"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.
Call and I'll answer at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Never mind mannequins, drunk in their hollow town
Drinkin' their spoils down
Cheap imitations, a revelation is now
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down
Run when it hits the ground
I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out
Calling unanswered, the center becomes blown out
Stuck in the inside now
It's fear I'm embracin', I never could face you down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Red, red
Laced around your head
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued now
Call and I'll answer, at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
So you don't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Say goodbye to me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
I can find relief, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Better than being numb
Better than playin' dumb
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Never mind mannequins, drunk in their hollow town
Drinkin' their spoils down
Cheap imitations, a revelation is now
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down
Run when it hits the ground
I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out
Calling unanswered, the center becomes blown out
Stuck in the inside now
It's fear I'm embracin', I never could face you down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Red, red
Laced around your head
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued now
Call and I'll answer, at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
So you don't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Say goodbye to me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
I can find relief, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Better than being numb
Better than playin' dumb
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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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
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.
This song has nothing to do with Kurt.
After The Colour and The Shape, Dave was living in LA and partying alot, he eventually got sick of this lifestyle and moved back to Virginia where the album "There is Nothing Left to lose" was recorded.
"Nevermind the mannequins, drunk in their hollow town"
Mannequins is a reference to all the "pretty people/actors/models", hollow town is a reference to Los Angeles
"The revelation is now"
He realises he's sick of this lifestyle.
"You wont find me I'm going MIA"
MIA = Missing in Action; ie. he's leaving LA, moving back to Virginia.
"Red, red, laced around your head"
Is a reference to a girl with red hair, and Dave was dating a redhead at the time (Pro-Snowboarder Tina Basich)
This song is about the LA lifestyle & moving back to Virginia, which alot of the album is about (Stacked Actors, Next Year, Ain't it the Life and this song.)