I Won't Back Down

by

Tom Petty

Album: Full Moon Fever      Released: 1989

US Chart: 12     UK Chart: 28

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This was Petty's first single without The Heartbreakers credited as his backing band. Members of the band did play on the album.

This was the first single from Full Moon Fever, which was produced and co-written by Jeff Lynne. Petty and Lynne worked on the album at Mike Campbell's house. As guitarist for The Heartbreakers, Mike has written and produced many songs with Petty. He told us what happened when they brought the album to MCA Records:
"We thought it was really good, we were real excited about it. We played it for the record company and they said, 'Well, we don't hear any hits on here.' We were very despondent about the whole thing and we went back and recorded another track, a Byrds song called 'I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better,' thinking at the time that maybe they'll like this one. In the interim, they changed A&R departments and a whole new group of people were in there. We brought the same record back like 6 months later and they loved it - they said 'Oh, there's 3 hits on here.' We were vindicated on that one. It was the same record. We played the same thing for them and they went for it. I guess it's a situation of timing and the right people that wanted to get inspired about it. At the end of the line, if the songs are good and if the public connects with certain songs, that really is the true test, but you've got to get it out there." (Read more in our interview with Mike Campbell.)

Before recording Full Moon Fever, an arsonist burned down Petty's house while he was in it. He escaped and spent much of the next few months driving between hotel rooms and a rented house. It was on these drives that he came up with many of the songs for the album, and the fire was a huge influence. Petty felt grateful to be alive, and the whole incident had a calming effect on him.

The video featured The Beatles' Ringo Starr on drums and George Harrison on guitar. It also featured ELO frontman Jeff Lynne on guitar. (thanks, melania - Moscow, Russia)

George W. Bush used this in his 2000 Presidential campaign. When Petty found out, he threatened to sue, as he did not support Bush. Bush stopped using the song but won the election anyway. Petty's home state of Florida decided the election when Bush won the state by a very slim margin.

Petty performed this for Al Gore at his house an hour after he conceded the election (the second time) to George W. Bush.

Petty played this on September 21, 2001 as part of a telethon to benefit the victims of the terrorist attacks on America. Celebrities at the event included Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Cruise. Almost 60 million people watched the special in the US.

In response to this being used as a patriotic anthem after September 11th, Petty said: "The song has also been adopted by nice people for good things, too. I just write them, I can't control where it ends up."

This was one of 4 songs Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers played at the halftime show of the Super Bowl in 2008. The others were "American Girl," "Runnin' Down A Dream" and "Free Fallin'."

Petty recalled the recording of this song to Mojo magazine January 2010: "At the session George Harrison sang and played the guitar. I had a terrible cold that day, and George sent 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."

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Comments:

when my company was sent to Iraq during the first Gulf war this was our theme song. We played this anthem nearly everywhere we went and practically wore out the cassette tape this was on.
- Joel, Junction City, KS

doesnt matter to me why the song was written, i am just so grateful it was - good on you Tom Petty and the heartbreakers! I am 22 and this song has gotten me through some truly hard times and will continue to do so - ill keep this world form dragging me down and i wont back down!! this song is truly inspiring to stand up for what is right and dear to you even though sometimes there is no easy way out and stop letting people push you around and defeat you! Tom Petty was also one of my dads (who is deceased) favourites artists so listenign to Tom Petty keeps him alive. thanks Tom Petty you champ!you are a truth singer and dam* good guitarist and you never got the credit you truly deserved!!
- Ny, Canberra, Australia

Thank you Tom and Jeff for giving us this gift.
- john, Grand Island, NY

This song is about a man who stands up for what he believes in despite the odds.
- Henry O. Godwinn, Wheeling, WV

I got to learn this song via the Pearl Jam version of it on their 'Live at the George' album (remember the 'Hello Tom, come down Tom' running gag throughout the first show, hilarious). But I bought the Tom Petty version (on Anthology) soon after. This song was sort of my 'anthem' song when I tried to quit smoking. I won't back down as in, I won't start smoking again (which I haven't done since by the way) but I think that it can be a stimulans in any difficult situation that one has to conquer, knowing that there's 'no easy way out'.
- Jan, Antwerp, --

sorry your all wrong and miss the point the song was written anbout tom petty when was touring with dylan and others and people burn down his house. so he wrote the song cfor him to let you all know he was not backing down
- jo, strong city, Algeria

Phil Jones played the drums on Full Moon Fever. He had peformed with the band on several tours as a percussionist. Songs from Full Moon Fever started as informal sessions at Heartbreaker guitarist Mike Campbell's home studio-- so Tom didn't bring in the band. They (Tom, Mike, and Jeff Lynn) were several songs into the project before there was talk of releasing the songs as an album.
- Paul, Marysville, WA

This song was also covered by Johnny Cash, with Petty singing backup.
- Andy, Arlington, VA

I own Full Moon Fever and my fav is Runnin Down A Dream but this is 2nd. Awesome faq bout George & Ringo!
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

jeff lynn produced. he was in ELO. he was also in the Traveling Wilburys with Petty, and in a very good Brit band with Roy Wood (not Ron) called The Move,
- steve, LA, CA

I agree with Carson, no one is getting the actuall meaning of this song, lol, i didn't know about the kid, but cmon, obviously about not letting the world get you down, and standing up for yourself, (tom petty kicks ass!)
- Nick, Hartline, WA

The guitar that Mike Campbell plays in the video belongs to George Harrison. Maybe that's why the solo sounds like one of George's. There's not a bad song on "Full Moon Fever", but this is my favorite because George did play and sing backups on the album.
- Jude, Thomasville, GA

Ringo Starr played on the "I Won't Back Down" video, but a different drummer is listed on the album.
- Shayne, Edmonton, KY

Yvette, ELO's lead singer's name is Jeff Lynne - he also co-wrote and produced this song
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

You guys have totally missed the point. This song was written for a kid who was a fan of Tom Petty's. He was in a coma, and the group wrote this song for him. They played it for him while in the coma, and soon after the kid pulled through. He didn't back down.
- Carson, Puyallup, WA

The lead singer from ELO(Electric Light Orchrastra)Don't remember his name is also featured in this video. I won't back down. Playing I think bass as my son does.Will there ever be a release of the 911 of Tom Pettys "I won't back Down"? My son is now a former Marine. It would mean alot to me to share that with him. Regards, Yvette Parker
- yvette, Phoneix, AZ

This song features George Harrison on guitar and Ringo Starr on drums.
- Matthew, New York, NY

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