"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.
You gotta feel so guilty
Got so much for so little
Then you find that feeling just won't go away
You're holding on to every little thing so tightly
Till there's nothing left for you anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
You wanted to get somewhere so badly
You had to lose yourself along the way
You change a name but that's okay
It's necessary
And what you leave behind
You don't miss anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
'Cause I'm already gone
Felt that way all along
Closer to you every day
I didn't want it that much anyway
You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy
Then you get to like the way it feels
You hurt yourself you hurt your lover
Then you discover
What you thought was freedom is just greed
Goodbye
It's emotional
Goodnight
I'll be up with the sun
Are you still holding on
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
Got so much for so little
Then you find that feeling just won't go away
You're holding on to every little thing so tightly
Till there's nothing left for you anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
You wanted to get somewhere so badly
You had to lose yourself along the way
You change a name but that's okay
It's necessary
And what you leave behind
You don't miss anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
'Cause I'm already gone
Felt that way all along
Closer to you every day
I didn't want it that much anyway
You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy
Then you get to like the way it feels
You hurt yourself you hurt your lover
Then you discover
What you thought was freedom is just greed
Goodbye
It's emotional
Goodnight
I'll be up with the sun
Are you still holding on
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
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Fast Car
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Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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This song is the best of Pop and one of the best of U2 career.
It's clearly about fame, I read somewhere that this came after a conversation with Michael Hutchence about the toxic effects of fame, which makes a lot of sense. The lyricist here is self-critic about how he changed due to his always rising fame. I like to think about it as a second part of The Fly, a kind of redemption of the character, his confession.
"You changed your name, well that's okay, it's necessary And what you leave behind you don't miss anyway (...) You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy Then you learn to like the way it feels. You hurt yourself, you hurt your lover Then you discover What you thought was freedom is just greed."
When Achtung Baby came up, they left behind the sound of the 80's. Bono changed his name to The Fly, who was an arrogant and cinic character. It felt like freedom, but it really was just greed. I also think that Bono somehow connected with Hutchence deeper problems, the ones who made him commit suicide. This song talks a lot more about him than Stuck In A Moment, and if you notice in the Elevation 2001 Live from Boston, when this song's weird guitar starts, he screams 'Hutch! Hear me!' to finally begin the song.
I love this song, it had a dirty sound.... when I think of this song I think this as a realization of the what is real and what is bullshit, Enlightenment so to speak.<br /> <br /> you get to feel so guilty got so much for so little<br /> then you find that feeling just won't go away (Taking Advantage of Others, manipulation)<br /> <br /> you're holding on to every little thing so tightly<br /> till there's nothing left for you anyway (Pointless Materialism)<br /> <br /> GOODBYE YOU CAN KEEP THIS SUIT OF LIGHTS ( So long, sell your hit else where)<br /> I'LL BE UP WITH THE SUN <br /> ANDNOTCOMINGDOWN... IMNOTCOMINGDOWN<br /> IMNOTCOMINGDOWN (Living at a higher lever, wating no more time)<br /> <br /> you wanted to get somewhere so badly<br /> you had to lose yourself along the way (Change, be different... very difficult)<br /> you change a name but that's okay... it's necessary<br /> and what you leave behind you don't miss anyway (Need vs Want)<br /> <br /> GOODBYE YOU CAN KEEP THIS SUIT OF LIGHTS<br /> I'LL BE UP WITH THE SUN<br /> ANDNOTCOMINGDOWN... IMNOTCOMINGDOWN<br /> IMNOTCOMINGDOWN<br /> <br /> AND I'M ALREADY GONE<br /> FELT that way all along<br /> closer to you every day<br /> didn't want it that much anyway (Enlightenment)<br /> <br /> you're taking steps that make you feel dizzy<br /> then you get to like the way it feels <br /> you hurt yourself you hurt your lover (Active Change creates painn to you and to the people around you)<br /> <br /> then you discover...<br /> what you thought was freedom was just greed (Back to the material...Need vs. Want)<br /> goodbye... no emotional goodnight (Letting go without feelings)<br /> we'll be up WITH the sun<br /> are you still holding on<br /> I'm not coming down<br /> I'm not coming down
how the fuck can GONE be written about mike hutchence, when he fucking died near the end of the popmart tour you silly twat.<br /> <br /> the song is about kurt cobain, its as simple as that. as i
ve already stated. he never quoted this on tour, as he wasnt actually even remotely aquainted with kurt.<br /> <br /> he screams BOB at earls court shows on the elevation tour,,,,,does that mean the songs about his dad. no!<br /> <br />