Tom Petty – Learning To Fly

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Well I started out down a dirty road
Started out all alone
And the sun went down as I crossed the hill
And the town lit up, the world got still

I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing

Well the good ol' days may not return
And the rocks might melt and the sea may burn

I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing

Well some say life will beat you down
Break your heart, steal your crown
So I've started out for God knows where
I guess I'll know when I get there

I'm learning to fly, around the clouds,
But what goes up must come down

I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing

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Lyrics submitted by oofus

Track duration: 04:01

"Learning to Fly" as written by Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., EMI Music Publishing

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Learning To Fly song meanings
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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Probably one of his most appealing songs of all time. This song basically states that although sometimes 'life' may beat you down, 'break' your heart and steal your crown we can all 'Learn to fly'. Despite anything and everything that has happened to me over the past ten years, two near fatal car accidents, two previous engagements both ended after each of the car crashes (where 'some say life will beat you down') I've been lucky to have managed to pull through all of these misfortunes and artists like Tom Petty have been such an inspiration to me during my months and years of recovery!
    Flag Plonkaon December 15, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:"Well some say life will beat you down" should be, "The sensory life will beat you down."

    The song is about rising above the baser world and how no matter how hard you try there will always be times when you sink back down into it.
    Flag Zenmervolton July 17, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I have never liked Petty's voice, but I've always liked this track. Obviously flying is not literal. It's about learning to fly (be independent, I suppose) and all the ups and downs that go along with being free. Sometimes you soar and other times you flop, but it's a great feeling to know that it's within you to either make the most of your life or die trying:)
    Flag SweetCheeks2on February 19, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:i think the song is multilayered/ambigious,although inspired by him seeing a plane flying it's obviously still works on metaphor.Yes i'm aware there are strong drug references in it but it can also be read as a drug free song.It can be about life in general and its many hardships-losing things you know you can never get back like youth,a person you are in love with after a relationship,good health if you had an accident or illness....It's about acceptance of what is and embracing it and learning to deal with it cos sooner or later we all lose things/people we love be it through death/relationship breakup and just through general situation changes.
    Flag billythepubon October 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is def. NOT about drugs.

    Its about living life, and making mistakes. Bad things happen to you in life and you learn from it.

    Learning to fly = Living life
    Ain't got wings = Making mistakes, so you fall
    Coming down is the hardest thing = the consequences of your actions


    I am going through a divorce right now and I know that this song basically sums up my life. You try to fly without wings, you crash to the ground. You live life...you crash and fall...It sucks but you learn from it and you keep trying. Thats life.

    Flag HOUSINGFEARon October 12, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Surely we've realised, after all this discussion that this this song is a commentary on a number of things, and is summative / demonstrative of his experiences over time...

    More than anything, this song is definitely a reflection life, and challenges. It's absurd to think that an artist like Tom Petty wasn't thinkning about anything other than drugs when penning the lyrics.

    EtchedIncold has summed it up well - ambiguity is the theme here... Drugs may have crossed his mind with some of the lines, but even non drug-related explanations can be diverse: "learning to fly" could refer to any number of obstacles he had to overcome, or a general realisation of meaning / direction in his life.
    Original inspiration for the lyrics may well have come from attempts at flying a plane... but i can't help but feel that Tom Petty is having the last laugh here. He is playing with us - having fun with a set lyrics that, whilst first of all his own on take on life, most importantly can mean something to everybody listening to it, hence its success.
    Flagged Davo78on May 29, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:It's about getting high; the lyrics suggest smoking ("the world lit up"), but also coke. This is seen in his starting out "down a dirty road", the dirty road being hard drugs, as well as in "the rocks might melt and the seas may burn", the rocks being coke and the seas being the water that's being cooked up in a spoon to shoot.

    Plus, since when is "coming down" the "hardest thing" with bud. Def about coke. SWIM puts this on every time he has a bad comedown.
    Flagged gocubsgo1908on March 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:definitely not about weed, "rocks may melt" probably about crack. Pot doesn't make you able to fly. unless you got some real expensive weed. love this song.
    Flag drummerpenguinon March 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I adore it. Could be about drugs, I guess, but I like to believe that it's about being directionless or lost in life, not exactly knowing where you're going or where you'll end up, but carrying on anyway. Learning about yourself and finding meaning.
    Flag xmakesherflyxon February 17, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:This song is definitely about drugs, probably about cocaine,hence the 'Coming down is the hardest thing'.
    Flag hihihi123on September 19, 2009   Link

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