"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.
I got one two three four
Five, six, six, six
Running round the neighborhood
Pejorative, "Jinx." he said the groom's
Down on me 'cause he ate the rice
It was well intentioned but bad advice
Hell yeah, yeah, yeah
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Open the curtain and let in some sky
It's almost half past two, and you can tell by the light
Open your window, and let in the atmosphere!
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Open the curtain and let in some sky
It's almost half past two, and you can tell by the light
Open your window, and let in the atmosphere!
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
I was inverted, I mean converted
I mean I don't understand
Five, six, six, six
Running round the neighborhood
Pejorative, "Jinx." he said the groom's
Down on me 'cause he ate the rice
It was well intentioned but bad advice
Hell yeah, yeah, yeah
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Open the curtain and let in some sky
It's almost half past two, and you can tell by the light
Open your window, and let in the atmosphere!
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Open the curtain and let in some sky
It's almost half past two, and you can tell by the light
Open your window, and let in the atmosphere!
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
Let it breakthrough, oh let breakthrough
I was inverted, I mean converted
I mean I don't understand
Lyrics submitted by rojazz, edited by tejedu, carl107023
Breakthrough Lyrics as written by Vincent Crane Pat Darnell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
In response to previous posts, I believe that song lyrics can be interpreted in whatever way that fits the person the most. Music is art.. and art can be taken to mean whatever anyone wants. Even if Isaac did come out and say the "correct" meaning of this song or any of them for that matter, would that really take away what you thought at first? because that will always mean the most to you. It could mean something specific to the writer but they are well aware that if they put the song out people may take it differently.. we all come from different backgrounds and experiences.. and that's whats so great about Modest Mouse, that it brings its fans together to talk about deep and intellectual topics. So i do think that people should keep posting their "cute" opinions because their insights have helped me several times to determine my own meanings of Modest Mouse songs. Anyways, about the song lol.. I always pictured it as Isaac telling a story of several different people who have to much going on, they're upside down(inverted) and that they just want something to breakthrough... whether it be their feelings thoughts the sunlight or the "atmosphere".. for something to make sense
Uh, yeah... The idea of ambiguity and subjective interpretation isn't exactly revolutionary, dude.