Hard Promises cover art

  Studio Album · No. 4

Hard Promises Songwriting Credits by Tom Petty

1981 Backstreet Records 10 tracks 39 min

Produced by Jimmy Iovine, Tom Petty  ·  Engineered by Shelly Yakus

Backstreet Records Heartland RockPower Pop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Tom Petty carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Tom Petty 0 tracksoutside writers
Tom Petty's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
2
Producers
1981
Released
Data Insight

Tom Petty wrote or co-wrote all of Hard Promises, taking sole credit on the lead single 'The Waiting' and sharing 'A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)' with guitarist Mike Campbell. Jimmy Iovine returned to co-produce with Petty, and Shelly Yakus again engineered. The album is also remembered for Petty's public fight with MCA over the label's proposed higher 'superstar' list price.

Produced by Jimmy Iovine, this album was partially notable for Petty's public fight with MCA Records over its intended retail price. Contains 'The Waiting,' among Petty's most celebrated songs.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Waiting #19
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
2
A Woman in Love (It's Not Me) #79
Tom PettyMike Campbell Thomas Earl PettyMichael Wayne Campbell Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
3
Nightwatchman
Tom PettyMike Campbell Thomas Earl PettyMichael Wayne Campbell Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
4
Something Big
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
5
Kings Road
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
6
Letting You Go
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
7
A Thing About You
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
8
Insider
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Stevie Nicks
9
The Criminal Kind
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Jimmy IovineTom Petty Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
10
You Can Still Change Your Mind
Tom PettyMike Campbell Thomas Earl PettyMichael Wayne Campbell Jimmy IovineTom Petty Stevie Nicks

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 6 contributors

TP
Tom Petty
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album10 written
TE
Thomas Earl Petty
Writer
On this album10 written
MW
Michael Wayne Campbell
Writer
On this album3 written
MC
Mike Campbell
Writer
On this album3 written
JI
Jimmy Iovine
Producer
On this album10 produced
SN
Stevie Nicks
Performer
On this albumGuest

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Frequently Asked Questions Hard Promises

Did Tom Petty write Hard Promises himself?
Tom Petty wrote or co-wrote every song on the 1981 album. He wrote the lead single 'The Waiting' by himself and co-wrote 'A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)' with guitarist Mike Campbell. The Petty-Campbell partnership continued the pattern set on earlier records.
Who wrote The Waiting by Tom Petty?
Tom Petty wrote 'The Waiting' alone. The single peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the highest-charting song from the album. It is one of Petty's most enduring songs.
Who produced Hard Promises?
Jimmy Iovine and Tom Petty co-produced Hard Promises. It followed their work together on Damn the Torpedoes. Shelly Yakus engineered the sessions.
Why is Hard Promises famous for a pricing dispute?
Tom Petty fought MCA Records over the label's plan to release Hard Promises at a higher 'superstar' list price of $9.98. Petty publicly resisted, and the album was issued at the standard price. The episode became a well-known example of an artist pushing back against a label.
Did A Woman in Love (It's Not Me) chart?
Yes. 'A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)' peaked at number 79 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Tom Petty co-wrote it with Mike Campbell. It was the album's second single after 'The Waiting.'
Was Hard Promises certified Gold?
Yes. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States on August 10, 1981, representing 500,000 units shipped. It was released on the Backstreet label.
What genre is Hard Promises by Tom Petty?
Hard Promises is a heartland rock album with power pop elements. It continued the guitar-driven sound the Heartbreakers established on Damn the Torpedoes.

Sources

Wikipedia: Hard Promises Wikipedia: The Waiting (song) RIAA Gold & Platinum: Hard Promises MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Hard Promises by Tom Petty