Into the Great Wide Open
Encyclopedia
Into the Great Wide Open is the eighth studio album by American
rock band
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
, first released in July 1991 (see 1991 in music
). The album was the band's last with MCA Records
. The album was the second Petty produced with Jeff Lynne
after the success of 1989's Full Moon Fever
.
The first single, "Learning to Fly", became his joint longest-running number one single (along with "The Waiting
" from 1981's Hard Promises
) on Billboard
s Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart, spending six weeks at the top spot. The second single, "Out in the Cold", also made #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, albeit only for two weeks.
The music video
for the title song starred Johnny Depp
, who had moved to Los Angeles
as a teenager to seek rock stardom, along with Gabrielle Anwar
, Faye Dunaway
, and Matt LeBlanc
.
said that the album was the closest "classic" album Tom and the band have made in fifteen years, saying that the album was a return to their first two albums. He feels that this is due largely to Jeff Lynne
and that the songs are better than the ones on Full Moon Fever
. Rolling Stone
critic Parke Puterbaugh called the album a cross between Full Moon Fever and Damn the Torpedoes
, said that it features Petty's best lyrics and that it is much better than Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)
. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic felt less of the album, saying that it sounds too much like Full Moon Fever, which he thinks should not have been as successful as it was. He said that the album was "pleasant" but was not his best.
and Jeff Lynne
, except where noted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
, first released in July 1991 (see 1991 in music
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
). The album was the band's last with MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. The album was the second Petty produced with Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
after the success of 1989's Full Moon Fever
Full Moon Fever
Full Moon Fever is the first solo album by Tom Petty, though it features contributions from several members of his backing band, the Heartbreakers, along with fellow members of the Traveling Wilburys. The record shows Petty exploring his musical roots with nods to his influences...
.
The first single, "Learning to Fly", became his joint longest-running number one single (along with "The Waiting
The Waiting (song)
"The Waiting" is the lead single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' album Hard Promises released in 1981. The song peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on the magazine's new Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for six consecutive weeks.- Covers :*Linda Ronstadt covered...
" from 1981's Hard Promises
Hard Promises
Hard Promises is the fourth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in May, 1981. Its original working title was Benmont's Revenge...
) on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart, spending six weeks at the top spot. The second single, "Out in the Cold", also made #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, albeit only for two weeks.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the title song starred Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, who had moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as a teenager to seek rock stardom, along with Gabrielle Anwar
Gabrielle Anwar
Gabrielle Anwar is an English actress. She is known for her role as Margaret Tudor on The Tudors, for dancing the tango with Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman and for her current role as Fiona Glenanne on USA's Burn Notice.- Early life :...
, Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
, and Matt LeBlanc
Matt LeBlanc
Matthew Steven "Matt" LeBlanc is an American actor, best known for his role as Joey Tribbiani on the NBC sitcoms Friends and its spin-off Joey....
.
Critical reception
For the most part, Into the Great Wide Open was warmly received by critics. Dave DiMartino, reviewing the album for Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said that the album was the closest "classic" album Tom and the band have made in fifteen years, saying that the album was a return to their first two albums. He feels that this is due largely to Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and that the songs are better than the ones on Full Moon Fever
Full Moon Fever
Full Moon Fever is the first solo album by Tom Petty, though it features contributions from several members of his backing band, the Heartbreakers, along with fellow members of the Traveling Wilburys. The record shows Petty exploring his musical roots with nods to his influences...
. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
critic Parke Puterbaugh called the album a cross between Full Moon Fever and Damn the Torpedoes
Damn the Torpedoes (album)
Damn the Torpedoes is the third album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in 1979. This was the first of three Petty albums originally released by the Backstreet Records label, distributed by MCA Records. It built on the commercial success and critical acclaim of his two previous albums...
, said that it features Petty's best lyrics and that it is much better than Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)
Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)
Let Me Up is an album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in 1987. This album features more songwriting collaborations between Petty and Mike Campbell than any other Petty album...
. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic felt less of the album, saying that it sounds too much like Full Moon Fever, which he thinks should not have been as successful as it was. He said that the album was "pleasant" but was not his best.
Track listing
All songs were written by Tom PettyTom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
and Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
, except where noted.
- "Learning to FlyLearning to Fly (Tom Petty song)"Learning To Fly" is a popular track by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was written in 1991 by Tom Petty and his writing partner Jeff Lynne for the album Into the Great Wide Open...
" – 4:02 - "Kings Highway" (Petty) – 3:08
- "Into the Great Wide OpenInto the Great Wide Open (song)"Into the Great Wide Open" is the third song on the 1991 album Into the Great Wide Open by the group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Music video:...
" – 3:43 - "Two Gunslingers" (Petty) – 3:09
- "The Dark of the Sun" – 3:23
- "All or Nothin (Petty, Mike Campbell, Lynne) – 4:07
- "All the Wrong Reasons" – 3:46
- "Too Good to Be True" (Petty) – 3:59
- "Out in the Cold" – 3:40
- "You and I Will Meet Again" (Petty) – 3:42
- "Makin' Some Noise" (Petty, Campbell, Lynne) – 3:27
- "Built to Last" – 4:00
Personnel
- Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
- vocals, 6 and 12-string acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, percussion, bass guitar, producer - Mike Campbell - lead guitar, 12-string guitar, bass guitar, Dobro, keyboards, slide guitar
- Howie EpsteinHowie EpsteinHoward Norman Epstein , was a musician best known for his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early life:...
- bass guitar, backing vocals - Benmont TenchBenmont TenchBenjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
- acoustic and electric pianos, Hammond organ, vibraphone, accordion - Stan LynchStan LynchStanley Joseph "Stan" Lynch is an American songwriter and record producer. He was the original drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for 18 years until his departure in 1994.- Early years :...
- drums, percussion - Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
- guitars, bass, vocals, piano, percussion, synthesizer, percussion, sound effects - Roger McGuinnRoger McGuinnJames Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...
- backing vocal on "All The Wrong Reasons" - Richard TandyRichard TandyRichard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
- synthesizer on "Two Gunslingers"
Charts
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Top 50 Albums | 28 |
| Austrian Top 75 Albums | 7 |
| Canadian Top Albums | 4 |
| German Albums | 8 |
| Netherlands Top 100 Albums | 53 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Albums | 12 |
| Norwegian Top 40 Albums | 5 |
| Swedish Top 60 Albums | 2 |
| Swiss Top 100 Albums | 12 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
3 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
13 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Music Canada Music Canada Music Canada was a Canadian music television miniseries which aired approximately monthly on CBC Television from 1966 to 1967.-Premise:This series featured various special productions of music and dance, from classical to modern styles.-Scheduling:... |
2x Multi-Platinum (200,000 units) |
| Germany | BVMI Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold (250,000 units) |
| Sweden | IFPI | Platinum (100,000 units) |
| Switzerland | IFPI | Gold (25,000 units) |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Platinum (300,000 units) |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
2x Multi-Platinum (2,000,000 units) |