"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.
You can't dodge the subject, are you infected now?
Mathematics and theology don't belong in the same sentence
I'll do fucking cannonballs into repulsion while you live your life
Trying to put your feet down in the middle of the ocean
Give up, there's no control
Today is the last day you should push the wheel
Which grinds your mind to oblivion until it fits the mold
Don't risk infection, save yourself now, gather all you've learned and
Forget it all
Now I'll go and capture dead souls, extinguish their flames and fuel the
Plague
Will away those boundaries, acceptance of what's told, I'll go and capture
Dead souls
Will away those boundaries, doing what you're told, I'll go and capture dead
Souls
Don't risk infection, save yourself now, gather all you've learned, and
Forget it all
You can't dodge the subject, are you infected now?
Mathematics and theology don't belong in the same sentence
I'll do fucking cannonballs into repulsion while you live your life
Trying to put your feet down in the middle of the ocean
Give up, there's no control
Will away those boundaries, acceptance of what's told, I'll go and capture
Dead souls
Will away those boundaries, doing what you're told, I'll go and capture dead
Souls
Mathematics and theology don't belong in the same sentence
I'll do fucking cannonballs into repulsion while you live your life
Trying to put your feet down in the middle of the ocean
Give up, there's no control
Today is the last day you should push the wheel
Which grinds your mind to oblivion until it fits the mold
Don't risk infection, save yourself now, gather all you've learned and
Forget it all
Now I'll go and capture dead souls, extinguish their flames and fuel the
Plague
Will away those boundaries, acceptance of what's told, I'll go and capture
Dead souls
Will away those boundaries, doing what you're told, I'll go and capture dead
Souls
Don't risk infection, save yourself now, gather all you've learned, and
Forget it all
You can't dodge the subject, are you infected now?
Mathematics and theology don't belong in the same sentence
I'll do fucking cannonballs into repulsion while you live your life
Trying to put your feet down in the middle of the ocean
Give up, there's no control
Will away those boundaries, acceptance of what's told, I'll go and capture
Dead souls
Will away those boundaries, doing what you're told, I'll go and capture dead
Souls
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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.
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,
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.
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.