Traveling Wilburys - Heading For The Light [Album Version]Details

"Next comes Heading For The Light, evidently by George and Jeff, with a tempo similar to George's 1981 hit All Those Years Ago, brought to a climax with more excellent sax playing."
John Van Der Kiste (Early 1989 - Face The Music fanzine #5)

"America and Europe also saw Heading For The Light sink without a trace as a single."
Andrew Whiteside (1989 - Face The Music fanzine #6)
Editor's Note: This implies that there was some sort of American release of this song as a single (stock or promo), but that is not true. At best, it was a #7 hit on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

"In Headed For The Light, [sic] the [Volume One] LP takes a welcome turn toward spiritual strength."
Ellis Amburn (1990 Dark Star: The Roy Orbison Story)

"A song which would have fit comfortably onto Cloud Nine, the effervescent Heading For The Light was penned by George and Jeff. Another contender for single release, it did become available in that format as a 12-inch and CD single in Germany, where it was backed by Rattled and Last Night. All tracks were the standard LP versions."
Chip Madinger and Mark Easter (October 2000 - Eight Arms To Hold You - The Solo Beatles Compendium)

"20 February [1989]: The Traveling Wilburys single End Of The Line c/w Congratulations is released in America. [...] End Of The Line c/w Congratulations by the Traveling Wilburys was issued in Britain on Wilbury W 7637 on 20 February 1989 and in America on Wilbury 7-27637 on 23 January 1989. [...] End Of The Line was issued in February 1989 with an extended mix of End Of The Line, plus Congratulations."
Bill Harry (2003 - The George Harrison Encyclopedia)

"On the more serious side of things, George Harrison and Tom Petty each turn in one of the best songs of their careers with Heading for the Light and End of the Line respectively"
Philip J. Reed (June 19, 2007 - noisetosignal.org)

"Heading for the Light is an upbeat number which bears testimony to the vocal harmonies of the Beatles in their early career."
Brendan Keane (June 28, 2007 - Wexford Echo)

"Heading For The Light and End Of The Line were mainly the work of George."
John Van der Kiste (August 2015 - Jeff Lynne: Electric Light Orchestra - Before and After)

"...the cosmic yearning of George Harrison (Heading For The Light)..."
Jim Beviglia (October 18, 2015 - American Songwriter)

"Heading For The Light is a spiritual quest that is vintage Harrison."
Martin Chilton (October 17, 2018 - uDiscoverMusic.com website)

"Harrison’s songs “Hndle with Care, Heading for the Light, and End of the Line don’t fit quite as well in the concept, but they’re the best and catchiest tracks on the album, radiating the joy of a man back in a band for the first time in 17 years."
Trevor J. Levin (October 28, 2018 - The Harvard Crimson)


  • Running Time: 3:36
  • Record Date: May 7 to 16, 1988 (original recordings) and Summer 1988 (final mixing)
  • Record Location: Dave Stewart Studios, Los Angeles, USA (original recordings) & Friar Park Studios, Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire, UK (George Harrison's home studio) (final mixing)
  • Written By: Traveling Wilburys (Ganga Publishing indicates that George Harrison is the primary songwriter)
  • Produced By: Jeff Lynne & George Harrison
  • Engineered By: Richard Dodd, Phil MacDonald, Don Smith and Bill Bottrell
  • Performed By: George "Nelson" Harrison (lead vocals, guitars, backing vocals), Jeff "Otis" Lynne (lead vocals, guitars, bass, backing vocals), Bob "Lucky" Dylan (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Roy "Lefty" Orbison (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Tom "Charlie T." Petty (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Jim Keltner (drums), Ray Cooper (percussion),Jim Horn (saxophone)

  • Released On:
    • Volume One LP album (1988 October 18 — USA — Wilbury Records 25796-1)
    • Volume One CD album (1988 October 18 — USA — Wilbury Records 25796-2)
    • Volume One LP album (1988 October 24 — UK — Wilbury Records WX 224)
    • Volume One CD album (1988 October 24 — UK — Wilbury Records 925796-2)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection CD/DVD album (2007 June 11 — UK — Rhino/Wilbury Records 8122799824)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Deluxe CD/DVD album (2007 June 11 — UK — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 167868)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Deluxe Digital album (2007 June 11 — UK — Rhino/Wilbury Records ?)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection CD/DVD album (2007 June 12 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 167804)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Deluxe CD/DVD album (2007 June 12 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 167868)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Deluxe Digital album (2007 June 12 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records ?)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Second Deluxe CD/DVD album (2007 November 20 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 167868)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Second Deluxe CD/DVD album (2007 December 3 — UK — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 167868)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection LP album (2007 December 4 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records RHI 224316)
    • Vol 1 CD album (2008 June 2 — UK — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 ?)
    • Vol 1 CD album (2008 June 3 — USA — Rhino/Wilbury Records R2 255036)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection LP album (2016 June 3 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle CRE-39517-01)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection CD/DVD album (2016 June 3 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle CRE-39515)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Third Deluxe CD/DVD album (2016 June 3 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle CRE-39516-00)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Deluxe Digital album (2016 June 3 — UK — Concord Bicycle ??)
    • The Traveling Wilburys Collection Digital album (2016 June 3 — UK — Concord Bicycle ?)
    • Vol. 1 Digital album (2016 June 3 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle ???)
    • Vol. 1 LP album (2016 October 4 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle ?)
    • Vol. 1 CD album (2016 October 14 — Worldwide — Concord Bicycle ???)
    • Volume One picture disc LP album (2018 November 2 — USA — Craft Recordings CR00040)
    • Volume One orange vinyl LP album (2020 October 9 — UK/USA — Wilbury Records CRE00213)

  • Cover Versions: Strumming To The Wilbury's on their A Tribute To The Traveling Wilbury's album (04/2006)