"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.
The innocence is gone
But still I'm holding on
Searchin' for love that lasts forever
Lookin' for a place
Where love can hide away
Takin' a chance it's now or never
Maybe it's time to draw the line
There's just one thing that's on my mind
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love
Lovers come and go
Sometimes it's hard to know
If this will be a night to treasure
When the damage has been done
And the hurting has begun
You'll justify a moment's pleasure
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
It ain't nothin' that I can't rise above
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love
Lust or love
Maybe it's time to draw the line
There's just one thing that's on my mind
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
It ain't nothin' that I can't rise above
Is it lust, is it love
Still lookin' for more, it's never enough
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love, is it love, is it love
Is it love, is it love
But still I'm holding on
Searchin' for love that lasts forever
Lookin' for a place
Where love can hide away
Takin' a chance it's now or never
Maybe it's time to draw the line
There's just one thing that's on my mind
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love
Lovers come and go
Sometimes it's hard to know
If this will be a night to treasure
When the damage has been done
And the hurting has begun
You'll justify a moment's pleasure
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
It ain't nothin' that I can't rise above
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love
Lust or love
Maybe it's time to draw the line
There's just one thing that's on my mind
Is it lust, is it love
Whatever it is I can't get enough
Is it lust, is it love
It ain't nothin' that I can't rise above
Is it lust, is it love
Still lookin' for more, it's never enough
Is it lust, is it love
When I look around tell me who can I trust
Is it love, is it love, is it love
Is it love, is it love
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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,
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.
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.
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.
lovin this song!!! This is so great!!! You'd have to be a fool to not like it. Everyone has went through this and its all true
Probably the most underrated song from the most underrated album the band ever released, going all the way back to Lonesome Crow with Michael Schenker. Fantastic. See Also Kicks After Six.