"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.
In a one bedroom apartment
On the humble side of town
There stands a little Christmas tree
It looks a lot like Charlie Brown's
And underneath there's one little gift for him
And one little gift for her
After six months on the new job
They're still barely getting by
So in the way of decorations
There's nothing there to catch your eye
But both of them would be the first to say
We're together, we're gonna have the merriest Christmas anyway
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
That's where the feeling starts
And like a fire inside, it touches every part
Christmas is all in the heart
And even if no white snow falls
Well, that's all right because
The joy can still be found, wherever you are
Christmas is all, all in the heart
Two little blond haired boys with big dreams
Tried to sleep but sleep wouldn't come
And we'd be tearing into presents
Long before the break of dawn
With mom and dad and cameras making sure
We'd never forget that day, no, no, no
Now I'm the one who's taking pictures
In the middle of the night
Of my own little dreamers
That just can't wait until daylight
And in my sleepy eyes the spark still glows
Well, I guess there's just some things a kid never outgrows
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
That's where the feeling starts
And like a fire inside, it touches every part
Christmas is all in the heart
And even if no white snow falls
Well, that's all right because
The joy can still be found, wherever you are
Christmas is all, all in the heart
No, it's not in the snow that may or may not fall
And it's not in the gifts around the tree
It's in the love Heaven gave, that night our Savior came
And that same love can still be found wherever you are
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
And the joy can still be found, wherever you are
'Cause Christmas is all, all in the heart
It's all in the heart
On the humble side of town
There stands a little Christmas tree
It looks a lot like Charlie Brown's
And underneath there's one little gift for him
And one little gift for her
After six months on the new job
They're still barely getting by
So in the way of decorations
There's nothing there to catch your eye
But both of them would be the first to say
We're together, we're gonna have the merriest Christmas anyway
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
That's where the feeling starts
And like a fire inside, it touches every part
Christmas is all in the heart
And even if no white snow falls
Well, that's all right because
The joy can still be found, wherever you are
Christmas is all, all in the heart
Two little blond haired boys with big dreams
Tried to sleep but sleep wouldn't come
And we'd be tearing into presents
Long before the break of dawn
With mom and dad and cameras making sure
We'd never forget that day, no, no, no
Now I'm the one who's taking pictures
In the middle of the night
Of my own little dreamers
That just can't wait until daylight
And in my sleepy eyes the spark still glows
Well, I guess there's just some things a kid never outgrows
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
That's where the feeling starts
And like a fire inside, it touches every part
Christmas is all in the heart
And even if no white snow falls
Well, that's all right because
The joy can still be found, wherever you are
Christmas is all, all in the heart
No, it's not in the snow that may or may not fall
And it's not in the gifts around the tree
It's in the love Heaven gave, that night our Savior came
And that same love can still be found wherever you are
'Cause Christmas is all in the heart
And the joy can still be found, wherever you are
'Cause Christmas is all, all in the heart
It's all in the heart
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
No one's commented? It's such a sweet, soothing song. I think the meaning's pretty obvious here, but I like it - and it's a change from the ordinary traditional Christmas songs.