The release date for Tom Petty’s long awaited album Wildflowers & All The Rest is set for October 16, 2020. According to Rolling Stone, the album’s 20th anniversary re-issuance complete with 10 previously unreleased songs was first expected to be released by Christmas 2014. Petty explained, “I broke through to something else. My personal life came crashing down, and it derailed me for a while. But I was at the top of my game during that record.”
The additional unreleased songs recorded during the Wildflower sessions were intended to be included on another album called Wallflowers: All the Rest, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. Quickly pointing out that the additional songs were not outtakes, Petty stated, “The original plan was to release it as the complete Wildflowers album with the original album and this,” he said. “And Warner Bros. came back to us and said, ‘Look, this is far too good a record to just send straight to the catalog racks. We’re going to put it out as its own album.’ I was behind that decision too. It’s done and we’re eventually going to put it out. It’s just sitting there finished, so I’m waiting to hear when they’re going to put it out. I think people are going to like it a lot. I like it a lot.”
As of the end of 2016, there was still no word when the Wildflowers album would be reissued, however according to Jambase, Petty started publically discussing the possibility of a Wildflower tour in 2017 in a Rolling Stone interview stating, “I want to take the Heartbreakers and whoever else I need to reproduce every sound in a big way,” Petty continued, “That album was really about sound in a big way. I would like to go out there and perform the entire album as it was originally conceived with all of the songs.”
Unfortunately, Petty died the next year and never lived to see his dreams for Wildflowers come to fruition. Now, according to a press release, “Tom’s vision of the project is becoming a reality due to the commitment of his loving family, bandmates and collaborators who helped unearth many previously unheard gems.” Wildflowers & All The Rest was curated by Petty’s wife Dana Petty and his two daughters, Adria and Annakim Petty. Dana Petty calls Wildflowers & All The Rest “Many, many hours of pure sonic joy.”
The “Wildflowers” (Home Recording)” music video above is taken from a solo demo version of the song alongside footage of Tom at his home. The video was taken by Martyn Atkins.
In other news, Petty’s estate issued the second cease-and-desist order for presidential candidates wanting to use Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down” during presidential campaign events. Presidents Donald Trump and George Bush were given such orders during the 2020 and 2000 elections, while presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Al Gore were not prohibited from using the song during the 2016 and 2000 elections. Unlike President Bush who stopped using “I Won’t Back Down,” President Trump does not appear to be backing down and continues to use the song.
Wildflowers & All The Rest track list:
DISC 1: Wildflowers
1. Wildflowers
2. You Don’t Know How It Feels
3. Time to Move On
4. You Wreck Me
5. It’s Good to Be King
6. Only a Broken Heart
7. Honey Bee
8. Don’t Fade on Me
9. Hard on Me
10. Cabin Down Below
11. To Find a Friend
12. A Higher Place
13. House in the Woods
14. Crawling Back to You
15. Wake Up Time
DISC 2: All The Rest
1. Something Could Happen
2. Leaving Virginia Alone
3. Climb That Hill Blues
4. Confusion Wheel
5. California
6. Harry Green
7. Hope You Never
8. Somewhere Under Heaven
9. Climb That Hill
10. Hung Up and Overdue
DISC 3: Home Recordings
1. There Goes Angela (Dream Away)
2. You Don’t Know How It Feels
3. California
4. A Feeling of Peace
5. Leave Virginia Alone
6. Crawling Back to You
7. Don’t Fade on Me
8. Confusion Wheel
9. A Higher Place
10. There’s a Break in the Rain (Have Love Will Travel)
11. To Find a Friend
12. Only a Broken Heart
13. Wake Up Time
14. Hung Up and Overdue
15. Wildflowers
DISC 4: Wildflowers Live
1. You Don’t Know How It Feels
2. Honey Bee
3. To Find a Friend
4. Walls
5. Crawling Back to You
6. Cabin Down Below
7. Drivin’ Down to Georgia
8. House in the Woods
9. Girls on LSD
10. Time to Move On
11. Wake Up Time
12. It’s Good to Be King
13. You Wreck Me
14. Wildflowers
DISC 5: Alternate Versions (Finding Wildflowers)
*Note: only available on 9-LP and 5-CD formats*
1. A Higher Place
2. Hard on Me
3. Cabin Down Below
4. Crawling Back to You
5. Only a Broken Heart
6. Drivin’ Down to Georgia
7. You Wreck Me
8. It’s Good to Be King
9. House in the Woods
10. Honey Bee
11. Girl on LSD
12. Cabin Down Below (Acoustic Version)
13. Wildflowers
14. Don’t Fade on Me
15. Wake Up Time
16. You Saw Me Comin’
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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