"Rebels" is a song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It appeared on the 1985 album ''

Southern Accents ''Southern Accents'' is the sixth studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on March 26, 1985, through MCA Records. The album's lead single, " Don't Come Around Here No More", co-written by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, peaked ...

'' and was released as a single in the same year. Although it only reached #74 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop chart, it fared much better on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it peaked at #5.

"Rebels" and Petty's broken hand

The track was recorded in 1984. It was during the recording of this track that Petty broke his hand. Petty remembers being so high on drugs that he could not get an arrangement he liked. Petty went into the control room, and put the original demo tape on, which featured just him and a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. He believed that they had yet to record an arrangement better than this demo, which made him so furious that he stormed up the stairs into his house, and punched the wall, causing severe damage to his left hand. After taking time off for his hand to heal, Petty called

Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, former Music executive, record executive, and media proprietor. He is the co-founder of Interscope Records and became chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Interscop ...

in to help him finish "Rebels" along with some other tracks on ''Southern Accents''. Alan "Bugs" Weidel, Tom's roadie, considers "Rebels" a least favorite of his due to Petty's broken hand.Zollo, Paul. Conversations With Tom Petty (2005): 95-97

Reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said that it's "another strong outing from Petty And The Heartbreakers" and highlighted "Petty’s urgent vocal and lyrics of alienation."

Personnel

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers *

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the leader and frontman of the Rock music, rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s sup ...

– 12-string guitar, lead vocals * Mike Campbell – guitars, bass, keyboards * Benmont Tench – keyboards, backing vocals * Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocals * Howie Epstein – backing vocals Additional musicians *William Bergman – horn, tenor saxophone, backing vocals *John Berry Jr. –

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

, horn *Dick Braun – trumpet, horn, backing vocals *Jim Coile – horn, tenor saxophone, backing vocals *Kurt McGettrick – horn, backing vocals * Molly Duncan – saxophone *Dave Plews – trumpet * Bobbye Hall – percussion

Cover versions

The Drive-By Truckers released a cover version of ''Rebels'' on their compilation '' The Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities'' in 2009. It was featured in the King of the Hill episode "The Redneck on Rainey Street" (Season 8, Episode 21 - aired May 16, 2004.

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rebels (Song) 1985 singles Tom Petty songs Songs written by Tom Petty 1985 songs MCA Records singles