Damn the Torpedoes is a 1979 (see 1979 in music) album by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. (The title is a reference to a famous quote by Admiral David Farragut.)
This album, the band's third, was their first for MCA Records. Their old label, Shelter Records, had been sold to MCA; Petty struggled to legally detach himself from MCA, but in the end was forced to settle. Damn the Torpedoes ended up being the band's breakthrough hit, and includes many of their best reviewed songs and favorite concert standards today, including "Here Comes My Girl" and "A Shadow of Doubt (A Complex Kid)".

Damn the Torpedoes was a #2 hit on Billboard's Pop Albums chart.

Track listing

  1. Refugee (Campbell/Petty) - 3:22
  2. Here Comes My Girl (Campbell/Petty) - 4:26
  3. Even the Losers (Petty) - 4:00
  4. Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid) (Petty) - 4:25
  5. Century City (Petty) - 3:45
  6. Don't Do Me Like That (Petty) - 2:44
  7. You Tell Me (Petty) - 4:34
  8. What Are You Doin' in My Life? (Petty) - 3:26
  9. Louisiana Rain (Petty) - 5:53

Personnel

  • Tom Petty - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals, Guitar (12 String), Producer
  • Mike Campbell - Organ, Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboards, Guitar (12 String), Slide Guitar
  • Benmont Tench - Organ, Piano, Harmonium, Keyboards, Vocals
  • Ron Blair - Bass, Bass (Electric)
  • Greg Calbi - Mastering
  • Donald "Duck" Dunn - Bass
  • Joe Gastwirt - Remastering
  • Lynn Goldsmith - Photography
  • Jimmy Iovine - Producer
  • Stan Lynch - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals
  • Jon Mathias - Assistant Engineer
  • Thom Panunzio - Assistant Engineer
  • Gary Russell - Assistant Engineer
  • Gray Russell - Assistant Engineer
  • Skip Saylor - Assistant Engineer
  • Tori Swenson - Assistant Engineer
  • Shelly Yakus - Producer, Engineer
  • Tommy Steele - Art Direction
  • Aaron Rapoport - Photography
  • Glen Christensen - Photography
  • Dennis Callaghan - Photography