I Won't Back Down#Cover versions

Petty has said the following about the recording of the song: "At the session George Harrison sang and played the guitar. 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."{{cite journal|last1=Snow|first1=Mat|title=Tom Petty interview|journal=MOJO|volume=January 2010|issue=194|url=http://www.mojo4music.com/2431/mojo-issue-194-january-2010/|access-date=2014-07-15}} The song was written in response to an arson incident that took place at Petty's home in 1987.{{cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-moment-tom-petty-targeted-by-an-arsonist/|title=The devastating moment Tom Petty was targeted by an arsonist|work=Far Out Magazine|last=Starkey|first=Arun|date=10 October 2022|access-date=12 April 2025}}

In the 2007 documentary Runnin' Down a Dream, Petty said that he felt some initial hesitation about releasing the song, given how straightforwardly it conveys its message.{{cite video|people=Peter Bogdanovich (director)|year=2007|title=Runnin' Down a Dream|medium=Documentary|quote=Of all the songs I've written I think I get the most feedback about that song. And it is a personal song – when I did it I sort of thought that I laid it out, you know, with no ambiguity at all – like I just said it very plainly – and I kind of felt nervous about it like maybe I should take it back and disguise it a little bit, but I'm glad I didn't – and it's very much like me.|time=2:43:25}}

The song is written in G major.

Jerry Smith, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, called "I Won't Back Down" an "extremely catchy, chugging rocker" and expressed the opinion that Jeff Lynne's production "is sure to leave its mark in the build up to the release of his forthcoming LP".{{cite magazine|last=Smith|first=Jerry|authorlink=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-05-06.pdf|title=Review: Tom Petty – "I Won't Back Down"|magazine=Music Week|date=6 May 1989|access-date=16 February 2022|page=27|location=London|publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=World Radio History|issn=0265-1548|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126211442/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-05-06.pdf|archive-date=26 January 2022}} Music & Media found it to be "rootsy, very American rock with country overtones. Simple and charming with a nostalgic, early 70s production".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1989/M&M-1989-04-22.pdf|title=Review: Tom Petty – "I Won't Back Down"|magazine=Music & Media|date=22 April 1989|access-date=17 September 2022|page=16|location=Amsterdam|publisher=European Music Report BV|via=World Radio History|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328224253/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1989/M&M-1989-04-22.pdf|archive-date=28 March 2022}}

Due to its themes, the song was played often on American radio following the September 11 attacks.{{cite news | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449077/carey-others-sing-on-telethon.jhtml | title=Mariah Carey, Springsteen, Other Stars Sing For America On Telethon | first=Eric | last=Schumacher-Rasmussen | publisher=MTV News | date=September 22, 2001 | access-date=July 19, 2011 | archive-date=June 23, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623214102/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449077/carey-others-sing-on-telethon.jhtml | url-status=dead }} Petty and the Heartbreakers played a quiet but resolute version of the song at the America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon.{{cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/artists-rise-up-for-america-20010924 | title=Artists Rise Up for America | first=Bill | last=Crandall | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=September 24, 2001}}

{{see|List of songs subject to plagiarism disputes}}

In January 2015, it was revealed that an agreement had been reached whereby Petty and Jeff Lynne would be credited as co-writers of Sam Smith's song "Stay with Me" and receive 12.5% of its royalties. Petty's publishing company had contacted Smith's publisher after noticing a likeness between "Stay with Me" and "I Won't Back Down".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30997759|title=Sam Smith: Tom Petty given writing credit for Stay with Me|work=BBC News|date=2015-01-27}} Petty clarified that he did not believe Smith plagiarized him, saying "All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. 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".{{cite magazine|last1=Kreps|first1=Daniel|title=Tom Petty on Sam Smith Settlement: 'No Hard Feelings. These Things Happen'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-petty-on-sam-smith-settlement-no-hard-feelings-these-things-happen-20150129|access-date=2015-01-31|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=2015-01-29|archive-date=2015-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131054751/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-petty-on-sam-smith-settlement-no-hard-feelings-these-things-happen-20150129|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/02/09/the-only-person-sam-smith-didnt-thank-at-the-grammys-deserves-a-lot-of-credit/|title=The only person Sam Smith didn't thank at the Grammys deserves a lot of credit|first=J. Freedom du|last=Lac|date=9 February 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post}} Smith claimed not to have heard "I Won't Back Down" before writing "Stay with Me",{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sam-smith-explains-why-he-settled-copyright-dispute-with-tom-petty-1.2948473 |title=Sam Smith explains why he settled copyright dispute with Tom Petty |date=Feb 7, 2015 |publisher=CBC }} but acknowledged the similarity after listening to the song, calling it "a complete coincidence".{{cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/01/tom-petty-awarded-songwriting-royalties-for-sam-smiths-stay-with-me/|title=Tom Petty awarded songwriting royalties for Sam Smith's "Stay With Me"|work=Consequence of Sound|last=Copland|first=Chris|date=25 January 2015|access-date=26 January 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30997759 |title=Sam Smith: Tom Petty given writing credit for Stay With Me|publisher=BBC|date=January 27, 2015 |access-date=January 27, 2015}} Petty and Lynne were not eligible for a Grammy Award ("Stay with Me" was nominated for three awards at the 57th annual ceremony, winning two of them) as the Recording Academy considered "Stay with Me" to have been interpolated from "I Won't Back Down" by Smith, James Napier, and William Phillips, the writers of "Stay with Me"; Petty and Lynne were instead given certificates to honor their participation in the work, as is usual for writers of work which is sampled or interpolated by others.{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-tom-petty-added-to-writing-credits-of-sam-smiths-hit-stay-with-me-20150126-column.html |title=Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne added to credits of Sam Smith's 'Stay With Me' |first=Randall |last=Roberts |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 26, 2015 }}

• Tom Petty – lead vocals and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
• Mike Campbell – electric guitar
• George Harrison – acoustic guitar and backing vocals
• Jeff Lynne – bass, synthesizer and backing vocals
• Howie Epstein – backing vocals
• Phil Jones – drums

Campbell, Harrison, and Lynne also appear in the music video for "I Won't Back Down" with Harrison's former Beatles bandmate, Ringo Starr, playing drums; however, Starr did not play on the recording.

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George W. Bush used "I Won't Back Down" at campaign events during the 2000 presidential campaign but was compelled to stop using the song after receiving a cease and desist letter from Petty's publisher.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/tom-petty-dead-latest-cease-and-desist-letter-george-w-bush-i-wont-back-down-politics-trump-a7979771.html|title=Tom Petty once sent a cease and desist letter to George W. Bush|first=Roisin|last=O'Connor|work=The Independent|date=October 2, 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1840981_1840998_1840937,00.html|title=A Brief History of Campaign Songs - George W. Bush|magazine=Time|first= Claire|last= Suddath}} Petty then went on to perform the song at Al Gore's home after Gore conceded the election to President Bush.{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=111954|title=Petty, Popper Serenade Gore After Concession|publisher=ABC News|date=December 14, 2000}} Jim Webb used the song for his successful bid for one of Virginia's U.S. Senate seats in 2006, as did Hillary Clinton during the 2008 Democratic presidential primary campaign. The song was also used at campaign events for Congressman Ron Paul of Texas during the 2008 Republican presidential primary campaign, as well as for events for his Campaign for Liberty. The song was also played at an event for Republican Connecticut gubernatorial nominee, Tom Foley.{{cite book|title= Radicalism and Music An Introduction to the Music Cultures of al-Qa'ida, Racist Skinheads, Christian-Affiliated Radicals, and Eco-Animal Rights Militants|first= Jonathan|last= Pieslak|page=244|isbn= 978-0819575845|date=November 3, 2015|publisher= Wesleyan}}

In June 2020, Petty's family issued a cease and desist letter to President Donald Trump's campaign for its use of "I Won't Back Down" at Trump's rally in Tulsa on June 20, 2020. The letter stated: "Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind. Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together."{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/tom-pettys-family-send-cease-and-desist-letter-to-trump-for-song-use-news.112987.html|title=Tom Petty's Family Send Cease-And-Desist Letter To Trump For Song Use|work=HotNewHipHop|last=Bake|first=Cole|date=June 21, 2020|access-date=June 22, 2020}}

In November 2020, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris played "I Won't Back Down" at their victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Petty's family wrote on Instagram that they were "touched to see Tom included on such an important night in America."{{Cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/11/tom-pettys-family-touched-by-joe-biden-using-i-wont-back-down-as-victory-song.html|title=Tom Petty's family 'touched' by Joe Biden using 'I Won't Back Down' as victory song|first=Deron |last=Dalton|date=November 9, 2020|website=pennlive}}

File:Ben Hill Griffin Stadium During "I Won't Back Down" Tradition (Texas A&M vs. Florida - October 14, 2017).jpg, University of Florida]]

• Playing the song has become a tradition at Florida Gators football games at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Petty's hometown. Petty died unexpectedly on October 2, 2017, and at the next home football game vs. LSU the following Saturday, "I Won't Back Down" was played between the third and fourth quarters immediately after the traditional university song "We Are the Boys from Old Florida". It has been played at that time at every subsequent Gator home game, with fans singing along and holding aloft cell phones to fill the stadium with lights.{{cite news|last1=Andreu|first1=Robbie|title=Petty song a new Florida Field tradition|url=http://www.gatorsports.com/2017/10/petty-song-new-florida-field-tradition/|access-date=January 15, 2018|work=The Gainesville Sun|date=October 9, 2017}}
• The Ottawa Senators used the song as a campaign anthem in December 1990 at their presentation to be awarded an NHL franchise at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. The unlikely bid received unanimous support from the NHL and the franchise was awarded on December 6, 1990.{{cite news|title=These are the Ottawa Senators you know |url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=d9b23914-b036-474c-8467-a91c72ac7327 |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=December 5, 2005 |access-date=April 10, 2012 |quote=Firestone turned 39 the day before the bid presentation. Leeder and Sexton, boyhood hockey pals from Brockville, were 31. Waiting in a holding room, feeling a little like caged animals, the group got psyched up the way athletes do, by listening to inspiring music. In this case, it was the theme song of their mission -- Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down". |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214015623/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=d9b23914-b036-474c-8467-a91c72ac7327 |archive-date=February 14, 2012 }}
• The TCU Horned Frogs used the song as their slogan during the 2009 season, and incorporated it into their merchandise during the year.{{cite news |title=T.C.U. Fans Are Singing Football Coach's Praises |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/sports/ncaafootball/14tcu.html | work=The New York Times | first=Thayer |last=Evans |date=November 14, 2009}}
• The Johnny Cash cover of the song from the album American III: Solitary Man was used for a Rogers Sportsnet advertising campaign for the 2010-2011 NHL season.{{YouTube|xY_U9nNamOk|Canucks Won't Back Down}}
• UFC fighter Chris Weidman used the song for his walkout music throughout his career, most notably at UFC 162 when he fought Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Going into the fight as the underdog, Weidman upset the Champion and was the first person to beat Silva in almost 7 years. Because of the fitting lyrics, this has often been regarded as one of the best UFC walkouts of all time.{{Cite web |last=Newman |first=Scott |title=10 best walkout songs in UFC history |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/the-10-best-walkout-songs-in-ufc-history-sstl |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |date=2 December 2018 |language=en-us}}

• Full Moon Fever (1989)
• Greatest Hits (1993)
• Playback (1995)
• Anthology: Through the Years (2000)
• America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001)
• Barnyard (2006){{efn|Performed by Sam Elliot.}}
• The Live Anthology (2009)
• Mojo Tour 2010 (2010) – live version

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• [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/08/721228788/tom-petty-i-wont-back-down-american-anthem-resolve NPR testimonials about impact of song]
• [https://www.newsweek.com/lara-trump-tom-petty-wont-back-down-donald-1829542?amp=1 Lara Trump's 'Cheap Move' Against Tom Petty Slammed]

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Category:1989 songs

Category:1989 singles

Category:Tom Petty songs

Category:Protest songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Lynne

Category:Songs written by Jeff Lynne

Category:Songs written by Tom Petty

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:Presidential campaign songs

Category:Florida Gators