do is play this song and get back up. A true inspiration.
My god i love my ears more and more when i hear these breakdowns. Thanks Rick.
Man I miss him💔 You always knew there was something new coming down the pike from Tom Petty. He always had something for you & it was gonna be good. He's such an important part of the backbone of rock & roll. And personally...a major voice on the soundtrack of my life. Luv that guy!
I think it’s only fair to warn you, if I ever run into you you’re getting a man-hug. Love your work.
Did you finally meet him?
Better add me to the list!!!!!
This was the first song I heard on the day before I graduated from Parris Island. When I was in the commissary this video was playing on Mtv. The album was released April 28th, 1989 an I was already at boot camp. It was a very satisfying experience to watch the video before graduation. RIP Tom. Thanks for the great music!
Must wear headphones for the full effect of Rick's breakdowns. This series is great by the way!
Tom Petty's voice, heard alone, is much better than I expected. Most singers, even good singers, don't sound all that great unaccompanied, at least from what i have heard. He sounds really good. This analysis from Rick is, as ever, excellent. He finds all the most salient points, and all the overlooked points too, and explains it all so well.
Tom Petty always wrote great songs. Though he was a singer of limited capacity he understood his vocal strengths and utilized them well. Your production breakdowns are great and show the deceptive simplicity of a great pop song. All the subliminal enhancements that grab our attention that we may not even be aware of.
Well it’s not reevaluate a pop song but yea. Pop has to do with the current time period. It may have been pop back then, but it’s not pop now.
Saw Tom & the Heartbreakers with Bob Dylan in the late eighties. Football stadium concert in Oz. Fantastic band, very tight. Had an all access areas pass and got in between the crowd barrier and the stage to listen to Refugee in front of the stacks. Amazing. One the top 3 concerts I've ever had the pleasure of being at, maybe even the best concert I've been at.
A thing worth noting (for drummers at least): notice how the build-up-fill in the last bar before the chorus is played from the 1st to the 3rd beat of
the bar and is finished with a crash on 3. Normally you would NEVER do this. But he doesn't want to get in the way of the vocals and it works perfectly.
Is it not fair to say of just about all of Tom Petty's music that it is very simple rock, combined with Tom's southern rock character, done in a very nice high quality execution. And the "subtle" nature is, to me, a trademark of southern rock in general. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Marshall Tucker Band, and on, none of it ever sounds like Van Halen, it always has a subtleness to it.
I love the "What Makes This Song Great'' series and I am amazed how you pick up on all the detail, like, I would never hear that the snare drum was isolated.
Keep up the great work!
Thanks for this breakdown, Rick. This is one of the Petty songs I'd grown tired of because radio stations have played it, Freefall, and a couple of others to death, as if they were Petty's ONLY songs. Your analysis has given me a new appreciation for the song.
I'd like to hear you talk more about Jeff Lynne. Apologies if you have done and I missed it...
I've been loving ELO and Lynne's music since the early 70s and he just seems like such an important piece of musical history given all of his interactions with other great music makers.
One of my all time fav tunes. Mike Campbell, ridiculously underrated, still. Tom and band are total rhythm-meisters. Great breakdown Rick, thanks again
Tom Petty truly evolved into a exceptional song writer.Roger McGuinn and the Byrds were a major influence on Petty's musical journey. Thank you Rick for all of your musical insight.
Mcguinn and the Byrds were a huge influence on Tommy
I love this song and nerding out on stuff like this.
Mike Campbell is a terribly underrated guitarist. I guess because he always plays great parts that fit the tune without to much showboating.
He's not underrated to me
It just never seemed like he got mentioned very much in the guitar magazines back in the day. Thanks for highlighting a great part by a great player Rick.
bertox137 Campbell knows how to serve the song. No flash, just substance.
I've not been a long time Fan of Tom Petty's music but one thing I've always admired is Mike Campbell's servitude to the music. He NEVER overplays but his parts are so "perfect". I love the solo in this song. It's really tasteful. The sign of an amazing musician, to me. I do agree he is an underrated guitarist.
bertox137 he learned alot of his chops taking lessons from don felder (eagles)
These breakdowns are fantastic, thank you Rick!
They really are eh. Im nerding hard on these.
Love these break downs not only are they brilliant they give a good insight into how to cover the song for people who want to do so
That was a wonderful lesson,and exploration of studio techniques of Jeff Lynne the master recordist,technical wiz.I like your love of the process of recording/playing/constructing songs,and peak behind the curtain to enhance enjoyment thru understanding what goes into songs.
Learning to fly played live at Bonnarroo is one of my favorite live performances ever. The crowd interaction towards the end is absolutely Earth moving
Love it! Tom’s entire discography is worthy enough for analysis.
This series is incredible. You are THE BEST Rick! I love how you separate each instrument and point out nuances I would never have noticed in my lifetime, but will never unhear now. Thank you so much! God bless
This is one of my favorite songs and I can't believe I've never heard some of these elements. Thanks Rick!
Hey gang, you won't find a smarter or more enthusiastic musician online. Rick lives and breathes music.
Ha! and he just showed you how to produce and record a solid tune in ten minutes :)
Another great analysis. I tend to dislike Jeff Lynne's production style, but for some reason I dig everything he did that Petty was involved in.
Rick, the fact that you look and sound like you are genuinely enjoying every minute of these breakdowns is what makes your videos so great!
In a nutshell? Pure GENIUS from Tom/Mike/Jeff.
I miss Tom.... He was an American original.... straight ahead great rock music... Thanks for the music Tom. RIP.... We will remember you through your great music...
Tom Petty was genius at rearranging typical chord patterns in unexpected ways.
i sweat every track rick you can FEEL the energy and the soul. Swear thats what makes things great. Every song ive ever herd from tom is just so full of life. Amazing recording and performances.
I was so excited when I finally saw an artist I enjoy on this series! PLEASE DO JEFF LYNNE'S ELO NEXT!
YES YES!! Go to his website to post requests! I did ask for ELO, we need more of us ;)
I am a songwriter and run a small recording studio, I like the way this guy points things out, really helpful insights into the little things that really "Make" the song.
If you do another Petty- "You Wreck Me." I consider it one of the most perfectly constructed rock songs ever. The other top perfect rock song in my book is "What I Like About You" by The Romantics. Both are masterpieces of economy.
George Strait covered this, but he played it fast, almost challenging the band to keep up. Petty sang I’ll be the guy in the corduroy pants. Strait sang it cargo pants. I was around and wore those Levi corduroy pants. It was an amazing cover.
I love how Tom and Jeff, being in LA and all, incorporate the Beach Boy's extreme high end harmony with the Byrd's twelve string chime !!!!!! Great song! Great instruction! Keep 'em coming!
Nice breakdown Rick! I remember when it came out and it seemed so direct and simple compared to his earlier work with the Heartbreakers. Jeff Lynne hated all the giant reverbs. Currently sounds more in fashion than the big 70s/80s productions. Small point of dispute. Petty was known for 12 strings too, mostly electric Rick 12 string. I think it's a touch point for Tom and Jeff. Really enjoy your analysis videos.
It seems like there's lots of reverb because it sounds so wide and big. But really it's the perfectly layered and chosen guitar parts that make it sound as if it's all happening in a huge room
Tom pettys production is always top notch . those guitars resolve perfectly and the vocal harmonies sound incredible.
Thanks! I love Jeff Lynn's production on this record. It's definitely one of my favorites, & I've owned a copy - whether on tape or CD - ever since it came out. As far as the 12 strings go, it's always seemed to me that T.P. & the Heartbreakers were something of a spiritual successor to The Byrds. Even when there's not an obvious 12 string in there, their music just has that feel. I secretly imagine that Tom and/or Mike must have played a lot of Byrds tunes in their past, & the ascetic seems to inform their sound. Jeff Lynn is probably aware of that, in addition to using 12 strings himself in ELP. So, thanks again, & remember: Byrd is the word! ;) Rikki Tikki.
Those 2 guitars at 1:51 remind me a lot of Jessie's Girl's start... it's not the same but it's close enough in tempo and notes for my head to instantly start singing along with it...
Tom petty & Jeff Lynne what a winning combination! I love this song it's my mantra!❤❤❤❤👏👏👏👏
this whole series is awesome.
Mike Campbell is great. I recently discovered that he did the music for Boys of Summer for Don Henley. His guitar is a signature sound.
He has also worked with Chris Stapleton on Chris's Starting Over album, as did Benmont Tench. You can definitely see Tom Petty's influence on Chris Stapleton.
One of the Best Pre Chorus and Chorus's Ever.......
Couldn't live without my Rickenbacker or Tom.
This whole series is so great - Thanks Rick! Never occurred to me how much this track sounds like ELO....
I was 13 going on 14 when this came out, and I fell in love with it forever more. Sounds incredible hearing it broken down like this. Thank you so much, Rick!
Great breakdown!! As a guitar player and songwriter, your videos in this series really validate my ideas about simplicity and what I call "simple complexity" and why so many cover bands fail to "get" the songs right :)
And adding to the brilliant minimalism of the drums, he got Ringo to appear in the video-almost as if the approach to the recording's rhythm section was based on Ringo's genius. 👍
Tom Petty is one of my favourite artists. I think Mike Campbell is very underrated in the music world and is a fantastic guitarist. Benmont Tench really ‘filled out’ the band sound and I felt it was a pity that he got sort of sidelined when Tom played with the Wilbury’s.
Well done. Thanks for the excellent walk through. A lot of great pop tunes make creative use of very simple ingredients. Tom Petty and Mike Campbell's work offers many examples of the very skilful use of simplicity. The song Free Falling, for instance, is just about as simple as it gets.
This song always sounded to me like ELO (or Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lynne's band, for those of you who don't know) with Tom Petty on vocals. Now I know why. :D
I've been listening to this song since I was 3 years old and I just heard so many things I've never heard before!
Great breakdown. Would love to see you do another Petty song in future, esp. Running Down a Dream.
Andrew Sowerby
Yes please, great song!
YES !! 'running down a dream' gets my vote too
Thanks again for this run through. as you say the harmonies are stunning but i suppose it helps that George Harrison had been doing them all his recording life since 1962. (Yes i'm old enough to remember the Beatles first single). I'm so glad that this series reflects all of my music favorites.
I see some folks don't like this song, and I've never been more than a casual listener of Tom Petty - but this song sticks out like a sore thumb to me and I've become more fond of it as time passes. I think that particular use of the suspension hearkens back to some of my high school days favorites of 79-81. This series has me thinking of stand-out favorites that seem to improve with age - how about Rod Stewart's "You Wear it Well"?
This is my go to warm up song when playing guitar. Easy melody, sounds amazing and gets my confidence up for playing harder songs.
A track breakdown of all of Petty & Lynne's songs would be incredibly interesting and educational
This is the song that started my lifelong love affair with Tom Petty. He was to me what Elvis was to my parent's generation. There's some great live videos online of this song and Benmont's keys are much more pronounced and he gets to really play with it more, as heard in the box set. Full Moon Fever is a perfect record, no filler. I actually gave my son this record for Christmas. Needless to say, "I Won't Back Down" hasn't aged one bit since its release in 1989. Everyone, from ages 12-92 know this song. It's a song that you would play for somebody who has no idea who Tom Petty is.
This is the second time I've watched this video. Love the What makes this song great series BTW. @rickbeato what would be great is to get an interview with Mike Campbell or Jeff Lynne and reconcile your best educated guesses with their recollection of the recording sessions. It would be fun and interesting to see and hear the discussion.
Love those high harmonies! Never think about it when I hear this song on the radio,. So awesome to hear it now.
Jeff Lynne might have the best ear ever in production of popular music. He's amazing. And of course, Petty is sorely missed.... So happy I got to see his last tour.
Awesome tech breakdown - I have always loved the music and work of Jeff Lynn and Tom Petty
Good choice, thanks. Great songwriter with an epic catalog. Really good documentary of him and the Heartbreakers which I recently caught on Netflix.
Wow, John Keane! (we know some people in common from Ath) Agreed, Tom Petty is easily one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Man, I miss Tom Petty. What an incredibly talented singer and songwriter. His voice was so unique.
“Love is a Long Road” is the song that got my attention the first time I listened to Full Moon Fever.
TOm Petty was truly something special. Top 15 songwriter all time.
Thanks for this! Have been a big Tom Petty fan since I was a little kid in the 1970's. He passed away on October 2, and it hit me hard. 2 days later, on October 4, I was at my sacred spot in the woods by the creek and lit a bonfire. There was a small speck of sky above me that wasn't hidden by the trees. The Full Moon was shining down, just perfectly in that small speck of sky. I looked at the fire next to me and then up at the Full Moon shining above me...
Full Moon Fire! (ala Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever)
That inspired me to write a song called "Full Moon Fire" dedicated to Tom Petty. The song and video of the inspiration are on my youtube profile if anyone is interested.
And thanks for this video, Rick.
I bought the Beato book and I am blown away at how much tasty knowledge it contains. Thank you Rick!
I have long considered Tom's album, "Full Moon Fever," essential for anyone.
Jeff Lynne's production on it couldn't have been better.
If you find a better producer than Jeff Lynne, let the World know. No one will believe you, but hey.
@@EdMcF1 He does a damn good job.
I would add Alan Parsons to the list of awesome producers.
Ditto George Martin.
Yep! JL fucking nailed it.
@@Gunners_Mate_Guns AP is an engineer and producer, but Jeff Lynne is a musician in the true sense of the word.
@@glennwallace9203 True, but AP is also a musician in his own right, but it seems obvious that JL is more talented in that aspect.
Rick, I love that you are teaching us with so much knowledge and passion, not because it's where your paycheck comes from, but because it's who you are. Imagine if our schools and colleges were filled with teachers like you, who can turn you on to a subject for life. I went to an Ivy League college, and I only had a couple of professors in 4 years this good. And a bored or boring teacher can make you hate a whole field of knowledge for life.
In this globally competitive and rapidly changing world we're in now, we can't afford to turn out young people who aren't self-motivated by passion for their subjects to continually learn and get better throughout their lives. You teach this by your life example. This is what the Internet is for -- to spread enthusiasm and respect for all the human arts and sciences by showing us that there's so much going on technically behind even something as spontaneous-feeling as music. Self-esteem comes from mastering difficult skills, not from being told you're "special". (If everybody's special, then nobody is special, and kids know this deep down.)
The great part is, if you love something, the work you have to put in to master it is not a burden, it's a joy. And then you have real competence that everyone respects, which draws people and job offers and great projects into your life, AND makes everyone else's life better. It's a win-win-win, to use a cliche. And it all starts with great teachers like you -- thank you Rick!
...key name ....Jeff Lynne.....nice breakdown !....PS ...Rick you and I could discuss music for days ....yes you're great with disecting a song .....but it's also you're passion and appreciation.....cheers 🍷🍷
THANKS!!!...It's WONDERFUL to be able to hear on separate tracks the instrumentation and voices of these JEWELS ...
Not much about the "song" here, more about the record. Petty was a master of simplicity, and always had SOMETHING TO SAY in his songwriting. Lynn is a master of making enormous complexity sound simple and smooth. What a combination eh? By the way, how did you get access to the multitrack?
Your expertise and passion in your analysis beautifully illustrates the amazing features of this outstanding song! Thank you for your talent in describing pure awesomeness!
Tom Petty songs are fantastic. They are so good that they kind of upset me.
That means it's working
In the words of Mike Patton (though he was talking about Deli Creeps): "this band is so good it pisses me off"
The sound of a little boy in pain appeals to a man that says the little boy is me. A woman says I can comfort him. A man wants to fix the pain as in an ER a burning building or by ordering a mob hit.
Tom Petty...a true rock and roll maniac! The music world will miss his presence! Great song breakdown! I have always love Tom Pettys music and hearing it broken down like this just illustrates why he was a great rock n roll artist!
Once again Nice Job Rick! The D-G-D drone picking absolutely MAKES the chorus blossom..Its like really good glue! Funny how the little simple things accomplish so much! Interesting about the drums as well. I never would known had it not be for the track isolation! Looking back though, the hi-hat DID seem a bit too perfect...thanks again!
Another of my favorites !!! Thank you so much Rick !!
Jeff Lynne is a genius.
Agree!!!
Adam Greenwell and very underrated. Jeff Lynne is the man!
I came here to say exactly the same thing! Brilliant songwriter, producer, arranger.
Yes he is, one of the all time best
Yes he is, and also the only surviving member of the Traveling Wilberries.
I've never heard anyone making a music tutorial that reproduces the tracks so well for their audience. Rick has his voice and individual music tracks in a pristine balance.
Funny story about the refrain: Tom was laboring over the lyrics, saying, "hey, baby. Standing on the edge of the world." George Harrsion looks at him and says, "what the Hell is that?" Suffice it to say, Tom kept working on the refrain.
George actually came up with “There ain’t no easy way out”
Wow I like "Standing On The Edge Of The World" so much better. It denotes dramatic tension in a nice metaphor. "Won't back down" is really ordinary and cliche. I like this song but really find it a throwaway tune compared to so many great Petty songs and have been mystified by its popularity.
Randy Hansen
Maybe it’s the meaning “I won’t back down” it can be a very powerful message to a lot of people, for many different reasons. Just my thoughts. Great song, but he definitely has better ones.
Randy Hansen completely agree, never understood it.
@@msaz2720 Like Collins 'In The Air Tonight'. Very ambiguous meaning.
best series yet, please make this a continuing asset. so much fun to watch, great job
Do a two part episode with part one being a great song and part 2 being a great cover. And you can talk about what is the same and what is different about each of the two. Ex: With a little help from my friends Beatles/Joe Crocker.
Ex. 2 Hurt NIN/Johnny Cash
I like this idea
I like this idea, too!
Neat idea
"Joe Crocker"?
Thanks Rick, this series is so great.
Tom’s the best!
Could you consider doing something from Brian Wilson?
The BEST windows down, highway, summer song, blaring LOUD!! Just love it!!! He’s definitely gone too soon!
i think 'a woman in love' is the most remarkable petty song because of its contrary motion and atmosphere (had to steal your thunder- sorry). but don't let that prevent you from doing a compact 12 minute analysis of the RUMOURS album by fleetwood. every tune on it is a gem. with your equipment and access to the tracks, i would so appreciate someone to say what i hear. somebody already did it? oh no.
I didn't like these at first but they have really grown on me, super insightful especially with regard to the way the songs are mixed and the recording process. Every one of these I listen to changes the way I play these songs (for the better!) and affects the way I record. Thanks Rick!
This series is amazing!!