"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.
Si ah
In a darkened place
Man without a face
Count on fingers the choices he could have made
Paint a picture of
view from up above you
And soon he's painting in blood
And that man is me
La vida perdi
Now I'm casting a shadow in front of me
Now I've drained my heart so I no longer bleed
Clip my wings and hope to fly
Wave my last goodbye
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will you call to me?
Just in memory
En la oscuridad de acordaras de mi
Now you turn and run
Up towards the sunrise
You can't, you're walking on glass
Now it's you or me
Ya no creo en ti
Too late to say that you should have followed me
Too late to sell my flesh so I no longer feel
Clip my wings and hope to fly
Wave my last goodbye
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Si ah
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
In a darkened place
Man without a face
Count on fingers the choices he could have made
Paint a picture of
view from up above you
And soon he's painting in blood
And that man is me
La vida perdi
Now I'm casting a shadow in front of me
Now I've drained my heart so I no longer bleed
Clip my wings and hope to fly
Wave my last goodbye
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will you call to me?
Just in memory
En la oscuridad de acordaras de mi
Now you turn and run
Up towards the sunrise
You can't, you're walking on glass
Now it's you or me
Ya no creo en ti
Too late to say that you should have followed me
Too late to sell my flesh so I no longer feel
Clip my wings and hope to fly
Wave my last goodbye
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Si ah
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die, won't you try?
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die
Will you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
Will I be awake? Hold my hand when I die
Won't you take my place? Burn your name in the sky
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
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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I love this song. Ive just got back from watching these guys in birmingham, absolutelly brilliant! I think this song is about regretting things you did or didn't do, just as you are about to die, and its too late to change them.
The actual story behind the song according to Paul Isola, is loosely based around the attacks on 9/11, people are constantly fighting each other, and in the end we'll destory the world completely.
Re-read the first verse, and you will see it makes more sense that way, but I think they wrote it that way so it can have different meanings to anyone.
It's dark. It's vivid. It's just soooo cool.