"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Open wide
Oh so good I'll eat you
Take me for a ride
In your sweet delicious
Perfect little mouth
Thereupon I linger
You will have no doubt
I'll do my best for you I do
Love
Let's stop to get it going
Lost myself just thinking
About the two of us
From each other drinking
Begin with the lips
Fingertips and kissing
Turn me inside out
I do my best for you
Up and down we go
From the top you push me
This is such a thrill
Lost in love and dancing
Shake your tambourine
You blow my head open
Of this there's no doubt
I do my best for you I do
Oh, for you I would crawl
Through the darkest dungeon
Climb the castle wall
If you're my Rapunzel
You let your hair down
Right in through your window
Good they locked the door
I do my best for you
I think the world of you
All of my heart I do
Blood through my veins for you
You alone have all of me
I give my world to you
To you I will be true
Too good to be real
Smell of something cooking
My soul you're to steal
Food of love we're filling
What you've given me
For it there is no measure
Of one thing I am sure
I'll give my best for you
I think the world of you
All of my heart I do
Blood through my veins for you
You alone have all of me
From you my strength is full
To carry your burdens too
I give my world to you
Hip lock up so tight
You drive me crazy
Crazy is all right
With you looking at me
You make me feel high
Every single thing you do to me
Is like I'm drunk
I do my best for you I do
Oh so good I'll eat you
Take me for a ride
In your sweet delicious
Perfect little mouth
Thereupon I linger
You will have no doubt
I'll do my best for you I do
Love
Let's stop to get it going
Lost myself just thinking
About the two of us
From each other drinking
Begin with the lips
Fingertips and kissing
Turn me inside out
I do my best for you
Up and down we go
From the top you push me
This is such a thrill
Lost in love and dancing
Shake your tambourine
You blow my head open
Of this there's no doubt
I do my best for you I do
Oh, for you I would crawl
Through the darkest dungeon
Climb the castle wall
If you're my Rapunzel
You let your hair down
Right in through your window
Good they locked the door
I do my best for you
I think the world of you
All of my heart I do
Blood through my veins for you
You alone have all of me
I give my world to you
To you I will be true
Too good to be real
Smell of something cooking
My soul you're to steal
Food of love we're filling
What you've given me
For it there is no measure
Of one thing I am sure
I'll give my best for you
I think the world of you
All of my heart I do
Blood through my veins for you
You alone have all of me
From you my strength is full
To carry your burdens too
I give my world to you
Hip lock up so tight
You drive me crazy
Crazy is all right
With you looking at me
You make me feel high
Every single thing you do to me
Is like I'm drunk
I do my best for you I do
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
This song is just a big reason why many people love dave matthews because not many other musicians can sing:
"I give my world to you With all of my heart i do This blood flows through my veins for you You alone have all of me I give my world to you To you I will be true"
You can't really come up with a better way of expressing love, passion, and commitment. All of us share a hope in that someone in this world feels this way about us.