Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 86 - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Southern Accents is the sixth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on March 26, 1985, through MCA Records.

The lead single for the album, Don't Come Around Here No More was a co-write between Tom Petty and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics and it gave them their sixth Top 20 hit (they also won an MTV Video Music Award for it).

Apparently the album was going to be a concept album but a spanner was thrown into the works of that idea with the inclusion of the three co-writes with Dave Stewart and the cutting of a number of songs caused a little tension between the band.

I'm not totally sure what led to it but whilst mixing the opening track Rebels, Petty got a bit frustrated and crazy and punched a wall resulting in a broken left hand that required surgery with pins, wires and screws to hold his hand together!

In the summer of 1985 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers would play Live Aid in Philadelphia. Their four song set that day was:

American Girl.

The Waiting.

Rebels.

Refugee.

The title track was later covered by Johnny Cash (and featured some Heartbreakers on backing). Diana Vickers, who I think I remember being on the X-Factor in the UK, covered the song Don't Come Around Here No More as a promo for her second album Music To Make Boys Cry (though it wasn't actually on the album at all!). Drive-By Truckers released a cover version of Rebels on the compilation Fine Print. The Sons of Bill have also performed Rebels (with Jason Isbel).

Southern Accents - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

MCA

Produced by Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Jimmy Iovine, David A. Stewart, Robbie Robertson

Released 26th March 1985

US Chart #7

UK Chart #23

All songs written by Tom Petty, except where noted.

Side One
1."Rebels" – 5:21
2."It Ain't Nothin' to Me" (Petty, Dave Stewart) – 5:12
3."Don't Come Around Here No More" (Petty, Stewart) – 5:07
4."Southern Accents" – 4:44

Side Two
1."Make It Better (Forget About Me)" (Petty, Stewart) – 4:23
2."Spike" – 3:32
3."Dogs on the Run" (Petty, Mike Campbell) – 3:40
4."Mary's New Car" – 3:47
5."The Best of Everything" – 4:03

Singles From Southern Accents
    Don't Come Around Here No More / Trailer
    Released: February 28, 1985

US Chart #13, UK Chart #50
    Rebels / Southern Accents
    Released: March 25, 1985

US Chart #74
    Make It Better (Forget About Me) / Cracking Up (Nick Lowe Cover)
    Released: June 3, 1985

US Chart #54

 Personnel
On

Southern Accents
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers   

Tom Petty – vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion, producer, bass guitar
    Mike Campbell – guitar, bass guitar, Dobro, keyboards, vocals, producer, slide guitar
    Benmont Tench – piano, keyboards, piano (electric), vocals, vibraphone
    Stan Lynch – drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals
    Howie Epstein – bass guitar, vocals, harmony vocals

Additional Musicians and Personnel
    William Bergman – horn, sax (tenor), sound effects, vocals (background)
    John Berry, Jr. – trumpet, horn, sound effects
    David Bianco – engineer
    Ron Blair – bass
    Dick Braun – trumpet, horn, sound effects, vocals (background)
    Steve Breitborde – photography
    Sharon Celani – vocals
    Jim Coile – horn, sax (tenor), sound effects, vocals
    Malcolm Duncan – saxophone
    Molly Duncan – saxophone
    Joel Fein – engineer
    Dean Garcia – bass
    Bobbye Hall – percussion
    Jerry Hey – horn, horn conductor
    Winslow Homer – artwork, cover painting
    Garth Hudson – keyboards
    Jimmy Iovine – producer
    Clydene Jackson – vocals
    Phil Jones – percussion
    Martin Jourard – saxophone
    Dennis Keeley – photography
    Jim Keltner – percussion
    Richard Manuel – vocals, harmony vocals
    Stephen Marcussen – mastering
    Marilyn Martin – vocals
    Kurt McGettrick – horn, sound effects, vocals
    Jack Nitzsche – string arrangement on "Southern Accents"
    Dave Plews – trumpet
    Robbie Robertson – producer
    Daniel Rothmuller – clarinet, cello
    Don Smith – engineer, remixing
    Greg Smith – horn, saxophone, sax (baritone), vocals
    Stephanie Spruill – vocals
    Steele Works – design, cover design
    Tommy Steele – art direction, design, cover design
    David A. Stewart – bass, guitar, keyboards, sitar, vocals, producer
    Julia Tillman Waters – vocals
    Maxine Waters – vocals
    Alan "Bugs" Weidel – engineer
    Maxine Willard Waters – vocals
    Shelly Yakus – engineer, remixing

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!