"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.
How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in?
There's gotta be them times you'll be wrong, nah mean?
How can a motherfucker go round and hate a nigga
He never even met, that he don't even know and shit?
I think this rap shit is all beef
Y'all don't even know every day I'm living with stress
Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest
Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless
I'm on the dance floor hot ass vest
You think I'm freakin' these chicks right?
Try not to brush against they chest
You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
Swear to everything when I leave this earth
It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
You could try me fucker but when I squeeze it hurts, fine
We'll lose two lives, yours and mines
Gimme any amount of time don't let Ms. Carter grieve
At the funeral parlor, drippin' tears on my sleeve
Told the judge didn't budge, it was him or me
Now I ain't tryna to be hard but I'm guilty as charged
Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God
And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
I hate all girls with ulterior motives
That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters
Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
Hear the hate in my voice right? I hate that you noticed
Niggas wanna strip you to the bone for shit you own
Hate a nigga like that, faggot, get your own
Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome
Knowing one day I'ma have to flip, c'mon
You know the shit don't stop 'til the Cris' don't pop
And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock
I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact
It ain't no turning back, bring it on
Hate the price of fame 'cause it cost too much
Can I live without y'all niggas saying I floss too much?
Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
Steady looking for flaws through us, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(Since I was four years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You only know what you see
(And now that I've arrived, I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
And niggas see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
But I know any type of success breeds envy
I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hem me
Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
But G's is heaven bound so how I'm goin' receive
Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up
And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife I show it up
Don't grieve for me my art remains
Like a dart from the speaker to your heart
Spiritually through the portal now my words is immortal
Don't plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life
Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife
Next time your thinking heist better be precise
'Cause I'm fully prepared, one of us is gon' leave here
I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow
My godsons Boogie, Sonny and Remo, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(Since I was four years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You only know what you see
(And now that I've arrived, I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
There's gotta be them times you'll be wrong, nah mean?
How can a motherfucker go round and hate a nigga
He never even met, that he don't even know and shit?
I think this rap shit is all beef
Y'all don't even know every day I'm living with stress
Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest
Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless
I'm on the dance floor hot ass vest
You think I'm freakin' these chicks right?
Try not to brush against they chest
You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
Swear to everything when I leave this earth
It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
You could try me fucker but when I squeeze it hurts, fine
We'll lose two lives, yours and mines
Gimme any amount of time don't let Ms. Carter grieve
At the funeral parlor, drippin' tears on my sleeve
Told the judge didn't budge, it was him or me
Now I ain't tryna to be hard but I'm guilty as charged
Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God
And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
I hate all girls with ulterior motives
That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters
Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
Hear the hate in my voice right? I hate that you noticed
Niggas wanna strip you to the bone for shit you own
Hate a nigga like that, faggot, get your own
Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome
Knowing one day I'ma have to flip, c'mon
You know the shit don't stop 'til the Cris' don't pop
And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock
I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact
It ain't no turning back, bring it on
Hate the price of fame 'cause it cost too much
Can I live without y'all niggas saying I floss too much?
Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
Steady looking for flaws through us, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(Since I was four years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You only know what you see
(And now that I've arrived, I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
And niggas see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
But I know any type of success breeds envy
I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hem me
Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
But G's is heaven bound so how I'm goin' receive
Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up
And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife I show it up
Don't grieve for me my art remains
Like a dart from the speaker to your heart
Spiritually through the portal now my words is immortal
Don't plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life
Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife
Next time your thinking heist better be precise
'Cause I'm fully prepared, one of us is gon' leave here
I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow
My godsons Boogie, Sonny and Remo, lucky me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
(Since I was four years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You only know what you see
(And now that I've arrived, I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see
You don't understand what it takes to be me
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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/
lil' wayne said this is his favorite song of all time. he has "lucky me" tattooed on his neck and he has a verse of this song tattooed on his leg but idk which verse... kind of a "be careful what you wish for", "mo money, mo problems" type of song...