Runnin Down a Dream
Tom Petty Lyrics


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It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was drivin'
Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway
I was flyin'

Yeah, runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream

I felt so good like anything was possible
Hit cruise control and rubbed my eyes
The last three days the rain was unstoppable
It was always cold, no sunshine

Yeah, runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream

I rolled on, the sky grew dark
I put the pedal down to make some time
There's something good waitin' down this road
I'm pickin' up whatever's mine

I'm runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream

Yeah, I'm runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me




Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
I'm runnin' down a dream

Overall Meaning

"Runnin' Down a Dream" is a song by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers that invites the listener to join the singer on a journey of adventure, determination and possibility. The opening lines portray a beautiful day with the sun shining and the radio on. The singer repeats his idea, "I'm runnin' down a dream, that never would come to me," demonstrating his unyielding determination and hope to reach his dream. The first verse's lyrics, "Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway; I was flyin'" depicts a carefree moment on the road enjoying the excitement of the moment with a companion. The chorus emphasizes this determination and mystery of the road ahead of the singer. The lyrics, "Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads" signify the endless possibilities that could result from chasing after this dream.


The second verse of the song takes a sharp turn as the tone shifts. The weather turns miserable, and the lyrics suggest that the singer has been driving for three days without rest. This section of the song stands in contrast to the first verse, which focused on the will to chase one's dreams. Here, the singer is frank about the realities of being on the road, rain, exhaustion, and cold temperatures. The line "I felt so good like anything was possible" sounds desperate and almost ironic. The third verse builds up to a cliffhanger, suggesting that there is something good waiting for the singer down the road, and he is ready to claim whatever it is that rightfully belongs to him. The overall theme of the song remains up-beat and reminds listeners to stay focus on their goals, regardless of life's circumstances.


Line by Line Meaning

It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
The day was sunny and bright, giving a cheerful vibe to the singer.


I had the radio on, I was drivin'
The singer was driving his car and had turned on the radio.


Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway
The singer and his friend were driving so fast that the trees seemed to be passing by quickly. They were singing 'little Runaway' in the car.


I was flyin'
The artist felt like he was flying, as he was driving so fast.


Yeah, runnin' down a dream
The artist is chasing after his dream.


That never would come to me
The dream seems to be unachievable for the singer.


Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
The singer is trying to solve a mystery and is willing to go wherever the clues take him.


I felt so good like anything was possible
The artist felt great and believed that he was capable of achieving anything.


Hit cruise control and rubbed my eyes
The artist hit cruise control to relax and rubbed his eyes, probably feeling tired from driving for a long time.


The last three days the rain was unstoppable
It had been raining heavily for the past three days, making the weather gloomy.


It was always cold, no sunshine
The weather was always cold and gloomy, with no sunshine to brighten the day.


I rolled on, the sky grew dark
The artist continued driving as the sky grew dark.


I put the pedal down to make some time
The singer pressed the accelerator to speed up and reach his destination faster.


There's something good waitin' down this road
The singer believes that there is something good waiting for him further down on the road he's on.


I'm pickin' up whatever's mine
The singer is determined to pick up anything that belongs to him which he encounters while running down his dream.


I'm runnin' down a dream
The artist is actively and fervently chasing his dream.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeff Lynne, Michael Campbell, Tom Petty

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@sqrt2gmr

Lyrics

It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was drivin'
Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway
I was flyin'[chorus]
Yeah, runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream
I felt so good like anything was possible
Hit cruise control and rubbed my eyes
The last three days the rain was unstoppable
It was always cold, no sunshine
Yeah, runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dreamWoo-oh
I rolled on, the sky grew dark
I put the pedal down to make some time
There's something good waitin' down this road
I'm pickin' up whatever's mine
I'm runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream
Yeah, I'm runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
I'm runnin' down a dreamWoo-oh



All comments from YouTube:

@m0osefist

I met Tom Petty when I was a kid. My dad told me to go say hi to him when he recognized him at a gas station, and that he was the guy who sung this song. I told him I liked his singing. I still remember how big his smile was. I couldn't have been more than 7. Man just seemed like a normal, chill, good guy. RIP Tom.

@videorocketzmillar007milla5

Awesome. I was playing this really loud even the truckers we bobbing their heads in traffic. Oh yes indeedy.

@muffs55mercury61

I've met a few actors back in the 1970s mostly and one thing they like most is when you tell them how much you like their work. Tom's reaction to your son was quite normal. Tom knew that his fans were the reason why he made it big and likely never forgot that.

@Phonkman2019

That would be Tom for you

@patriciamays8873

Yes, Tom Petty has always been a kind caring decent person

@mjrsnafu

@Patricia Mays \well said!

42 More Replies...

@LuhWhippaSnappa

Ah, the days of playing GTA San Andreas, flying in a Hydra or a Rustler, over the desert skies of Las Venturas with a 6 star wanted level, dog fighting with the military trying to blow you out of the sky with this song playing on K-DST in the background…. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Tom Petty and Rockstar have created some wonderful memories for us.

@jytvreal

and now tom petty is featured in gta 6's trailer

@adrianojose7172

😁😄

@Home2Suites

​@@jytvrealI'm glad to see Petty getting the recondition he deserves. Rockstar is amazing for putting him in an anticipated trailer #PettyForever

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