Free Fallin'
Tom & Heartbreakers Petty Lyrics

She's a good girl, loves her mama
The girl he is describing is someone who holds traditional values and loves her family.

Loves Jesus and America, too
She is religious and patriotic.

She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis
She is also a fan of Elvis Presley.

Loves horses and her boyfriend, too
She enjoys outdoor activities, specifically horseback riding, and is in a committed relationship.

And it's a long day livin' in Reseda
Living in Reseda can be exhausting and boring.

There's a freeway runnin' through the yard
The freeway is close enough to be audible from the girl's yard.

And I'm a bad boy, 'cause I don't even miss her
He considers himself a bad person because he does not feel remorse for hurting the girl's feelings.

I'm a bad boy for breakin' her heart
He admits to being the one who broke the girl's heart.

And I'm free, free fallin'
He feels liberated and unrestrained.

All the vampires walkin' through the valley
Uses the metaphor of vampires to describe the negative energy he is surrounded by in the valley.

Move west down Ventura Boulevard
The negative people he describes are moving in a westerly direction towards Ventura Boulevard.

And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows
The bad boys are lurking near the edges, ready to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

And the good girls are home with broken hearts
The good girls have been left behind, nursing their emotional wounds.

I wanna glide down over Mulholland
Mulholland Drive is considered by many to be an exhilarating drive, and he wants to experience the thrill of gliding down it.

I wanna write her name in the sky
He wants to leave a symbolic message with the girl he hurt, perhaps signifying how he wants her to remember him while he's gone.

I'm gonna free fall out into nothin'
He plans to take extreme measures to find a way out, even if it's off a cliff and into the abyss.

Gonna leave this world for a while
He recognizes that his issues will likely still be there when he comes back, but he feels a break will help him change his perspective.

Yeah, I'm free, free fallin'
Another proclamation of his newfound sense of freedom.

Oh! Free fallin'
He is excited and vocal about the prospects of his chosen release.

Now I'm free fallin'
It's happening now, and he doesn't want to stop the process.

Free fallin'
A repetition of his declaration of surrendering to fate and gravity.

And I'm free
The final triumphant statement of his escape.