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Free Fallin'

{{Short description|1989 single by Tom Petty}}

{{Other uses|Free-fall (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Free Fallin'

| cover = Free Fallin' Single art.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Tom Petty

| album = Full Moon Fever

| B-side =

| released = October 1989

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

  • Heartland rock{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/02/250_greatest_songs_by_rock_rol_1.html|title=250 greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Songs: Part 2 (#200-151)|last=Smith|first=Troy L.|website=cleveland.com|date=February 27, 2018 |access-date=October 5, 2019}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D6W-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA180|title=Listen to Classic Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre|last=Goldsmith|first=Melissa Ursula Dawn|date=2019|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-4408-6579-4|page=180}}
  • folk rock
  • pop rock{{cite book|first= Jim|last= Harrington|editor-first= Robert |editor-last= Dimery |year= 2015 |title= 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die|chapter= Tom Petty - "Free Fallin'|publisher= Universe|location= New York|page= 633}}

| length = 4:14

| label = MCA

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Runnin' Down a Dream

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = A Face in the Crowd

| next_year = 1990

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|1lWJXDG2i0A|"Free Fallin'"}}}}

}}

"Free Fallin{{'}}" is the opening track from American musician Tom Petty's debut solo album, Full Moon Fever (1989). The song was written by Petty and his writing partner for the album, Jeff Lynne, and features Lynne on backing vocals and bass guitar. The duo wrote and recorded the single in two days, making it the first song completed for Full Moon Fever.

"Free Fallin'" is one of Petty's most famous tracks as well as his highest- and longest-charting song.{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |author-link= Joel Whitburn |year= 1993 |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 |publisher= Record Research |page=188}} It peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in January 1990, becoming his third and final top-10 hit. It also charted in several other countries, peaking at No. 5 in Canada and No. 4 in New Zealand. Petty and the Heartbreakers performed the song at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1989, with Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin, and at the February 2008 Super Bowl XLII Halftime Show.{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-04-halftimefeb04,1,6574257.story | work=Chicago Tribune | title=Topic Galleries | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208104000/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-04-halftimefeb04,1,6574257.story | archive-date=February 8, 2008 }}

The song is ranked No. 219 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. Lou Reed selected the song as one of his "picks of 1989".Rolling Stone, March 8, 1990 The song reached No. 2 on the Spotify Global Viral 50 following Petty's death in 2017.{{cite web |url=https://spotifycharts.com/viral |title=Global Viral 50 |website=Spotify Charts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20171007204804/https://spotifycharts.com/viral |archive-date=October 7, 2017 |access-date=October 7, 2017 }}

Development and meaning

Petty explained in an interview with Billboard magazine that he and Jeff Lynne were sitting around trying to come up with a song, and Lynne got him to say "free falling". The next day they recorded the song. Petty did not write the song about a specific person, but instead about what he saw during his frequent drives along Ventura Boulevard.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7400181/tom-petty-free-fallin-songwriters-hall-fame|title=Tom Petty Originally Wrote 'Free Fallin{{'}}' Just to Make Jeff Lynne Laugh|last=Cathy Applefeld Olson|date=June 7, 2017|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 7, 2017}} Lynne said "Probably the second song we wrote [for Full Moon Fever] was 'Free Fallin'.' I got the chords to it and we both fleshed out the chorus. It was like 'Evil Woman' in that we got a repetitive chord sequence and then the melody turns into a chorus. Everyone who heard it knew it was a hit, and the next song we did was 'I Won’t Back Down.'"{{cite web|title=Jeff Lynne on how he helped Tom Petty make 'Free Fallin"|author=Golsen, Tyler|date=4 May 2023|accessdate=2024-01-25|publisher=Far Out|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jeff-lynne-helped-tom-petty-make-free-fallin/}}

Reception

"Free Fallin'" is widely regarded as one of Petty's best songs. Billboard and Rolling Stone both ranked the song number four on their lists of the greatest Tom Petty songs.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/tom-petty-songs-best-hits-list-7982072/|title=The 20 Best Tom Petty Songs|first=Andrew|last=Unterberger|magazine=Billboard|date=October 3, 2017|accessdate=May 3, 2022}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/tom-pettys-50-greatest-songs-197807/free-fallin-197915/|title=Tom Petty: 50 Greatest Songs|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 28, 2020|accessdate=May 3, 2022}}

Personnel

  • Tom Petty – lead & backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar
  • Mike Campbell – 12-string electric guitar
  • Jeff Lynne – acoustic guitar, bass, synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Phil Jones – drums and tambourine

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Piers Garland and Julien Temple and features a teenage girl seen in various places around Los Angeles, including a 1960s pool party and a 1980s skate park. Petty is also seen performing in these places and others, such as the former Westside Pavilion mall.{{Citation|title=Tom Petty: Free Fallin' (Video 1989) - IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7549338/|language=en-US|access-date=2021-08-28}}

Track listings

{{track listing

| headline = US 7-inch and cassette

| total_length = 7:08

| title1 = Free Fallin{{'-}}

| writer1 = {{flatlist|

}}

| length1 = 4:14

| title2 = Down the Line

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

}}

| length2 = 2:54

}}

{{track listing

| headline = UK 7-inch

| total_length = 8:20

| title1 = Free Fallin{{'-}}

| writer1 = {{flatlist|

  • Petty
  • Lynne

}}

| length1 = 4:14

| title2 = Love Is a Long Road

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

  • Petty
  • Campbell

}}

| length2 = 4:06

}}

{{track listing

| headline = UK 12-inch and CD

| title1 = Free Fallin{{'-}}

| writer1 = {{flatlist|

  • Petty
  • Lynne

}}

| length1 = 4:14

| title2 = Love Is a Long Road

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

  • Petty
  • Campbell

}}

| length2 = 4:06

| title3 = Free Fallin{{'-}}

| note3 = live

| writer3 = {{flatlist|

  • Petty
  • Lynne

}}

| length3 =

}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1989–2012)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|5|chartid=6644|rowheader=true|access-date=December 26, 2020}}
scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1990/week-6|title=Tipparade-lijst van week 6, 1990|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=March 25, 2023}}

|11

{{single chart|Dutch100|61|artist=Tom Petty|song=Free Fallin'|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|4|artist=Tom Petty|song=Free Fallin'|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|59|date=20120513|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|7|artist=Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker|rowheader=true|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|17|artist=Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker|rowheader=true|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|29|artist=Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker|rowheader=true|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|1|artist=Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker|rowheader=true|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=https://www.popmusichistory.co.uk/_files/ugd/b4848d_80ac2aa38d1847beb63521fe5117145a.pdf|title=U.S. Cash Box Charts|website=popmusichistory|access-date=March 23, 2023}}

|6

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2017)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/10/aria-chart-watch-441/|title=ARIA Chart Watch #441|publisher=auspOp|date=October 7, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107075835/https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/10/aria-chart-watch-441/|url-status=dead}}

|59

scope="row"|Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan){{Cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2017&dspp=40|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 40, 2017|language=sv|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=May 8, 2021}}

|3

{{single chart|Switzerland|86|artist=Tom Petty|song=Free Fallin'|rowheader=true|access-date=October 11, 2017}}
{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|4|artist=Tom Petty|rowheader=true|access-date=April 6, 2021}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1989)

!Position

scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=1989 The Year In Music: Top Album Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=101|issue=51|page=Y-58|date=December 23, 1989}}

|1

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1990)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9139&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9139.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9139|title=Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=November 26, 2017}}

|39

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|title=1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=102|issue=51|page=YE-14|date=December 22, 1990}}

|64

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (2017)

!Position

scope="row"|US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2017|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 6, 2021}}

|47

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Tom Petty|title=Free Fallin'|award=Gold|certyear=2023|id=12375|access-date=April 26, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Tom Petty|title=Free Fallin'|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=13684-2155-1|access-date=December 10, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|October 1989

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|cassette}}

|rowspan="2"|MCA

|{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|November 6, 1989

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD}}

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=45|date=November 4, 1989}}

Cover versions

  • In 1993, De La Soul and Teenage Fanclub sampled the song for "Fallin'", which appeared on the Judgment Night soundtrack.
  • In 1996, Stevie Nicks covered the song for the Party of Five soundtrack. This cover was also included In her Enchanted box set, released in 1998. Nicks has frequently included the song in both her shows with Fleetwood Mac, as well as solo, since Petty’s death in 2017. The performances are often accompanied by a video tribute to Petty.
  • In 2007, John Mayer played an acoustic cover of the song in a performance at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, as a part of his 2008 live album Where the Light Is. The single was certified double platinum in Australia in 2021{{cite certification|region=Australia|type=single|certyear=2021|access-date=7 July 2021}} and Gold in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2022.{{cite certification|region=United Kingdom|access-date=November 19, 2022|artist=John Mayer|title=Free Fallin'|id=13684-2890-1|type=single}}
  • In 2013, American actress and singer Katey Sagal used the song as the opening track for her studio album of cover songs titled Covered.{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/covered-mw0002584729 | title=Covered - Katey Sagal | Album | AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sons-of-anarchy-star-katey-sagal-talks-first-album-in-nine-years-5785838/ | title='Sons of Anarchy' Star Katey Sagal Talks First Album in Nine Years | magazine=Billboard }}
  • In 2017, Coldplay covered the song with Peter Buck of R.E.M. in Portland, Oregon, as a tribute to Petty following his death.{{cite web|last1=Needham|first1=Lucy|last2=Newman|first2=Vicki|last3=Shenton|first3=Zoe|title=Emotional moment Coldplay audience stand in absolute silence to remember victims of Las Vegas shooting - before launching into Tom Petty tribute song|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/coldplay-pay-heartfelt-tribute-tom-11278171|website=Daily Mirror|access-date=October 3, 2017|date=October 3, 2017}} Coldplay performed the song again in Pasadena, California, with James Corden.{{cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|title=See Coldplay, James Corden Sing Tom Petty's 'Free Fallin' at Rose Bowl|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-coldplay-james-corden-sing-tom-pettys-free-fallin-w507706|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=October 8, 2017|date=October 7, 2017|archive-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007231230/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-coldplay-james-corden-sing-tom-pettys-free-fallin-w507706|url-status=dead}}
  • In 2025, John Mayer performed a cover of the song on January 30, 2025 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, for FireAid to help with relief efforts for the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/arts/music/fireaid-los-angeles-concert.html | title=At FireAid Benefit, Stars Sing a Love Song to Los Angeles | work=The New York Times | date=January 30, 2025 | last1=Stevens | first1=Matt | last2=Sisario | first2=Ben }}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fireaid-recap-lady-gaga-green-day-billie-eilish-no-doubt-1235250513/ | title=FireAid: Inside the Star-Studded Benefit Show for Los Angeles | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=January 31, 2025 }}

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2898 SongFacts information page on "Free Fallin'"]
  • {{YouTube|id=20Ov0cDPZy8|title=John Mayer - Free Fallin' (Live at the Nokia Theatre)}}

{{Tom Petty}}

{{John Mayer}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1989 songs

Category:1989 singles

Category:Tom Petty songs

Category:Songs about California

Category:Songs about Los Angeles

Category:Songs written by Jeff Lynne

Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Lynne

Category:Songs written by Tom Petty

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Julien Temple

Category:1980s ballads