Chords
Learning To Fly

Learning to Fly was written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne for the album Into the Great Wide Open by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in 1991. The song reflects on lifes passage and Pettys experiences with learning and acceptance, partly inspired by the feeling of freedom and the difficulties faced after completing rehab. The lyric Im learning to fly, but I aint got wings serves as a metaphor for lifes aspirations and realities.

Key: C

Introduction:  F   C   Am   G  

        F        C      Am     G 
Well I started out,
        F      C      Am     G 
Down a dirty road.
 F        C      Am     G 
Started out,
 F     C      Am     G 
All alone.

         F         C      Am     G 
And the sun went down,
      F            C      Am     G 
as I crossed the hill.
         F         C      Am     G 
And the town lit up,
     F          C      Am     G 
the world got still.

     F            C      Am     G 
I' m learning to fly,
       F          C       Am     G 
but I ain' t got wings.
 F       C      Am     G 
coming down,
        F        C       Am     G 
is the hardest thing.

           F         C    Am   G 
Well the "Good old days"
     F      C    Am   G 
May not return.
         F            C    Am   G 
And the rocks might melt,
         F          C    Am   G 
and the sea may burn.

     F            C      Am     G 
I' m learning to fly,
       F          C       Am     G 
but I ain' t got wings.
 F       C      Am     G 
coming down,
        F        C       Am     G 
is the hardest thing.

       F        C    Am   G 
Well some say life,
       F          C    Am   G 
will beat you down.
 F            C    Am   G 
Break your heart,
 F           C    Am   G 
steal your crown.

    F         C    Am   G 
So start it out,
     F          C    Am   G 
for God knows where.
   F           C    Am   G 
I guess I' ll know,
      F        C    Am   G 
when I get there.

     F            C      Am     G 
I' m learning to fly,
  F          C       Am     G 
Around the clouds,
 F          C      Am    G 
What goes up,
 F          C       Am     G 
Must come down.

     F            C       Am          G 
I' m learning to fly, (learning to fly)
       F         C       Am     G 
but I aint got wings.
 F       C      Am    G 
coming down,
        F        C       Am     G 
is the hardest thing.
     F            C       Am          G 
I' m learning to fly, (learning to fly)
  F          C       Am     G 
Around the clouds,
 F          C     Am           G 
What goes up, (learning to fly)
 F          C        Am       G 
Must come down.

     F            C       Am           G      F      C      Am           G 
I' m learning to fly, (learning to fly)              (learning to fly)
     F            C       Am           G      F      C      Am           G 
I' m learning to fly, (learning to fly)              (learning to fly)