Paul R. Giunta/Getty ImagesTom Petty has released two albums of rare tracks recorded from 1973 to 1993 as digital downloads via his official online store and other major digital music sellers. The albums, titled Through the Cracks and Nobody’s Children, previously only were available as part of Petty’s 1995 box set, Playback.
The albums include recordings he made with his pre-Heartbreakers group, Mudcrutch, plus demos, outtakes, alternate versions of various tunes and select cover songs. Among the tracks on Through the Cracks are an early rendition of “Don’t Do Me Like That” by Mudcrutch, and a demo version of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Nobody’s Children includes covers of the Elvis Presley hits “Baby, Let’s Play House” and “Wooden Heart,” and the original version of the Petty-penned “Got My Mind Made Up,” a song Bob Dylan recorded for his 1986 album, Knocked Out Loaded.
Through the Cracks and Nobody’s Children are priced at $9.99.
In other news, Petty and the Heartbreakers gave a surprise performance over the weekend at the fourth annual Merry Minstrel Musical Circus, a star-studded holiday concert that took place at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell co-organizes the event with singer/songwriter Jonathan Wilson. JamBase reports that Petty and his band played a set that included “Last Dance with Mary Jane” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” and that ELO‘s Jeff Lynne sat in with the group for a few tunes as well. This marked the first time that Petty and the Heartbreakers have performed live in 2015.
Other performers at the 2015 Merry Minstrel Musical Circus included Jackson Browne, Campbell’s side project Dirty Knobs, Dawes and Wilson’s band. In addition, The Bangles‘ Susannah Hoffs and My Morning Jacket members Jim James and Bo Koster made guest appearances.
Here is the full track list for Through the Cracks:
“On the Street” (Mudcrutch Demo)
“Depot Street” (Mudcrutch)
“Cry to Me” (Mudcrutch)
“Don’t Do Me Like That” (Mudcrutch Version)
“I Can’t Fight It” (Mudcrutch)
“Since You Said You Loved Me”
“Louisiana Rain”
“Keeping Me Alive”
“Turning Point”
“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (Demo)
“The Apartment Song” (Demo)
“Big Boss Man”
“The Image of Me”
“Moon Pie”
“The Damage You’ve Done” (Country Version)
And here’s the track list for Nobody’s Children:
“Got My Mind Made Up” (Original Version)
“Ways to Be Wicked”
“Can’t Get Her Out”
“Waiting for Tonight”
“Travelin'”
“Baby, Let’s Play House”
“Wooden Heart”
“God’s Gift to Man”
“You Get Me High”
“Come On Down to My House”
“You Come Through”
“Up in Mississippi Tonight”
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