Free Fallin by Viking Cowboy

Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra) co-wrote and produced this song. Tom Petty stated that Lynne had come up with the title, and Tom had spent quite some time figuring out the best way to sing the phrase. Mike Campbell recalled his experience with working together with Jeff Lynne, “This guy walked in and he knew exactly how to put the pieces together, and he always had little tricks, like with the background vocals: how he would slide them in and layer them; and little melodies here and there. Tom and I were soaking it up. Pretty amazing, a very exciting time, like going to musical college or something.“ This was the first song completed for the album. Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty wrote and recorded it in two days. Lynne provided backing vocals and bass guitar. The music video featured skateboarding before action sports went mainstream. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers performed this song at the MTV Video Music Awards with Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) and Izzy Stradlin in 1989. -