Damn the Torpedoes (album)

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date text | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=You're Gonna Get It!1978Hard Promises1981studioDamn the TorpedoesTomPetty&theHeartbreakersDamntheTorpedoes.jpgTom Petty and the HeartbreakersTemplate:Start date text1978–79Template:Hlist*Heartland rock

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Damn the Torpedoes is the third studio album by the American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on October 19, 1979. It was the first of three Tom Petty albums originally released by the Backstreet Records label, distributed by MCA Records. It built on the commercial success and critical acclaim of the band's two previous albums and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.<ref name=amch /> The album went on to become certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Widely regarded as one of Petty's best albums, Damn the Torpedoes was ranked number 313 on Rolling StoneTemplate:'s list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2003.<ref name=RS500>Template:Cite book</ref> It was moved up to number 231 in the 2020 revised list.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Background and recording

Petty's recording contract was assigned to MCA when his distributor ABC Records was sold to MCA in 1979. Petty contended that his contract could not be assigned to another record company without his permission and was therefore voided. MCA responded by suing Petty for breach of contract which prompted him to declare bankruptcy as a tactic to void his contract with MCA.<ref>Tom Petty, Runnin' Down a Dream, 2007 documentary, @1:08:00.</ref> The matter was settled with Petty signing a new recording contract with Backstreet Records, an MCA subsidiary label. The album, co-produced by Jimmy Iovine, was recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and Cherokee Studios in Hollywood.<ref name="soundcitystudio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The title is a reference to a famous quote by Admiral David Farragut: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!".

Release and reception

The album was a breakthrough for Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was their first top 10 album, rising to No. 2 for seven weeks and kept from No. 1 by Pink Floyd's The Wall on the Billboard albums chart.<ref name="amch">{{#ifeq: | yes | https://www.allmusic.com/album/r46572{{

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}}</ref> Tom Petty's response to Westwood One about being anchored at No. 2 was "I love Pink Floyd but I hated them that year." It yielded two songs that made the top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, "Don't Do Me Like That" (No. 10) and "Refugee" (No. 15).<ref name="bilddmlt">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="bilref">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Thanks to the new co-producer Jimmy Iovine, Damn the Torpedoes proved to be a major leap forward in production.<ref name=AllMusic />

Critical reception generally reflected the commercial success of the album. The original review in Rolling Stone raved that it was the "album we've all been waiting for – that is, if we were all Tom Petty fans, which we would be if there were any justice in the world."<ref name=RSreview>Template:Cite news</ref> Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said, "This is a breakthrough for Petty because for the first time the Heartbreakers ... are rocking as powerfully as he's writing. But whether Petty has any need to rock out beyond the sheer doing of it—whether he has anything to say—remains shrouded in banality. Thus he establishes himself as the perfect rock and roller for those who want good—very good, because Petty really knows his stuff—rock and roll that can be forgotten as soon as the record or the concert is over, rock and roll that won't disturb your sleep, your conscience, or your precious bodily rhythms."<ref name="CG"/>

Subsequent appraisals have remained positive, with AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine regarding it as "one of the great records of the album rock era".<ref name=AllMusic /> Rolling Stone placing it at number 313 on "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list in 2003,<ref name=RS500 /> the list's 2012 edition had it ranked 315th,<ref name="500-greatest">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and the 2020 edition ranked it at number 231.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2000, it was voted number 537 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref>

Re-releases

The album was digitally remastered by Joe Gastwirt and reissued in 2001 on HDCD.

On November 9, 2010, a deluxe edition of the album was released on three formats, a 2×CD set, a 2×LP (180 g) deluxe package and a Blu-ray Audio disc package. Digital download available in numerous audio codecs in audiophile quality 96 kHz/24bit through resellers such as HDTracks. All the tracks (original and unreleased) were remastered from the original analog master tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios in Hollywood.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>

Track listing

All tracks written by Tom Petty, except where noted. Template:Track listing Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Personnel

The Heartbreakers

• Tom Petty – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, producer
• Mike Campbell – lead guitar, rhythm guitar,<ref name="heartbreaker">Template:Cite book</ref> bass guitar on "Refugee" and "Here Comes My Girl",<ref name="heartbreaker"/> accordion on "Refugee"<ref name="heartbreaker"/>
• Benmont Tench – piano, organ, harmonium, backing vocals
• Ron Blair – bass guitar
• Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocals

Session musicians

• Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar on "You Tell Me"
• Jim Keltner (uncredited) – samba shaker on "Refugee"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Recording

• Jimmy Iovine – producer
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Shelly Yakus – engineer
• John Mathias – assistant engineer
• Thom Panunzio – assistant engineer
• Gray Russell – assistant engineer
• Skip Saylor – assistant engineer
• Tori Swenson – assistant engineer

Artwork

• Lynn Goldsmith – photography
• Dennis Callahan – photography
• Aaron Rapoport – photography
• Glen Christensen – cover photography
• Tommy Steele – art direction

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Damn the Torpedoes

Chart	Position
Australian Albums Chart<ref name="auchart">Template:Cite book</ref>	15
Canadian RPM Albums Chart<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
Dutch Mega Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	27
New Zealand Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
UK Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	57
US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2

Year-end charts

Annual chart performance for Damn the Torpedoes

Chart (1980)	Position
Australian Albums Chart<ref name="auchart" />	53
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
US Billboard Pop Albums<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	5