This tab is not perfect but it gets the job done.
The key notes in the main riff are the F# on the 2 and then the 2-4-5.
Instead of sliding back from 9 you can always just play F# on the 1 just like in the
measure of the song.
Play around with the second part of the main riff to see if there's something you like better.
INTRO: (Main riff)
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|2---2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
G|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|9\---------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|-----2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
Verse1:
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|4-4-4---4-4-4---|--------------2-|4-4-4---4-4-4---|--------------2-|
A|------4---------|0-----2-4-2-----|------4---------|0-----2-4-2-----|
E|--------------4-|----------------|--------------4-|----------------|
x2
PreChorus: (slides vary, I always play them on 2)
"Honey, it don't really matter to me…"
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
A|5~--------------|---/12----------|2~--------------|---/14----14-14-14-|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
Chorus:
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------7-----|9\--------------|----------7-----|
E|2---2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|---2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
Verse2: Repeat verse1
PreChorus2: Repeat PreChorus 1
Chorus2: Repeat Chorus1 2x
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/t/tom_petty/refugee_btab_ver_2.html ]
Bridge:
G|----------------|-----------------|----------------|9/11\9-9-7---6---|
D|----------------|9/11\9-9-7---6---|----------------|---------------7-|
A|----------------|---------------7-|0---0---0---0---|-----------------|
E|0---0---0---0---|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------------|
D|0---0---0---0---|7/9\7-7-5---4---|---------------/|14-14-14----14----14----|
A|----------------|--------------5-|-------/7-7-7---|---------14----14----14-|
E|----------------|----------------|0-0-0-----------|------------------------|
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|2---2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|9\--------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|----2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
Verse3: Same as verse1 and verse2
PreChorus3: Same as PreChorus1 and 2
Chorus3: similar to 1 and 2, main riff continues on until song ends.
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|2---2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
G|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|9\---------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|-----2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------7-----|9\---------------|----------7-----|
E|2---2-------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|----2--------2-4-|5-------7---7-0-|
Outro: Continue playing main riff until song fades out.
