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Refugee Tab by Tom Petty

Refugee tab by Tom Petty

Guitar Tab

REFUGEE

As recorded by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
(From the 1979 Album DAMN THE TORPEDOES)

Words and Music by Tom Petty & Mike Campbell

Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Mike Campbell - Electric Guitar '
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Tom Petty - Acoustic Guitar'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Mike Campbell - Electric Guitar'


 Intro
  Q=116
  F#m            A5           E      F#m            A5
 4/4
  Gtr II (Ac. Gtr.)
  Q  H        +E E   +H       H      Q  H        +E E
  |  |         | |    |       |      |  |         | |
  /  /         / /    /       /      /  /         / /

  Gtr I (El. Gtr. w/ light dist.)
  Q  Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E H      Q  Q  +E  E  E E
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)--------|
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)--------|
|-2--2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2---1----|-2--2--(2)------2-|
|-4--4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2---2----|-4--4--(4)------2-|
|-4--4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0---2----|-4--4--(4)------0-|
|-2--2--(2)-2--4---|--------0-0----|-2--2--(2)-2--4---|


           E      F#m             A5             E         F#m             A5
  Gtr II
  +H       H      Q   H        +E E   +H          H        Q   H        +E E
   |       |      |   |         | |    |          |        |   |         | |
   /       /      /   /         / /    /          /        /   /         / /

  Gtr III (El. Gtr. w/ dist.)
   W              H.            E E   +Q.    E   +Q   Q    H.            E E
|---------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|---------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|---------------|---------------1-2-|-(2)----4b6r(4)-----|---------------1-2--|
|---------------|-4-----------------|-----------------2--|-4------------------|
|---------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|---------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr I
| +Q   E E H      Q   Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E    H        Q   Q  +E  E  E E
|----------0----|-2---2--(2)--------|-------------0------|-2---2--(2)---------|
|----------0----|-2---2--(2)--------|-------------0------|-2---2--(2)---------|
|-(2)--2---1----|-2---2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2------1------|-2---2--(2)------2--|
|-(2)--2---2----|-4---4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2------2------|-4---4--(4)------2--|
|-(0)--0---2----|-4---4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0------2------|-4---4--(4)------0--|
|--------0-0----|-2---2--(2)-2--4---|--------0----0------|-2---2--(2)-2--4----|


                          1st - 3rd Verses
                       $
                           F#m        A          EVII    F#m(type 2)
                           Gtrs I, II
  +H       H                H..       E   +H     Q  Q    W
   |       |                |         |    |     |  |    |
   /       /                /         /    /     /  /    /

  +Q   E E E   E E a E      W              W             W
|----------------2-----||---2-----------|-(2)----------|------|
|--------------2---5s7-||o-(7)----------|-(7)----------|------|
|-(2)--4-2-4b6---------||---------------|--------------|------|
|----------------------||---------------|--------------|------|
|----------------------||o--------------|--------------|------|
|----------------------||---------------|--------------|------|
|
| +Q   E E H                W              W             W
|----------0-----------||---------------|--------------|------|
|----------0-----------||o--------------|--------------|------|
|-(2)--2---1-----------||---------------|--------------|------|
|-(2)--2---2-----------||---------------|--------------|------|
|-(0)--0---2-----------||o--------------|--------------|------|
|--------0-0-----------||---------------|--------------|------|


       EVII      F#m        A         EVII    F#m(type 2)  A
  H    Q   Q      H..       E   +H    Q  Q    H..          E
       |   |      |         |    |    |  |    |            |
       /   /      /         /    /    /  /    /            /

  H    E E E E   +W              W            H      E E E E
|--------------|--------------|-------------|-----------------|
|------5s7s5s7-|-(7)----------|-------------|-----------------|
|------4s6s4s6-|-(6)----------|-------------|--------------2--|
|--------------|--------------|-------------|----------2-4----|
|--------------|--------------|-------------|-----------------|
|--------------|--------------|-------------|-----------------|


              Esus4     D                      B
  H            Q   Q    W          +W          W
  |            |   |    |           |          |
  /            /   /    /           /          /

  E   +E  E E +H        W           W          W
|---------------------|----------|-----------|------|
|---------------------|----------|-----------|------|
|-4b6r(4)-2-4-(4)-----|----------|-----------|------|
|---------------------|----------|-----------|------|
|---------------------|----------|-----------|------|
|---------------------|----------|-----------|------|


              Chorus
                                                            To Coda
               F#m            A5           E      F#m            A5
            Gtr II
  +W           Q  H        +E E   +H       H      Q  H        +E E
   |           |  |         | |    |       |      |  |         | |
   /           /  /         / /    /       /      /  /         / /

   W           W                   W              W
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|-----------||------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|
|           Gtr I
|  W           Q  Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E H      Q  Q  +E  E  E E
|-----------||-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-----------||-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-----------||-2--2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2---1----|-2--2--(2)------2--|
|-----------||-4--4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2---2----|-4--4--(4)------2--|
|-----------||-4--4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0---2----|-4--4--(4)------0--|
|-----------||-2--2--(2)-2--4---|--------0-0----|-2--2--(2)-2--4----|


  1.                    2.
           E                     E
  +H       H             +H      H
   |       |              |      |
   /       /              /      /

   H       E E E a E      W
|--------------2------||--------------|
|------------2---5s7-o||--------------|
|----------4----------||--------------|
|---------------------||--------------|
|--------------------o||--------------|
|---------------------||--------------|
|
| +Q   E E H              Q  E E H
|----------0----------||---------0----|
|----------0---------o||---------0----|
|-(2)--2---1----------||--2--2---1----|
|-(2)--2---2----------||--2--2---2----|
|-(0)--0---2---------o||--0--0---2----|
|--------0-0----------||-------0-0----|


  F#m            A5           E      F#m            A5
  Q  H        +E E   +H       H      Q  H        +E E
  |  |         | |    |       |      |  |         | |
  /  /         / /    /       /      /  /         / /

  W                   W              W
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|
| Q  Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E H      Q  Q  +E  E  E E
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-2--2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2---1----|-2--2--(2)------2--|
|-4--4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2---2----|-4--4--(4)------2--|
|-4--4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0---2----|-4--4--(4)------0--|
|-2--2--(2)-2--4---|--------0-0----|-2--2--(2)-2--4----|


                  Bridge
           E       E                                     A5
  Gtr II        Gtrs I, II
  +H       H       W          +W                         W
   |       |       |           |                         |
   /       /       /           /                         /

  Gtr I                       Gtr III
  +Q   E E H       W           Q      +E   E  +E  E Q    W
|----------0----||----------|--------------------------|------|
|----------0----||----------|-12b14r=(12)-10-(10)-9----|------|
|-(2)--2---1----||----------|-----------------------9--|------|
|-(2)--2---2----||----------|--------------------------|------|
|-(0)--0---2----||----------|--------------------------|------|
|--------0-0----||----------|--------------------------|------|


                          D                                    E
  +W                       W          +W                        W
   |                       |           |                        |
   /                       /           /                        /

   Q     +E  E +E  E Q     W           Q      +E  E +E  E Q     W
|-----------------------|-10--------|------------------------|-12----|
|-----------------------|-10--------|-10b12r=(10)-8-(8)-7----|-12----|
|--9b11r=(9)-7-(7)-6----|-----------|---------------------7--|-------|
|--------------------7--|-----------|------------------------|-------|
|-----------------------|-----------|------------------------|-------|
|-----------------------|-----------|------------------------|-------|


                   Guitar Solo
                    F#m            A5           E      F#m            A5
   Q  Q  E E E E    Q  H        +E E   +H       H      Q  H        +E E
   |  |  | | | |    |  |         | |    |       |      |  |         | |
   /  /  / / / /    /  /         / /    /       /      /  /         / /

                    Gtr II
   W                Q  Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E H      Q  Q  +E  E  E E
|-12-------------||-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-12-------------||-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|----------------||-2--2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2---1----|-2--2--(2)------2--|
|----------------||-4--4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2---2----|-4--4--(4)------2--|
|----------------||-4--4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0---2----|-4--4--(4)------0--|
|----------------||-2--2--(2)-2--4---|--------0-0----|-2--2--(2)-2--4----|


           E             F#m             A5
  +H       H             Q   H        +E E
   |       |             |   |         | |
   /       /             /   /         / /

  Gtr III
   H       E E   E E     E E Q  +E  E  E E
|----------------------|-2---2--(2)s4--4s5-|
|----------------2-5b7-|---5---------------|
|------------4b6-------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| +Q   E E H             Q   Q  +E  E  E E
|----------0-----------|-2---2--(2)--------|
|----------0-----------|-2---2--(2)--------|
|-(2)--2---1-----------|-2---2--(2)------2-|
|-(2)--2---2-----------|-4---4--(4)------2-|
|-(0)--0---2-----------|-4---4--(4)------0-|
|--------0-0-----------|-2---2--(2)-2--4---|


            E           F#m                A5
  +H        H            Q     H        +E E
   |        |            |     |         | |
   /        /            /     /         / /

                         ~~~~~
   E  E E E E  E  E E    H.              Q
|--5s=7-7s9-9s12-12s9-|-12b14-----------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|
| +Q    E E H            Q     Q  +E  E  E E
|-----------0---------|--2-----2--(2)---------|
|-----------0---------|--2-----2--(2)---------|
|-(2)---2---1---------|--2-----2--(2)------2--|
|-(2)---2---2---------|--4-----4--(4)------2--|
|-(0)---0---2---------|--4-----4--(4)------0--|
|---------0-0---------|--2-----2--(2)-2--4----|


                 D.S. al Coda &
                 E                     E
  +H             H               +H    H
   |             |                |    |
   /             /                /    /

   |---3---|     |-3-|
   E   +E  E E E E E E E a E      W
|-----------------------------||------------||
|-----------------------------||------------||
|--4b6r(4)p2------------------||------------||
|------------4-2---------2h4--||------------||
|----------------4s2p0--------||------------||
|----------------------2------||------------||
|
| +Q         E E H                W
|----------------0------------||------------||
|----------------0------------||------------||
|-(2)--------2---1------------||------------||
|-(2)--------2---2------------||------------||
|-(0)--------0---2------------||------------||
|--------------0-0------------||------------||


 Outro
  F#m            A5           E      F#m            A5
  Q  H        +E E   +H       H      Q  H        +E E
  |  |         | |    |       |      |  |         | |
  /  /         / /    /       /      /  /         / /

  W                   W              W
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|---------------|-------------------|
|
| Q  Q  +E  E  E E   +Q   E E H      Q  Q  +E  E  E E
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-2--2--(2)--------|----------0----|-2--2--(2)---------|
|-2--2--(2)------2-|-(2)--2---1----|-2--2--(2)------2--|
|-4--4--(4)------2-|-(2)--2---2----|-4--4--(4)------2--|
|-4--4--(4)------0-|-(0)--0---2----|-4--4--(4)------0--|
|-2--2--(2)-2--4---|--------0-0----|-2--2--(2)-2--4----|


           E      F#m               A5
  +H       H      Q    H         +E E
   |       |      |    |          | |
   /       /      /    /          / /

   W              Q    Q   E   E  E E
|---------------|-----------------2-----|
|---------------|------2-------2--------|
|---------------|-4b6------4b6------4b6-|
|---------------|-----------------------|
|---------------|-----------------------|
|---------------|-----------------------|
|
| +Q   E E H      Q    Q  +E   E  E E
|----------0----|-2----2--(2)-----------|
|----------0----|-2----2--(2)-----------|
|-(2)--2---1----|-2----2--(2)-------2---|
|-(2)--2---2----|-4----4--(4)-------2---|
|-(0)--0---2----|-4----4--(4)-------0---|
|--------0-0----|-2----2--(2)--2--4-----|


                   E        F#m                   A5
  +H               H         Q     H           +E  E
   |               |         |     |            |  |
   /               /         /     /            /  /

       |----3----|
  +Q   E   +E    E E E Q     E  E  E  E  E   E  E  E
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------------|-10-10-10-10-12--10-10-12--|
|-(4)--4b6r(4)p==2-4-2----|--9--9--9--9-11---9--9-11--|
|----------------------4--|---------------------------|
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|
| +Q   E       E   H         Q     Q    +E   E  E  E
|------------------0------|--2-----2----(2)-----------|
|------------------0------|--2-----2----(2)-----------|
|-(2)--2-----------1------|--2-----2----(2)--------2--|
|-(2)--2-----------2------|--4-----4----(4)--------2--|
|-(0)--0-----------2------|--4-----4----(4)--------0--|
|--------------0---0------|--2-----2----(2)--2--4-----|


               E             F#m              A5
  +H            H             Q   H        +E  E
   |            |             |   |         |  |
   /            /             /   /         /  /

   E   E  E  E  E  E  E  E    Q   H         E  E
|--------------------------|-14------------------|
|-12--14-14-17-17-17-17-14-|-17--14-----------17-|
|-11--14-14----------------|---------------------|
|--------------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------------|---------------------|
|
| +Q      E  E  H             Q   Q  +E  E  E  E
|---------------0----------|--2---2--(2)---------|
|---------------0----------|--2---2--(2)---------|
|-(2)-----2-----1----------|--2---2--(2)-------2-|
|-(2)-----2-----2----------|--4---4--(4)-------2-|
|-(0)-----0-----2----------|--4---4--(4)-------0-|
|------------0--0----------|--2---2--(2)-2--4----|


            E         F#m                   A5
  +H        H          Q     H           +E  E
   |        |          |     |            |  |
   /        /          /     /            /  /

   Q    H      E  E    E  E  E  E  E   E  E  E
|-14---14-----------|-14-14-14-14-14--14-14-14--|
|-17---14--------17-|-14-14-14-14-14--14-14-14--|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|
| +Q    E E H          Q     Q    +E   E  E  E
|-----------0-------|--2-----2----(2)-----------|
|-----------0-------|--2-----2----(2)-----------|
|-(2)---2---1-------|--2-----2----(2)--------2--|
|-(2)---2---2-------|--4-----4----(4)--------2--|
|-(0)---0---2-------|--4-----4----(4)--------0--|
|---------0-0-------|--2-----2----(2)--2--4-----|


               E                F#m                          A5
  +H            H                 Q          H            +E  E
   |            |                 |          |             |  |
   /            /                 /          /             /  /

   E   E  E  E  E  E  E  E       +E   E     +E   E  E   E  E  E
|-14--14-14-14-14-14-14-------|-----------------14-----14-14-------|
|-14--14-14-14-14-14-14-17b19-|-(17)-17b19-(17)----17-----14-17b19-|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|
| +Q      E  E  H                 Q          Q     +E   E  E  E
|---------------0-------------|---2----------2-----(2)-------------|
|---------------0-------------|---2----------2-----(2)-------------|
|-(2)-----2-----1-------------|---2----------2-----(2)--------2----|
|-(2)-----2-----2-------------|---4----------4-----(4)--------2----|
|-(0)-----0-----2-------------|---4----------4-----(4)--------0----|
|------------0--0-------------|---2----------2-----(2)--2--4-------|


                E               F#m                           A5
   +H            H               Q      H               +E    E
    |            |               |      |                |    |
    /            /               /      /                /    /

   +Q    Q       Q      Q        Q      E  E     +E   E  Q
|-----------------------------|--------14------------14----------|
|-(17)--17b19---17b19--17b19--|-17b19-----17b19-(17)----17b19----|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
|  +Q    E    E  H               Q      Q        +E   E  E    E
|----------------0------------|--2------2--------(2)-------------|
|----------------0------------|--2------2--------(2)-------------|
|--(2)---2-------1------------|--2------2--------(2)----------2--|
|--(2)---2-------2------------|--4------4--------(4)----------2--|
|--(0)---0-------2------------|--4------4--------(4)----------0--|
|-------------0--0------------|--2------2--------(2)--2--4-------|


                    E               F#m                 A5             E
  +H                 H               Q      H        +E E    +H        H
   |                 |               |      |         | |     |        |
   /                 /               /      /         / /     /        /

   E   E     +E   E  Q      Q        W                       +W
|-14-------------14---------------|-----------------------|-----------------*|
|-----17b19-(17)----17b19--17b19--|-17b19=================|=(17)r-----------*|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------*|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------*|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------*|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------*|
|
| +Q          E   E  H               Q      Q  +E  E  E E    +Q    E E H
|--------------------0------------|--2------2--(2)--------|------------0----*|
|--------------------0------------|--2------2--(2)--------|------------0----*|
|-(2)---------2------1------------|--2------2--(2)------2-|--(2)---2---1----*|
|-(2)---------2------2------------|--4------4--(4)------2-|--(2)---2---2----*|
|-(0)---------0------2------------|--4------4--(4)------0-|--(0)---0---2----*|
|-----------------0--0------------|--2------2--(2)-2--4---|----------0-0----*|


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for.  Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests.  Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for.  Low
melody durations appear below the staff

Tablature Legend
----------------
 h   - hammer-on
 p   - pull-off
 b   - bend
 pb  - pre-bend
 r   - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
 /\  - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
 s   - legato slide
 S   - shift slide
  - natural harmonic
[n]  - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
 ~   - vibrato
 tr  - trill
 T   - tap
 TP  - trem. picking
 PM  - palm muting
\n/  - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
 \n  - tremolo bar down
 n/  - tremolo bar up
/n\  - tremolo bar inverted dip
 =   - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
   - volume swell (louder/softer)
 x   - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
 o   - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Misc Legend
-----------
 |  - bar
||  - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*|  - double bar (ending)
 :  - bar (freetime)
 $  - Segno
 &  - Coda
Tempo markers -  = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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