The Meaning of the Song “Runnin’ Down a Dream” by Tom Petty

Released in 1989, Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” stands as one of the most iconic tracks in rock music history.

While the song emphasizes chasing a dream, it’s notable that the dream itself is never explicitly defined. This ambiguity is likely intentional. Everyone’s “dream” is different, and its vagueness allows listeners to imprint their own hopes, desires, and aspirations onto the song.

The chorus, “Runnin’ down a dream, that never would come to me”, suggests that the pursuit is ongoing and that the dream, however defined, always seems just out of reach.

Image credit: ABC/Shelter Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons