"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 was thinking
Over thinking
Cause there's just too many scenarios
To analyze
Look in my eyes
Cause you're my dream please come true
I was thinking
Over thinking
About exactly how I'm not exactly him
I'll break my heart in two
More times than you could ever do
Cause you're my dream please come true
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before
And if there's one in this world,
You let me know you're not that girl
I was sinking
Lower, sinking
Cause I lost the things I held on to
They let me think a thought
A thought that I would know was not
Of seeing my dream come true
I was thinking
Over thinking
About how far I had let this go
One more guy/girl chiché
I know now you're just in the way
Of me and my dream come true
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I'm trying to make sense
Out of all of this
While your fading scent
Just slips through my grip
I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before
And if there's one in this world,
You let me know you're not that girl
Don't touch the positive with the negative end
Don't touch the positive with the negative end
Cause after all of the sparks you're left alone in the dark
Cause after all of the sparks you're left alone in the dark
And while I'm able, I think I'll label
Experience with you as a mistake
And while I'm at it, I'll say I've had it
Experience with you is a mistake
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I'm trying to make sense
Out of all of this
While your fading scent
Just slips through my grip
I was thinking
Over thinking
Cause there's just too many scenarios
To think about
To figure out
If you're my dream please come true
Over thinking
Cause there's just too many scenarios
To analyze
Look in my eyes
Cause you're my dream please come true
I was thinking
Over thinking
About exactly how I'm not exactly him
I'll break my heart in two
More times than you could ever do
Cause you're my dream please come true
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before
And if there's one in this world,
You let me know you're not that girl
I was sinking
Lower, sinking
Cause I lost the things I held on to
They let me think a thought
A thought that I would know was not
Of seeing my dream come true
I was thinking
Over thinking
About how far I had let this go
One more guy/girl chiché
I know now you're just in the way
Of me and my dream come true
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I'm trying to make sense
Out of all of this
While your fading scent
Just slips through my grip
I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before
And if there's one in this world,
You let me know you're not that girl
Don't touch the positive with the negative end
Don't touch the positive with the negative end
Cause after all of the sparks you're left alone in the dark
Cause after all of the sparks you're left alone in the dark
And while I'm able, I think I'll label
Experience with you as a mistake
And while I'm at it, I'll say I've had it
Experience with you is a mistake
Cause I think way too much
On a one track mind
And you're so out of touch
Cause I'm so far behind
I'm trying to make sense
Out of all of this
While your fading scent
Just slips through my grip
I was thinking
Over thinking
Cause there's just too many scenarios
To think about
To figure out
If you're my dream please come true
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Its about him thinking so much about this girl, and in the end he realizes he was just wasting his time. I love this song, easy to relate to..well except that I'm a girl