I saw them on this tour (Into The Great Wide Open), and it would be the only time I got to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He came to Nashville on that last tour, and I stupidly didn’t go. I bought this album the day it was released. It will always be one of my favorite Petty albums.
Petty had released his solo album Full Moon Fever in 1989, and it was huge, with 5 singles pulled from it. This album was a reunion with the Heartbreakers, and 7 singles were pulled from this album, including this one. The making of Into the Great Wide Open emerged from a creative stretch where Tom Petty felt clear again after the fights with record labels that had plagued him earlier in his career. Coming off Full Moon Fever, he wasn’t trying to recreate that sound. He wanted to make a real band record, one that sounded lived-in, and he succeeded with this one.
A huge part of the album’s sound came from working again with Jeff Lynne, who helped keep everything tight without making it stiff. Lynne pushed for clean arrangements and strong melodies, but Petty made sure the songs still breathed and felt organic. Many tracks started as simple demos, acoustic guitar and voice, then slowly grew as the band locked into the groove. First takes often mattered more than perfection.
This song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts in 1991. The album peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200, #4 in Canada, #12 in New Zealand, and # #3 in the UK. This song was written by Petty and Jeff Lynne.
Out in the Cold
The day fell down, the air got coldI walked out in the streetDaydreamed for a mile or twoStaring at my feet
Like a workin’ boy, out of luckFallin’ through the cracksNight rolled in, I turned back homeA hard wind at my back
I’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)Body and soul (Out in the cold)There’s nowhere to go (Out in the cold)I’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)
Well I woke up, my brain was stunnedI could not come aroundI reached out to grab my keysTumbled to the ground
I thought of you, starry eyedI wonder where we standDid I just fall from your armsDown into your hands?
I’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)Body and soul (Out in the cold)There’s nowhere to go (Out in the cold)I’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)
I’m outStandin’ in a doorway
I’m outWalkin’ aroundHands in my pocketsI’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)Body and soul (Out in the cold)There’s nowhere to go (Out in the cold)I’m out in the cold (Out in the cold)
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Awesome! 😎
That was a crazy year for me but I remember several of the songs from that album. Lynn was a busy boy in the 80s!
Yes he was busy…George, Tom, himself (Armchair Theater), Roy, and a few years later The Beatles.
The title track to the album and Learning To Fly pulled me in.
He also did a couple Edmunds albums in 83 and 84.
Thats right! Slippin’ Away was the time I became an Edmunds fan…I only knew I Hear You Knoocking at that point really…and a little of Rockpile.
Cool and Information as well. Edmunds said it was the best experience he ever had making an album. Funny though not my favourites of his stuff. But I love Jeff Lynn.
It doesn’t sound like his other stuff…the ELO sound drifted in there naturally.
Sure did I guess I got to used to that retro sound.
I totally forgot about that song! I think Lynne did wonders for Tom, I had both those albums and played them quite a lot. Even many of the non-single cuts were very good
I remember the day I bought that album. I had forgot about this song as well…I originally wrote this up for Jim’s SLS but picked Gene Vincent instead.
This sounds familiar. Nice and smooth as you said. I love the stage they are playing on. So roomy.
I forgot about it…but I wrote it up for Jim’s SLS but used Gene Vincent…it’s a rocker.
This is a great deep cut from a good album where Mike Campbell’s guitar does its stuff. Nice post, Max and it was nice getting to hear this again.
Well…I wrote it for SLS a couple of weeks ago but I picked Gene Vincent instead…so thank you Jim for helping me rediscover this song!
Both great songs.
That is such a great album
Yes it is Glyn…and it surprised me that it did that well in the UK…usually Mellencamp and Petty didn’t do as well over there…but this one did.
This cut reminds me of his first releases. Great tune. Is Max out of the cold?
It does sound more like earlier Petty. Max is out of the cold finally. Huddled up with Martha and Rudy…so we all survived…
A good beltalong Petty cut. They would have been great to see live.
They sure were…but I had a little too many chemicals that night…but it was great…it just didn’t last long enough.
Ah well, time can feel fluid… Perhaps if they had Bruce Springsteen bound on stage as a guest it might have stretched out to three hours?
Yes! Valium kinda makes things go by fast! That was so stupid of me…I wasn’t a drug taker but a friend offered me two…and being 21 or so…yea what the hell! “Here is Tom Petty!” …then what seemed like a minute later…”There goes Tom Petty!”
Yeah, vaaaaaliiiiiuuuummmm.
Yep! Funny story…he happened to get some and the next night we did a couple again… We took them at the Nashville State Fair… and we both said about 30 minutes after we took them…”they are not working!” Then we noticed we were both leaning against a pole in a tent lol…. oh yea…they were working!
Good rocker from Petty that I hardly ever hear. Glad you are coming back from your weather/power ordeal. Tomorrow’s high here is supposed to be 8 F with sub-zero wind chills. I think next week is supposed to get into the 30s. Let’s hope.
Oh geez….NO thank you! Stay warm! This weekend we are actually reaching the 50s! I still cannot get my car out of the drive…thank goodness for that Jeep
still really miss him
So do I Beth!
Great song. Even though I also have the “Into the Great Wide Open” album on CD, I didn’t recall “Out In the Cold,” based on its title. Once I started listening, it came back to me. It’s been a long time I’ve listened to the album. I best remember “Learning to Fly” and the title track. Both singles frequently received airtime on my favorite radio station back in Germany, especially the first song.
Dude…I forgot ALL about this song! I wrote it up because of a prompt I was in…a song with “cold” in it…on Jims site I do once in a while. But I had Gene Vincent as well…so I picked Gene for that.
That was a great time for music. So much of what I was listening to then I still listen to now. Petty was doing great work.
I agree…it was a great time. Petty, Wilburys, and the alt rock.
What a killer tour to have caught. I just grabbed on CD Toms greatest hits set from 94 as mine disappeared decades ago haha…
I had almost forgotten about that Greatest Hits…that was a great one…yea mine is gone as well
I found one of CD at my buddies record shop for $5!
You can’t beat that…I remember Mary Jane’s Last Dance is on it right?
One of his best albums, right? Full Moon Fever benefited from the loose approach but some of the weaker songs feel like throwaways, while this one’s like a more solid successor.
I do enjoy this one more than Full Moon Fever.