I Won't Back Down

"I Won't Back Down" is the first single from Tom Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever released in 1989. The song was written by Petty and his writing partner for the album, Jeff Lynne. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for five weeks, starting the album's road to multi-platinum status. George Harrison plays acoustic guitar and sings backing vocals on the track. George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty were, at the time, also recording together as members of the Traveling Wilburys. This song was one of the many Tom Petty wrote while staying at many hotels and rented houses during the period of his life after his own house was burned down by an arsonist. He said that writing this song helped him overcome his struggles at the time. The first single where Tom Petty's back-up band, The Heartbreakers, wasn't credited, though they played on the album. The music video for this song features Ringo Starr on drums, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne on guitars. On the album version though, a session musician played drums. Tom Petty said about this song in a 2006 interview with Harp, "I thought it wasn't that good because it was so naked. So I had a lot of second thoughts about recording that song. But everyone around me liked the song and said it was really good and it turns out everyone was right – more people connect to that song than anything I ever wrote."

Tom Petty Lyrics "I Won't Back Down" From The Album "Full Moon Fever" (1989) 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 (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 Well, I know what's right I got just one life In a world that keeps on pushin' me around But I'll stand my ground And I won't back down (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 (I won't back down) And I won't back down (I won't back down) Hey, baby There ain't no easy way out (I won't back down) Hey, I Won't back down (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 (I won't back down) And I won't back down (I won't back down) No, I won't back down Writer(s): Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty