"Refugee" is a song recorded by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was released in January 1980 as the second single from their 1979 album Damn the Torpedoes, and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles: 1955–2010, Record Research, 2011. The song is in compound AABA form.Covach, John (2005), "Form in Rock Music: A Primer", in Stein, Deborah, Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis, New York: Oxford University Press, p.74-75, .

Composition and recording The song's co-writer Mike Campbell said "Refugee" was one of the first songs he wrote, and recounted, "I just wrote the music and handed it to Tom [Petty] and he put the words over it, and when he did he found a way to make the chorus lift up without changing chords."

In a November 2003 interview with Songfacts, Campbell described the recording sessions for "Refugee":

Reception Billboard described "Refugee" as being "Petty at his best", specifically praising the "gutsy rock vocal and searing guitar lines". Cash Box said it has "growing interplay between guitar and organ, coupled with Petty’s forceful vocals". Record World called it a "perfect union of power and passion".

In 2017, Billboard ranked the song number 10 on their list of the 20 greatest Tom Petty songs, and in 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the song number two on their list of the 50 greatest Tom Petty songs.

Personnel Tom Petty – lead vocal, rhythm guitar Mike Campbell – lead guitar Ron Blair – bass Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocal Benmont Tench – organ, backing vocal Jim Keltner – samba shaker

Notable remakes "Refugee" was covered by Melissa Etheridge in 2005 for her album Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled, and reached No. 96 in the Billboard Pop 100 chart. Other versions have been recorded by Vains of Jenna, Alvin and the Chipmunks,Chipmunk Punk Allmusic. Retrieved 10 July 2011 and the Gaslight Anthem.

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1980) Peakposition Australia Kent Music Report 24 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – 15 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 11

Year-end charts Chart (1980) RankCanada18New Zealand29U.S. Billboard Hot 100"Pop Singles" Billboard December 20, 1980: TIA-10100U.S. Cash Box85

Certification

References

External links