There are a few voices so distinct that no band, no singer, should ever try to do a “cover” of any of the songs. Number one on the list, obviously, is Queen. Anyone dumb enough to try putting their voice in place of Freddie Mercury’s deserves the reception they’ll get. Another is Tom Petty because, well, Petty didn’t have the voice Mercury had (no one does), but it’s just so damned distinct that you know who it is, and you’re singing along instantly, but it better not be alone.

Perhaps for that reason, it was so noticeable when Kari Lake used the Petty classic “Won’t Back Down,” in her campaign because not only is she going to be forced to back down regarding the election. She will be backing down from the lawsuit filed by the Petty Estate:

Tom Petty’s estate intends to take legal action against Kari Lake after the defeated Arizona gubernatorial candidate posted a video that uses the late musician’s song “I Won’t Back Down” without permission.

“The Tom Petty estate and our partners were shocked to find out that Tom’s song ‘I Won’t Back Down’ was stolen and used without permission or a license to promote Kari Lake’s failed campaign,” Petty’s verified Twitter account posted Thursday.

The day before, Lake shared a two-minute clip on Twitter featuring the 1989 classic with footage from her unsuccessful campaign. The tweet has since been deleted.

The Tom Petty estate and our partners were shocked to find out that Tom’s song “I Won’t Back Down” was stolen and used without permission or a license to promote Kari Lake’s failed campaign. pic.twitter.com/DoT71whO43

— Tom Petty (@tompetty) November 18, 2022

This is illegal. We are exploring all of our legal options to stop this unauthorized use and to prohibit future misappropriations of Tom’s beloved anthem. @KariLake

Thank you to all of the fans who brought this to our attention and who help us protect his legacy every day.

— Tom Petty (@tompetty) November 18, 2022

Right. So as of now, it truly sucks to be Kari Lake. She had a nice gig with a big check being the voice of the Phoenix Valley back when she was considered a “moderate anchor. Then she met Trump, and everything Trump touches dies. Unfortunately, Tom Petty has passed, too – or he’d surely be furious.

Maybe she hoped no one would notice? Everyone notices Petty’s distinct voice…

Kari Lake puts out a video tonight using Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down.’ I don’t think @BenyoPetty is going to like this. pic.twitter.com/fefqKtb7Ym

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) November 17, 2022