Released: July 29, 1989

Songwriter: Tom Petty Jeff Lynne Mike W. Campbell

Producer: Jeff Lynne Tom Petty Mike W. Campbell

[Verse 1]
It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was drivin'
Trees went 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

[Verse 2]
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

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

[Bridge]
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

[Chorus]
I'm runnin' down a dream that never would've 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've come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
I'm runnin' down a dream

[Guitar Solo]

Tom Petty

Thomas Earl “Tom” Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup The Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch.

He has recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. His music, and notably his hits, have become popular among younger generations as he continued to host sold-out shows right up until his death at the age of 66. Throughout his career, Petty and his collaborators have sold 60 million albums. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.