Not sure what the late great Tom Petty might have made of the coronavirus epidemic, but “I Won’t Back Down,” his classic song of defiance, certainly lends a clue. Released in 1989 on the solo album “Full Moon Fever,” the song has been universally adopted as an anthem of resilience and empowerment for all types of people, including those suffering from addiction and depression.

“It’s a very simple song, but a very powerful song,” Mike Campbell, Petty’s bandmate from the Heartbreakers, told National Public Radio in 2019. “It’s as deep as you want to go. That was one of Tom’s talents, that he could say a lot with very few words.”

Check out the official video – with its very interesting cast of bandmates – below.

Lyrics

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