By Michael Baginski/   My first choice for a Tom Petty song would have been “Free Falling,” but that just seemed cruel coming after the stock market crash. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of great songs from Petty from which to choose, not least “Learning to Fly,” which does fit our travel theme, even if that’s not exactly what he meant by it.

This clip is from 2006, performed in Gainsville, Fla. – otherwise known here as “Gatorville” – Petty’s hometown. Note one of the back-up singers: Stevie Nicks.

I’d seen Petty before, but one of my life’s regrets is not being able to get into what turned out to be his last show ever at the Hollywood Bowl in 2017. An industry colleague and I were in L.A. for a VisitBritain conference just down the street from the famed concert venue, but, alas, no tickets were to be had, even from scalpers.

And sadly, Petty died just a few days after that concert. The loss was and is immeasurable, but Tom was wrong in the song – to his legion of fans, he’ll always have wings!

Lyrics

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

I’m learning to fly
I’m learning to fly

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