"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.
Getting edgy all the time
There's someone around, me just a step behind
It's kinda scary, the shape I'm in
The walls are shakin' and they're closing in
Too fast or a bit too slow
I'm paranoid of people and it's starting to show
One guy that I can't shake
Over my shoulder is a big mistake
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
Tell you something just ain't right
My head is on loose but my shoes are tight
Avoiding my friends, they all bug
Life is like a riddle and I'm really stumped
If you reason, don't you know
Your own preoccupation is where you'll go
Being followed, look around
It's only my shadow creepin' on the ground
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
There's someone around, me just a step behind
It's kinda scary, the shape I'm in
The walls are shakin' and they're closing in
Too fast or a bit too slow
I'm paranoid of people and it's starting to show
One guy that I can't shake
Over my shoulder is a big mistake
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
Tell you something just ain't right
My head is on loose but my shoes are tight
Avoiding my friends, they all bug
Life is like a riddle and I'm really stumped
If you reason, don't you know
Your own preoccupation is where you'll go
Being followed, look around
It's only my shadow creepin' on the ground
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7, edited by bkn, Igetspamed
Gotta Get Away Lyrics as written by Bryan Dexter Holland
Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
ive always had the impression that he was stoned...
I always thought it was about paranoia.
no, no, i gotta get away from ME
This has got to be my favourite Offspring song ever. The meaning isn't too hard to see ,and when you're feelin low its great to sing along to.They need to write more of these.
Yeah, I thought it was drug related as well....
You don´t need drugs to feel like the song. You just need to open your eyes and see the world and yourself in it.
Life is a riddle and I'm really stumped
i always thought where it said STUMPED it should say STONED but idk if that makes sense.
i would say the paranoia works out fine.. and makes more sense to me. or just that he can't be happy with the person he is. either way, its a GREAT song.. nice to blast and sing along too.. and i can definitely relate to it however you look at it.
It's literally about paranoia. It's really about being stoned. So, you're both right.
i would say it's about how fucked up you're mind feels when you're stoned. he doesnt wanna feel like that anymore and wants to get away. too bad this song skips on my CD, since i dropped it. it's the 2nd the best 1 on smash. (at least i can still watch the video on launch).
this song's literal meaning is about paranoia and hating yourself. the implyed meaning is about how fucked up your mind is on drugs. you gotta love the bass line and drums in the intro