After working with his early bands The Sundowners, The Epics, and Mudcrutch (which also included future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench) he began his recording career with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers when the band broke onto the national music scene with their 1976 self-titled debut album. Still, it took America a full year to catch up to the album. "Breakdown" was re-released to radio and became a Top 40 hit in 1977 after word filtered back the band was creating a firestorm in England.
He was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys, along with George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. Petty and the Heartbreakers also toured as a backing band for Bob Dylan.
Petty is a vocal critic of the modern recording industry, including the disintegration of independent radio stations.
Petty has been supported by his band, The Heartbreakers, for the majority of his career. He has occasionally released solo work, as is the case with his 2006 effort, Highway Companion, on which he performed most of the backing instrumentation himself. Examples of other solo albums include Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers
Petty died on 2 October 2017 following a cardiac episode earlier that day at his home in Malibu, California. Although some media outlets incorrectly reported his death following an erroneous police report, his death was confirmed later that day by his publicist and manager.
Runnin Down a Dream
Tom Petty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
"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
@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
@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!
@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