Runnin Down A Dream - Tom Petty
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Tom Petty - Running Down a Dream


[Intro]

Gtr I (x4)
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|


[Verse 1]

Gtr II
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|--1------------------------------------|
D|--2------------------------------------|
A|--2------------------------------------|
E|--0------------------------------------|
“It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down”

Gtr I
e|---------------------------------------|
B|--------15~~~/21hb~~~~~~~~~~~----------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|-2-------------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------------|
G|-2------------------------------1------|
D|-0------------------------------2------|
A|--------------------------------2------|
E|--------------------------------0------|
“I had the radio on, I was a-drivin'”

Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|
Gtr II
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|--1------------------------------------|
D|--2------------------------------------|
A|--2------------------------------------|
E|--0------------------------------------|
“Trees went by, me and Del was singin',”

Gtr I
e|---------------------------------------|
B|-15fb~~~~~~~~~~~~15~~~~~~~~~~~---------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|-2-------------------------------------|
B|-3-------------------------------------|
G|-2------------------------------1------|
D|-0------------------------------2------|
A|--------------------------------2------|
E|--------------------------------0------| End Verse
“Little runaway, I was flyin'”


[Chorus 1]

Gtr I
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-7--5--2----------------|
A|-7--5--2----------------|
E|-5--3--0----------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|----3-------------------|
B|-2--3-------------------|
G|-2--0--1--1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
D|-2--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|-0--2--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
E|----3--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
“Yeah I'm runnin' down a dream,”

Gtr I
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-2--5-7-----------------|
A|-2--5-7-----------------|
E|-0--3-5-----------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|----3-------------------|
B|----3--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
G|-1--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-2--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|-2--2--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-0--3-------------------|
“That never would come to me”
Gtr I
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-7--5--2----------------|
A|-7--5--2----------------|
E|-5--3--0----------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|----3-------------------|
B|-2--3-------------------|
G|-2--0--1--1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
D|-2--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|-0--2--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
E|----3--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
“Workin' on a mystery,“

Gtr I
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-2--5-7-----------------|
A|-2--5-7-----------------|
E|-0--3-5-----------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|----3-------------------|
B|----3--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
G|-1--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D|-2--0--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|-2--2--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-0--3-------------------|
“Goin' wherever it leads”

Gtr I
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-7--5--2----------------|
A|-7--5--2----------------|
E|-5--3--0----------------|
|
|Gtr II
e|----3-------------------|
B|-2--3-------------------|
G|-2--0--1----------------|
D|-2--0--2----------------|
A|-0--2—-2----------------|
E|----3--0----------------|
“Runnin' down a dream!”

Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--| End Chorus


[Verse 2]

(Play all of what Gtr II plays in Verse I. Do not play any of the vibrato parts that are
by Gtr I in Verse I. Only play the riff in between the lyrics as follows (denoted by a *))

* Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|

These are the lyrics used in Verse II:
“I felt so good like anything was possible
I hit cruise control and rubbed my eyes
The last tree days the rain was un-stoppable
It was always cold, no sunshine.”


[Chorus 2]
(same as chorus 1)


[Bridge 1]

Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|
|
|Gtr II
e|-------------------------|
B|---------------------1---|
G|---------------------0---|
D|---------------------2---|
A|---------------------3---|
E|-------------------------|
“Woo-Woo”

Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|
|
|Gtr II
e|---------------------2---|
B|---------------------3---|
G|---------------------2---|
D|---------------------0---|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|
“Woo-Woo”

Gtr I
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|
|
|Gtr II
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|---------------------1---|
D|---------------------2---|
A|---------------------2---|
E|---------------------0---|
“Woo-Woo”

Repeat the Bridge once more (The last note “E” from Gtr II is the first note of Verse III)


[Verse 3]
(Do it the same way as I’ve said in the notes for Verse II)

These are the lyrics used in Verse III:
“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 is mine.”


[Chorus 3]
(same as chorus 1)

[Chorus 4]
(same as chorus I)


[Bridge 2]

Gtr I (x2)
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|

Then the same as Bridge I (x1)

Gtr I (x2)
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|---------------------2~--|
A|---------------------2~--|
E|--0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0—-0~--|


[Solo]
(keep playing the bridge behind the solo)

e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15(17)-15(17)~~~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~(17)~-|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
(pretty much a load of bends & a lot of vibrato)

e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15(17)-x-15(17)-x-15(17)-x-15(17)-x-15(17)-x-15(17)-x-15(17)-|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------|-17(19)r17------17(19)-17(19)~~-|
B|-15(17)-15(17)-15(17)-15(17)~-|-----------17~~-----------------|
G|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e|-17----17(18)---------|-------------------------------------------|
B|----17--------17~-17~-|-15(16)----15-15(17)~-15-12----12----------|
G|----------------------|--------16------------------14----14-12----|
D|----------------------|----------------------------------------14-|
A|----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------|-------------------------------------------|

(x12) (x12)
e|----|----------|--------|----|----------|
B|-12-|-15----12-|-15(17)-|-12-|-17----12-|
G|----|----14----|--------|----|----14----|
D|----|----------|--------|----|----------|
A|----|----------|--------|----|----------|
E|----|----------|--------|----|----------|

e|-------------------------------|-15(17)~~~-15(17)~~~-|
B|-15(17)-15(17)~~~(17)(17)(17)~-|---------------------|
G|-------------------------------|---------------------|
D|-------------------------------|---------------------|
A|-------------------------------|---------------------|
E|-------------------------------|---------------------|

e|-15----15-15(17)~--15(17)r15----15(17)-15(17)----|
B|----17-----------------------17---------------15-|
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12-15-15(16)r15-15(17)-12~-12-15-15(17)-15(17)-15(17)-12~-|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------|-------------------------12-|
B|------------------------------|-12----12----12----12----12-|
G|-14(15)-14(15)-14p12----------|-12----12----12----12-------|
D|---------------------14-12-14-|----14----14----14----14----|
A|------------------------------|----------------------------|
E|------------------------------|----------------------------|

(x2)
e|------------------------------||-------------------------------|
B|----------12-15-15(17)-15(17)-||-------------------------------|
G|----12-14---------------------||-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-|
D|-14---------------------------||-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-21-|
A|------------------------------||-------------------------------|
E|------------------------------||-------------------------------|

e|------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-12---------------------|-15(17)~~~~~\-15(17)-15-15(17)-(17)-|
G|----14-12-12(14)r12-----|------------------------------------|
D|--------------------14~-|------------------------------------|
A|------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------|------------------------------------|

(x6) A second guitar randomly adds this:
e|-----------------------------------------| |-15p12-15p12-15p12-|
B|-15(16)p12-15(16)p12-15(16)p12-15(16)p12-| |-------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------| |-------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------| |-------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------| |-------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------| |-------------------|

e|------------------------------------------------|
B|-15(17)~~-(17)~~--15-12-----15--12--------------|
G|------------------------14----------14--12------|
D|--------------------------------------------14--|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------15-17----15-17-|
B|----12-15----12-15----12--15----12-15/17-------17-------|
G|-14-------14-------14--------14-------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

Fade away! (x2)
e|---1517--1517--1517--1517--1517-| |-15(17)~-15----15----------|
B|-17----17----17----17----17-----| |------------17----17-17----|
G|--------------------------------| |---------------------------|
D|--------------------------------| |---------------------------|
A|--------------------------------| |---------------------------|
E|--------------------------------| |-------------------------0-|



************************************

“~” – Vibrato (mostly) or also to let the note ring
“/” – slide up
“\” – slide down
“hb” – half bend
“fb” – full bend
“?(?)” - bend the note to whatever is in the bracket
“?(?)r?” – bend to whatever is in the bracket & release it to
whatever is after the “r”
“x” - Muted note
“p” - pull off
“h” - hammer on

************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Tom Petty
Running Down a Dream



Signature Riff

E----------------------E
B----------------------B
G-----------------1-1--G
D-----------------2-2--D
A-----------------2-2--A
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3------E

Part A

E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3---------------------E
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2---------------------B
G----------------1-1----------------1-1---------------------1-1-------------------1-1--------3----1----------------G
D----------------2-2----------------2-2---------------------2-2-------------------2-2-------------2----------------D
A----------------2-2----------------2-2---------------------2-2-------------------2-2-------------2----------------A
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3----0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-----0-7-0-6-0-5-0-4-0-3-----0-7-0-6-0-5-0-0-3-----------------0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-E

Part B

E-2-3-----3-2-2-3-----3-2-2-3--E
B-2-3-----3-2-2-3-----3-2-2-3--B
G-2---1-1---2-2---1-1---2-2---1G
D-0---2-2---0-0---2-2---0-0---2D
A---2-2-2-2-----2-2-2-2-----2-2A
E---3-----3-----3-----3-----3--E

Interlude

Rhythm Guitar:E---3-----3-E
B-1-2---1-2-B
G---3-1---3-G
D-2---2-2---D
A-3---2-3---A
E-----------E

Lead Guitar: Continue Signature Riff until solo.
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Intro:
E
e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-| x4

Verse 1:
E
It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
A E
I had the radio on, I was drivin'

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|
E A
Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway
E
I was flyin'

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

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|

Verse 2:
E
I felt so good like anything was possible
A E
I hit cruise control and rubbed my eyes

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|
E
The last three days the rain was un-stoppable
A E
It was always cold, no sunshine

Chorus:

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

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-| x2 (this time)

Bridge:

G
e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|
A
e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|
E
e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-| (repeat bridge)

E
I rolled on as the sky grew dark
A E
I put the pedal down to make some time

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-|

E
There's something good waitin' down this road
A E
I'm pickin' up whatever's mine

(Chorus)x2

e-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-------------------|
D-------------------|
A----------------h--|
E-0-7-0-6-0-5-0-3-0-| x3

(Bridge) xA lot of times.
That's all I got.
Song info
Runnin Down A Dream
Tom Petty
2001
  • Rock
  • Classic Rock
  • Country Rock
Alternative tracks
Similar songs
Portobello Belle - Dire Straits
Come Dancing - Jeff Beck
April Sun In Cuba - Dragon
Skateaway - Dire Straits
Aja - Steely Dan

Hi! Hope you enjoy backing track experience.
If you want to help us in the development of the project, feel free to donate!