"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.
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, oh yeah
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure everybody knows
One day we love each other then we're fighting one another all the time
When I was young and just getting started
And people talked to me they sounded broken hearted
Then I grew up and got my imagination
And all I wanted was to start a new relation
So in love but love had a bad reaction
I was looking for some good old satisfaction
But pain is all I got when all I needed was some love and affection
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Pain and pleasure
Ooh, ooh, pain and pleasure
When your plans go wrong - you turn out the light
But inside of your mind you put up a fight
Where are the answers that we're all searching for
There's nothing in this world to be sure of anymore
Some days you're feeling good, some days you're feeling bad
But if you're feeling happy someone else is always sad
Let the sweetness on love wipe the tears from your face
For better for worse, so let's make the best of the rest of our years
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, I told you so
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Pain and pleasure, ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
All your life
Ooh ooh ooh
Pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure everybody knows
One day we love each other then we're fighting one another all the time
When I was young and just getting started
And people talked to me they sounded broken hearted
Then I grew up and got my imagination
And all I wanted was to start a new relation
So in love but love had a bad reaction
I was looking for some good old satisfaction
But pain is all I got when all I needed was some love and affection
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Pain and pleasure
Ooh, ooh, pain and pleasure
When your plans go wrong - you turn out the light
But inside of your mind you put up a fight
Where are the answers that we're all searching for
There's nothing in this world to be sure of anymore
Some days you're feeling good, some days you're feeling bad
But if you're feeling happy someone else is always sad
Let the sweetness on love wipe the tears from your face
For better for worse, so let's make the best of the rest of our years
Ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, I told you so
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
Pain and pleasure, ooh, ooh, pain is so close to pleasure, yeah, yeah
Sunshine and rainy weather go hand in hand together all your life
All your life
Ooh ooh ooh
Pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure - pain - pleasure
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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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
This song is a definate example of how incredible Freddie's voice was.