Southern Accents

Originally conceived as a concept album, the theme of "Southern Accents" became somewhat murky with the inclusion of three songs co-written by Stewart, and several others originally planned for the album left off. Songs cut from the track list include "Trailer", "Big Boss Man", "Crackin' Up" (a Nick Lowe cover), "The Image of Me", "Walkin' from the Fire" and "The Apartment Song". The first four (and a demo version of "The Apartment Song") were later released on the Playback box set. A studio version of "The Apartment Song" appeared on Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever, released in 1989. "Trailer" was later re-recorded and released in May 2016 by Petty's other band Mudcrutch, on its second studio album, 2.[10] "Walkin' from the Fire" was eventually released on the posthumous box set An American Treasure in 2018. The song "My Life/Your World" from Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) included several of the song's lyrics rewritten.

While mixing the album's opening track, "Rebels", Petty became frustrated and punched a wall, severely breaking his left hand. Subsequent surgery on his hand left him with several pins, wires and screws holding his hand together.

The album cover features an 1865 painting by Winslow Homer titled The Veteran in a New Field.

A new version of the song "The Best of Everything" with a different arrangement and a previously unreleased verse was released as a single in 2018, before the release of the upcoming eponymous compilation album.

In a three-out-of-five star review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic commented that while "occasionally, the songs work" and "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Make It Better (Forget About Me)" expand [the band's] sound nicely", the record was too often "weighed down by its own ambitions".[11]

All tracks are written by Tom Petty, except where noted.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

• Tom Petty – lead vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion, producer
• Mike Campbell – guitars (lead, slide, resonator, bass on "Rebels"), backing vocals on "It Ain't Nothin' to Me," keyboards, producer
• Benmont Tench – piano, keyboards, vibraphone, backing vocals on "Rebels"
• Howie Epstein – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Stan Lynch – drums, percussion, backing vocals on "Rebels"

Additional musicians

• William Bergman – horn, tenor sax, sound effects, backing vocals
• John Berry Jr. – trumpet, horn, sound effects
• Ron Blair – bass guitar on "The Best of Everything"
• Dick Braun – trumpet, horn, sound effects, backing vocals
• Sharon Celani – backing vocals
• Jim Coile – horn, tenor sax, sound effects, backing vocals
• Malcolm 'Molly' Duncan – saxophone
• Dean Garcia – bass guitar
• Bobbye Hall – percussion
• Jerry Hey – horn, horn conductor
• Garth Hudson – keyboards
• Clydene Jackson – backing vocals
• Phil Jones – percussion
• Martin Jourard – saxophone
• Jim Keltner – percussion
• Richard Manuel – backing vocals
• Marilyn Martin – backing vocals
• Kurt McGettrick – horn, sound effects, backing vocals
• Jack Nitzsche – string arrangement on "Southern Accents"
• Dave Plews – trumpet
• Daniel Rothmuller – clarinet, cello
• Greg Smith – horn, saxophone, baritone sax, backing vocals
• Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
• David A. Stewart – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, sitar, backing vocals, producer
• Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals
• Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals

Production

• David Bianco – engineer
• Steve Breitborde – photography
• Joel Fein – engineer
• Winslow Homer – artwork, cover painting
• Jimmy Iovine – producer
• Dennis Keeley – photography
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering
• Robbie Robertson – producer
• Don Smith – engineer, remixing
• Steele Works – design, cover design
• Tommy Steele – art direction, design, cover design
• Alan "Bugs" Weidel – engineer
• Shelly Yakus – engineer, remixing