Guitar lesson for

Runnin' Down a Dream

by Tom Petty • Lesson #106

Video lesson

Get the PDF chord sheet (1 page)

Support me on Patreon.com to get access to this and 200+ other PDF chord sheets I've made, plus new PDFs I make going forward (1-2 added each week).
The cost is $3/month (one month minimum, cancel anytime). Here's a free sample if you're on the fence. Thanks for supporting me & this project!

After clicking the button and logging in to Patreon, look for the PDF attached to the bottom of the post.

Editor’s notes

In this lesson, I’ll teach you how to play an acoustic version of “Runnin’ Down a Dream” by Tom Petty. Fantastic song, great riff, only a handful of chords. I’ll show it all: the riff w/ a tab for reference, the strumming, the chords, etc.

Video timestamps:

0:00 Playthrough
1:13 Lesson overview
2:03 PDF w/ chords
2:23 Intro riff, basics
5:33 Intro riff, advanced
6:54 How to play the verse
8:01 How to play the chorus
9:38 How to play the refrain
10:07 Farewell

Chords needed

E ––––0––––2––––3––––0––––0––––
B ––––0––––3––––0––––2––––1––––
G ––––1––––2––––0––––2––––0––––
D ––––2––––0––––0––––2––––2––––
A ––––2–––––––––2––––0––––3––––
E ––––0–––––––––3––––––––––––––
      E    D    G    A    C

Main riff

The main riff uses the notes below. I use my middle finger for the 7-6-5-3 fretted notes on the low E string. The hard part will be transitioning into the E-major chord while maintaining your rhythm in a strum… and likewise transitioning from that same strummy E-major back into this riff.

E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1––––
D –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––   ...then, strum the E
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––
E –––0––7–––0––6–––0––5–––0––3–––0–––––0––––
                                       E

A simpler version, though technically not what you hear on the album, is to play it like this. This is much, much easier to play while staying in time with your strumming (leading into the E-major chord).

E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––
B ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––––
G ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––   ...then, strum the E
A ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2––––
E –––0––7–––0––6–––0––5–––0–––––0––––
                                E

Lyrics w/ chords

INTRO
    E (with riff)

VERSE
             E
    It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
              D                 E
    I had the radio on... I was driving
    E                                        
    Trees flew by, me and Del were singing
             D                E
    A little Runaway... I was flying

CHORUS
              A       G      E             E           G       A
        Yeah, running down a dream... that never would come to me
        D            G     E          E         G       A  
        Working on a mystery......... going wherever it leads
        A       G      E
        Running down a dream

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

        [ chorus ]

REFRAIN
                  C            D            E
            Woo-hooo.... woo-hooo.... woo-hooo....
                  C            D            E
            Woo-hooo.... woo-hooo.... woo-hooo....

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

        [ chorus ]

Good luck!

Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful.

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).

You can also support me on Patreon. For only $3/month you'll get access to a print-friendly PDF of my notes for each new lesson (view free sample).

Thanks!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!