Strangely, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ classic song, “I Won’t Back Down,” has become one of the most controversial songs in modern times, especially in the political realm. Since his passing in 2017, Petty’s estate has had to battle many a candidate to tell them to stop using the song for their campaigns.
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And if that wasn’t enough, the song is one of the most covered of all time. But why? What about the tune and its lyrics make it so beloved, so much a part of the zeitgeist?
Let’s dive into the meaning behind Petty’s lyrics below.
Courage
No matter your skill, experience, or standing in life, we’ve all felt small. We’ve all felt less than. So, to have a song that gives us back our confidence, makes your chest puff out—well, that’s invaluable. And that’s what Petty gave fans and listeners with “I Won’t Back Down.”
Written by Petty with friend and songwriter Jeff Lynne, and released on the album Full Moon Fever in 1989, “I Won’t Back Down” hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is one of rebellion or even defiance while the music is charged, even upbeat. It was a popular song during the recovery after the 9/11 attacks in the U.S.
The song is so on the nose, so to speak, that Petty has even said (in his 2007 documentary, Runnin’ Down a Dream) that he hesitated to release the track given its perhaps too-clear message.
Well, I won’t back down / No, I won’t back down / You can stand me up at the gates of hell / But I won’t back down / No, I’ll stand my ground / Won’t be turned around / And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down / Gonna stand my ground / And I won’t back down.
In the chorus, Petty sings, I won’t back down / Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out / I won’t back down / Hey I will stand my ground / And I won’t back down.
Ginger Roots with George Harrison
On the day of tracking, Petty was sick (how perfect for an album called Full Moon Fever). Perhaps his nasal vocals give the song one more layer of underdog quality.
“At the session, George Harrison sang and played the guitar,” Petty told Mojo in 2010, about recording the song. “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.”
Petty wouldn’t back down from his cold or his recording responsibilities.
Fun Facts
In the music video for the song, which you can see below, Petty and Lynne, who was Petty’s songwriting partner for Full Moon Fever, feature prominently. Also in the video, Ringo Starr is playing drums, even though he didn’t do so in the recording.
And years later, singer Sam Smith settled with Petty and Lynne when Smith’s song “Stay With Me” was determined to resemble “I Won’t Back Down” too closely. In a statement in the wake of that, Petty acknowledged that he didn’t think Smith did anything deliberately malicious.
“All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen,” said Petty. “Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case, it got by. Sam’s people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement.”
Final Thoughts
While the rest of the song lyrics issue the same directive: the singer is not going to be swayed, he will stand tall, and the overall message of the song is not diluted by the repetitiveness. There is something about Petty’s tone, his lean silhouette, his undeniable Americana rock sensibility—it’s as if America itself is saying it won’t back down, from the rolling Midwest wheat fields to New York’s Lady Liberty. Petty sums it all up in one magic track.
Photo by Ian Dickson/Redferns
