"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 your letter and the poetry you sent me
Postmarked in december of last year
I really hope your doing better
All your friends close by your side
One step closer to recovery
I wish there was something i could say
To erase each and every page you've been through
even though its not my place to save you
I appreciate but cant accept this thank you note
thats sealed with your last breath
and i won't stand aside and listen to you give up
if you'll just hold on for one more second
if you just hold on to what you have
just hold on/ just hold on
You will wake up tomrrow
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
You will wake up tomorrow
these arms remain stretched out to you
maybe someday you'll accept them
maybe its too late to save
a young girls heart thats long stopped beating
wake up wake up you've gotta believe
wake up wake up you cant give up
time keeps going on without us
long after we're dead and gone
i wish there was something i could say
to erase each and every page you've been through
even though its not my place to save you
i appreciate but cant accept this thank you note
thats sealed with your last breath
and i won't stand aside and listen to you give up
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
Postmarked in december of last year
I really hope your doing better
All your friends close by your side
One step closer to recovery
I wish there was something i could say
To erase each and every page you've been through
even though its not my place to save you
I appreciate but cant accept this thank you note
thats sealed with your last breath
and i won't stand aside and listen to you give up
if you'll just hold on for one more second
if you just hold on to what you have
just hold on/ just hold on
You will wake up tomrrow
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
You will wake up tomorrow
these arms remain stretched out to you
maybe someday you'll accept them
maybe its too late to save
a young girls heart thats long stopped beating
wake up wake up you've gotta believe
wake up wake up you cant give up
time keeps going on without us
long after we're dead and gone
i wish there was something i could say
to erase each and every page you've been through
even though its not my place to save you
i appreciate but cant accept this thank you note
thats sealed with your last breath
and i won't stand aside and listen to you give up
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
if you'll just hold on for one more second
just hold on to what you have
if you just hold on/ just hold on
Lyrics submitted by ADimeADexter
My Reply Lyrics as written by Kris Roe
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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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”
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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.
people should comment on this song, this is a great song, i think it's one of kris' most heartfelt songs, it's about how he got a letter from a kid in the hospital hwo had cancer and she told him how much his music helped her get through everything and how much she appreciated it, and this is his reply to her, which is why he called it My Reply.
actually, this song is about a girl who was anorexic. if you read the inside of the cd...the letter she wrote is pictured next to the lyrics. nonetheless, its a great song.
I just saw the Ataris in concert on Weds and Kris mentioned they finally got a letter back from this girl. She survived! She wrote a thank you for the song and Kris seemed so happy that she hadn't let go...and kept holding on.
Actually Kris was tellin a bunch of us at a show.. and he told us that he actually sent a letter back to this girl and they never heard back from her.. And they actually searched for her and never found her... So they're assuming that she died --- That just makes the song a whole lot sadder and a whole lot deeper.
actually, this song was about a girl who had anorexia, not cancer. if you read the letter that's pictured next to the lyrics in the cd case you can see that. nonetheless, its one of the best songs on the cd.
I absolutly love this song, probably Kris's best written song with Angry Nerd Rock, it's just....WOW. And when you read the letter it makes it that much more heartfelt.
Excellent song! I was so moved when I heard it..
Looking carefully at the letter and envelope in the cd booklet, I noticed the envelope has an Australian stamp on it. That brought on a whole new meaning to the song, for me. I live in Australia, and knowing he was singing about someone in my own country gave it a feeling of being closer to home...
"i wish there was something i could say to erase each and every page you've been through even though its not my place to save you"
Fantastic.
I just saw the ataris last weekend, and Kris said that she is still living, and they got her letter back. :) this song is so great. So long, astoria is a great album
i like this song
I've been a longtime Ataris streetteam member. And a board member. The girl, Carrie, posts on the Ataris offical messege board. And she did before she knew this song was even written.