"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.
And Aubrey was her name,
A not so very ordinary girl or name
But who's to blame?
For a love that wouldn't bloom
For the hearts that never played in tune
Like a lovely melody that everyone can sing,
Take away the words that rhyme it doesn't mean a thing
And Aubrey was her name
We tripped the light and danced together to the moon,
But where was June
No it never came around
If it did it never made a sound,
Maybe I was absent or was listening too fast,
Catching all the words, but then the meaning going past,
But God I miss the girl,
And I'd go a thousand times around the world just to be
Closer to her than to me
And Aubrey was her name,
I never knew her, but I loved her just the same,
I loved her name
Wish that I had found the way
And the reasons that would make her stay
I have learned to lead a life apart from all the rest
If I can't have the one I want, I'll do without the best
But how I miss the girl
And I'd go a million times around the world just to say
She had been mine for a day
A not so very ordinary girl or name
But who's to blame?
For a love that wouldn't bloom
For the hearts that never played in tune
Like a lovely melody that everyone can sing,
Take away the words that rhyme it doesn't mean a thing
And Aubrey was her name
We tripped the light and danced together to the moon,
But where was June
No it never came around
If it did it never made a sound,
Maybe I was absent or was listening too fast,
Catching all the words, but then the meaning going past,
But God I miss the girl,
And I'd go a thousand times around the world just to be
Closer to her than to me
And Aubrey was her name,
I never knew her, but I loved her just the same,
I loved her name
Wish that I had found the way
And the reasons that would make her stay
I have learned to lead a life apart from all the rest
If I can't have the one I want, I'll do without the best
But how I miss the girl
And I'd go a million times around the world just to say
She had been mine for a day
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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.
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.
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.
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.
i was named after this song and was tortured with it through all my formative years.
it's still a pretty song though
I have read about this song in every place possible. I was always lead to believe it was about a miscarriage.
But where was June. No it never came around. If it did it never made a sound
(June being her expected date, but it never came)
I never knew her, but I loved her just the same, I loved her name
(they had chosen her name and created a life for her in their minds, he never new her but he loved her).
@moochoo That’s a very sensitive meaning to this song. <br /> “For a love that never bloomed. For the hearts that never <br /> played in tune.” But where was June? It never came around. <br /> But God I miss girl. I never knew her, but I loved her just<br /> the same.” Very sad. Only someone who has had this loss<br /> knows the pain.
beautiful song, but most Bread songs are. It's an odd thing about humans that we relish ache of loss when expressed in songs like this. No matter how great the day is going, if a song like this comes up in shuffle, I find myself replaying it multiple times, causing a tear or two...it so completely takes me back to a time in my life when I lost one that I love...maybe that's the recipe...you have to still love the one that was lost, for it to still hurt. Oftentimes, I find upon further reflection, that the one lost was the me that I was at the period the song takes me back to.
well said. when you lose someone... you also lose the person that you were when with them.
@sonoken One of the most insightful, heartfelt comments I've ever read. Your response has made me stop and reflect much upon the nature of reminiscense and loss.
gates is one of the best ballad writers ever...the one that got away..thet'll hurt forever...that you wont get over til "forever is thru".....
why dont they write them like this anymore.......david is telling just as much about him, as he is her...
This song is reminds one the first love or the "real" one love each of us have had. The part; "If I can't have the one I want, I'll do without the best.", is powerful. Mr.David Gates had a way with words.
This song makes me think of "the one that got away", an unrequited love. Lines like "We tripped the light and danced together to the moon" and "I never knew her, but I loved her just the same, I loved her name" and the fact that it's written in past tense also makes me think it's about a kid in love... or at least that they were very young at the time. The first verse tells you right away that his feelings weren't returned: "But who's to blame? For a love that wouldn't bloom For the hearts that never played in tune" I think the lines "Like a lovely melody that everyone can sing, Take away the words that rhyme it doesn't mean a thing" are a metaphor for love. Anyone can fall in love, but if the person doesn't feel the same way about you, then it doesn't mean anything. So, "words that rhyme" would be a metaphor for that "connection" that two people have between each other. I don't really understand the second verse, starting from "But where was June". I agree with agentelibre; the line "If I can't have the one I want, I'll do without the best" is very powerful. It shows how much he deeply loved this woman, to set her apart from every other person and put her above anyone else despite the fact he can't have her. If you read the last two lines of every verse, I think they are the best and put the most meaning into the song. Well, that's my take. It's a bit long, but there aren't that many comments on here anyway. :P
@HausMaus I love your reply and interpretation of<br /> the lyrics. You said you didn’t understand “But where was June?” I think that means the free and easy months of summer, the fun and laughter after a relationship becomes secure and safe. They never reached that part. It all fell apart to soon.
There are some great comments posted about this song. I know for me, that I cry everytime I hear it and listen to the lyrics. It reminds me of a girl that I actually bonded well with for a little while about 2 and 1/2 years ago. While almost being established in my profession at the time, she was young and still trying to get through college. One day she came to me with tears in her eyes and told me that she could no longer have a relationship due to moving further away for school."And I'd go a thousand times around the world just to be closer to her than to me" to me means that I'd rather live in her world, than live without her in mine.
I was going to be named after this song and after i heard i knew in my mind if my first child is a girl this will be her name. Beautiful song!
I have always loved this song and the name. After we lost our first baby, I couldn't listen to it for several months, it reminded me too much of her. After I got pregnant a second time and found out it was a girl, I knew this was her name...both to honor the baby that was lost and to remind me of how precious each moment with my Aubrey is...
Normally, I don't really like songs with sad lyrics, even if I can connect with them. But there's something about this song that I love, even if the lyrics are sad. It gives me the feeling that even if he has lost his love, he's learned a lot about love itself.
My name actually is Aubrey, my mom and dad both liked the song and named me after it. My mom still cries when she hears it. I love it though :D
Plaza?
My daughter is named Aubrey. I loved the song, and the name, the first time I heard it, knowing that I wanted such a beautiful name for my little girl if I ever had one. I still cry when I hear it too....it brings back wonderful memories of me singing it to her while she was still inside me!