Synopsis

Tom Petty performs "I Won't Back Down" on a stark, shadowy soundstage, backed by Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The uncluttered setting keeps attention on the musicians, their instruments, and the song's determined performance. Petty takes center stage while the other players emerge through carefully lit group shots and close-ups, giving the video the feel of an informal studio session among friends and fellow rock veterans.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed on March 22 and 23, 1989, at Pinewood Studios in England and released on April 24, 1989.

• George Harrison and Jeff Lynne appear alongside Petty and Mike Campbell. All three were members of the Traveling Wilburys, whose debut album had been released several months earlier.

• Ringo Starr plays drums on camera, although he did not perform the drums on the studio recording. Phil Jones played drums on the version released on Full Moon Fever.

• Campbell is seen playing Harrison's famous Fender Stratocaster, known as "Rocky." Harrison had painted the instrument himself in the 1960s.

• The video was later included in Full Moon Fever: The Videos, a home-video collection containing five promotional clips from Petty's 1989 album.