In 1979, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers took 100 takes to record Mike Campbell’s best song and it has since been streamed 186,000,000 times
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers recorded ‘Refugee’ for their 1979 album *Damn the Torpedoes*, after guitarist Mike Campbell and Petty developed it from a musical demo and lyrics. The song became one of the band’s best-known tracks, reflecting Campbell’s role as a songwriter alongside Petty.
Campbell said the band recorded the track around 100 times in pursuit of the right performance, and he once left the studio for two days out of frustration. He later called ‘Refugee’ a favourite and said it captured a moment; it was played at nearly every Heartbreakers show until Petty’s death in 2017. The article says the song has been streamed more than 186 million times.
- ‘Refugee’ took about 100 recording attempts.
- Mike Campbell later called it a favourite.
- The song has surpassed 186 million streams.
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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band, with Petty as lead singer and guitarist Mike Campbell as a fellow songwriter. Their 1979 album Damn the Torpedoes helped establish the band’s place in rock music.
Campbell often worked with Petty to turn musical ideas and lyrics into songs. “Refugee” became one of their best-known tracks and was a regular part of the band’s live shows until Petty died in 2017.