"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.
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before, couldn't say I liked it
Do I start writing all this down?
Just let me plug you into my world
Can't you help me be uncrazy?
Name this for me, heat the cold air
Take the chill off of my life
And if I could, I'd turn my eyes
To look inside to see what's comin'
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive and I die a little more
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive, each moment here, I die a little more
Ooh, I die, I die, I die a little more
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
I'm frantic in your soothing arms
I can not sleep in this down filled world
Found safety in this loneliness
But I can not stand it anymore
Cross my heart, hope not to die
Swallow evil, ride the sky
Lose myself in a crowded room
You fool, you fool, it'll be here soon
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive and I die a little more
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive, each moment here, I die a little more
Ooh, I die, I die, I die a little more
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Treats me this way
And I wait for this train
Toes over the line
And then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
It takes me
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Yeah, it takes me away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Yeah, it takes me away
Get the fuck out of here
I just want to get the fuck away from me
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I hate it all, why? Why? Why me?
I cannot sleep with a head like this
I want to cry, I want to scream
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I want to hate it all away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Treats me this away
Then I wait for this train
My toes are over the line, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away, yeah, it takes me away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before, couldn't say I liked it
Do I start writing all this down?
Just let me plug you into my world
Can't you help me be uncrazy?
Name this for me, heat the cold air
Take the chill off of my life
And if I could, I'd turn my eyes
To look inside to see what's comin'
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive and I die a little more
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive, each moment here, I die a little more
Ooh, I die, I die, I die a little more
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
Been here before
I'm frantic in your soothing arms
I can not sleep in this down filled world
Found safety in this loneliness
But I can not stand it anymore
Cross my heart, hope not to die
Swallow evil, ride the sky
Lose myself in a crowded room
You fool, you fool, it'll be here soon
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive and I die a little more
It comes alive, it comes alive
It comes alive, each moment here, I die a little more
Ooh, I die, I die, I die a little more
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Treats me this way
And I wait for this train
Toes over the line
And then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
It takes me
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Yeah, it takes me away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
Yeah, it takes me away
Get the fuck out of here
I just want to get the fuck away from me
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I hate it all, why? Why? Why me?
I cannot sleep with a head like this
I want to cry, I want to scream
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I want to hate it all away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive, yeah, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Treats me this away
Then I wait for this train
My toes are over the line, yeah
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away, yeah, it takes me away
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
Then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away
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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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Best song on the album, and obviously about loving someone, but then they put you down and you hate them for it - but you keep on coming back.