Free Fallin'

The Zoo Crew is spinning Free Fallin', that iconic track from Tom Petty’s 1989 solo album Full Moon Fever, and it’s got the Zoo Freaks vibing. This song, co-written with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, came together in just two days, making it the first tune completed for the album. Petty shared in a Billboard interview that he was riffing on three simple chords, throwing out playful lyrics like “She’s a good girl, loves her mama” to make Lynne laugh. Lynne, catching the magic, suggested the phrase “free falling,” and they built the chorus from there, crafting a hit everyone in the room knew was gold. The song’s dreamy, Byrds-like acoustic vibe, as Petty described to Rolling Stone, came from layering multiple acoustic guitars, giving it that wistful, open-road feel.

Lyrically, Free Fallin' paints a vivid picture of Los Angeles, inspired by Petty’s drives along Ventura Boulevard. He told Billboard it wasn’t about a specific person but rather a snapshot of the “life’s great pageant” he observed—good girls, bad boys, and vampires strolling the valley. The song’s creation marked a pivotal moment for Petty, who faced skepticism from MCA Records. In 1988, the label rejected Full Moon Fever, claiming it lacked hits. Petty, undeterred, played Free Fallin' at a dinner party hosted by Mo Ostin of Warner Bros. Records, alongside George Harrison and Lynne. The room loved it, and Ostin offered to sign him, though new MCA management eventually released the album to massive success, with Free Fallin' hitting No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Another gem from the song’s lore comes from its music video, directed by Julien Temple and Piers Garland. It features a teenage girl navigating LA scenes—a 1960s pool party, an 1980s skate park, and the former Westside Pavilion mall—while Petty performs amid these nostalgic vignettes. The song’s legacy extends to covers and tributes, like Stevie Nicks’ 1996 version for the Party of Five soundtrack and Coldplay’s 2017 performance with R.E.M.’s Peter Buck as a tribute after Petty’s passing. A quirky tidbit: the Full Moon Fever CD includes a hidden track before Feel a Whole Lot Better, where Petty humorously instructs cassette and vinyl listeners to flip their media, a nod to analog days that’s become a fan favorite.

Tom Petty, born Thomas Earl Petty on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida, kicked off his musical journey as a teenager obsessed with rock ‘n’ roll. Inspired by Elvis Presley and The Beatles, he picked up a guitar at 14 and joined local bands like The Sundowners and The Epics. By the early 1970s, he formed Mudcrutch, a scrappy Southern rock outfit with future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. Mudcrutch gigged relentlessly in Florida but fizzled out after moving to Los Angeles in 1974. Undaunted, Petty regrouped, forming Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1976 with Campbell, Tench, Ron Blair, and Stan Lynch. Their self-titled debut, with hits like Breakdown and American Girl, blended heartland rock with jangly R&B, earning them a cult following despite initial slow sales.

Petty’s grit and songwriting prowess propelled the Heartbreakers through the late 1970s and 1980s, with albums like Damn the Torpedoes and Hard Promises cementing their status. His solo pivot with Full Moon Fever showcased his versatility, though he never abandoned the Heartbreakers, later rejoining them for albums like Into the Great Wide Open. Petty also co-founded the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Lynne, a testament to his collaborative spirit. Over his career, he sold over 80 million records, earning accolades like a 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Connect with Tom Petty’s legacy through his official website, where you’ll find music, merch, and news. Follow updates on Facebook, Instagram, and X for archival posts and fan engagement. Fans keep the spirit alive at sites like Free Fallin’ A Tribute to Tom Petty, a Minneapolis-based tribute band touring nationally, and Tom Petty Nation, a hub for news and community. On Facebook, join groups like Tom Petty Nation or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Fan Club to share stories and celebrate the music that keeps the Zoo Freaks rockin’.