Ginger root and George Harrison: How Tom Petty delivered one of his finest vocal performances
Music has been the basis of many bonds over the years, with one of the most iconic friendships being that of George Harrison and Tom Petty. While both men came from different parts of the globe, with the former also a member of the world’s most significant band, their perspectives and sonic sensibilities aligned, creating a deep friendship and potent creative partnership.
What brought Harrison and Petty closest was their shared refusal to stray from their creative paths or give in to industry demands and trends. Both were singular artists who used their music as a vehicle for self-expression, addressing their complex thoughts without chasing fame for fame’s sake. While they undoubtedly enjoyed the perks that came with their status—Harrison, in particular, being revered with almost God-like respect—they remained grounded. In an era defined by MTV, inflated egos, and bombastic sounds, Harrison and Petty stood as exemplary figures rooted in authenticity and artistic integrity.
In the Petty documentary Runnin’ Down a Dream, Harrison praised Petty for always sticking to his guns, musically and otherwise. He explained: “Tom, he’s got this great sound; it’s kind of this slur. For me, he’s just one of the nicest people because he’s not full of shit, as they say”.
Given their friendship, it made sense that they should feature together in the all-star supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys, alongside Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison. Outside the band, Petty would also help Harrison finish the lyrics of 1989’s ‘Cheer Down’, a later classic and his contribution to that year’s Lethal Weapon 2. Featuring a distinctly heartland sound, the influence of Petty courses throughout it.
Harrison also lent a hand with Petty’s solo work, contributing acoustic guitar and backing vocals to the lead single from Petty’s 1989 solo debut, Full Moon Fever, which is regarded as one of his masterworks. It wasn’t just Harrison who helped bring the record to life; Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison, the latter tragically passing before the album’s release, also featured. Although Full Moon Fever was technically a solo effort, it reflected Petty’s grounded nature, as members of his band The Heartbreakers, including guitarist Mike Campbell, also appeared on the album.
Although Full Moon Fever is a classic from start to finish and features the Petty song with the most mainstream pull, ‘Free Fallin”, arguably ‘I Won’t Back Down’ is the finest cut on the record. It features an iconic vocal performance from the Gainesville native and the lines that perfectly capture his unwavering character: Well I know what’s right / I got just one life in a world that keeps on pushin’ me around / But I’ll stand my ground, and I won’t back down”.
Those lyrics also aptly described the physical battle of recording the vocals for ‘I Won’t Back Down’. During the session, he’d come down with a “terrible cold”, and luckily, his good friend Harrison was on hand to save it from disaster. He ran to the local grocery store and picked up some ginger root to open his friend’s sinuses, who then went and immediately laid down his excellent performance.
Petty told Mojo in 2010: “At the session, George Harrison sang and played the guitar. I had a terrible cold that day, and George went to the store and bought a ginger root, boiled it and had me stick my head in the pot to get the ginger steam to open up my sinuses, and then I ran in and did the take.”
That’s the sign of a true friendship. Given the famous stories of The Beatles laying down classic tracks when stricken with the flu, you get the sense that boiling a ginger root is the kind of old trick the Fab Four would have first encountered when under significant time pressure in the studio. It was wisdom such as this that Harrison had accrued over the years that would go on to make his good friend Petty a global star with his solo album.
