Southern Accents

Southern Accents
Studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Released	March 26, 1985 (1985-03-26)
Recorded	1983–85 at Gone Gator One; Sound City; Village Recorder; Sunset Sound, LA and Church Studio, London
Genre	Heartland rock, southern rock
Length	39:54
Label	MCA
Producer	Tom Petty, Jimmy Iovine, Mike Campbell, David A. Stewart, Robbie Robertson
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers chronology
Long After Dark (1982) Southern Accents (1985) Pack Up the Plantation: Live! (1985)
Singles from Southern Accents
"Don't Come Around Here No More" Released: February 28, 1985 "Rebels" Released: March 25, 1985 "Make It Better (Forget About Me)" Released: June 3, 1985

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B–[2]
The Essential Rock Discography	6/10[3]
MusicHound	[4]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]

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

The album's lead single, "Don't Come Around Here No More," cowritten by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its music video featured Alice in Wonderland imagery. "Southern Accents" was later covered by Johnny Cash for his Unchained album in 1996, on which members of the Heartbreakers play.

The recording sessions saw some tension between the band members, as each had a different vision for the album. Originally conceived as a concept album, the theme of "Southern Accents" became somewhat murky with the inclusion of three songs co-written by Stewart, and three other songs originally planned for the album left off. Songs cut from the track list include "Trailer," "Big Boss Man," "Crackin' Up," "The Image of Me" and "The Apartment Song." These can be found on Playback, a box set released 10 years later that included familiar songs with outtakes, b-sides and other rarities.

While mixing the opening track "Rebels" Petty became frustrated and punched a wall, severely breaking his left hand. Subsequent surgery on his hand left him with several pins, wires and screws to hold his hand together.

The album cover features an 1865 painting by Winslow Homer titled The Veteran in a New Field.

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Petty, except where noted.

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

Personnel

• 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

with:

• William Bergman – horn, sax (tenor), sound effects, vocals (bckgr)
• John Berry, Jr. – trumpet, horn, sound effects
• David Bianco – engineer
• Ron Blair – bass
• Dick Braun – trumpet, horn, sound effects, vocals (bckgr)
• 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 – strings, string arrangements
• 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

Charts

Singles:

Notes