"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.
Woo hoo
Heartbreak is a headache
Like a toothache or an earthquake
Spontaneous combustion
Leaves a taste that so disgustin'
And it don't go away too fast
On a window made of broken glass
I've never needed anything
Anything but you
And that's what's wrong (that's what's wrong)
That's what I get (that's what I get)
For feeling this (for feeling this)
Anyway
Just let me know (just let me know)
All I'll miss (all I'll miss)
When I'm gone
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with me
Ooh, ooh
Rumors are tumors
Of the sick and mainly useless
When you come to me with these things
It's the shit that I can't deal with
Still I gave you all of me
Faithfulness and honesty
Prayed for God to bring you near
Along with all these tears
When that's what's wrong (that's what's wrong)
That's what I get (that's what I get)
For feeling this (for feeling this)
Anyway
Just let me know (just let me know)
All I'll miss (all I'll miss)
When I'm gone
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with
Good enough to be with me
I would like to thank you
For lettin' me know I can feel this way
Feel this way
For lettin' you know I can feel
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with me
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with
Good enough to be with me
Heartbreak is a headache
Like a toothache or an earthquake
Spontaneous combustion
Leaves a taste that so disgustin'
And it don't go away too fast
On a window made of broken glass
I've never needed anything
Anything but you
And that's what's wrong (that's what's wrong)
That's what I get (that's what I get)
For feeling this (for feeling this)
Anyway
Just let me know (just let me know)
All I'll miss (all I'll miss)
When I'm gone
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with me
Ooh, ooh
Rumors are tumors
Of the sick and mainly useless
When you come to me with these things
It's the shit that I can't deal with
Still I gave you all of me
Faithfulness and honesty
Prayed for God to bring you near
Along with all these tears
When that's what's wrong (that's what's wrong)
That's what I get (that's what I get)
For feeling this (for feeling this)
Anyway
Just let me know (just let me know)
All I'll miss (all I'll miss)
When I'm gone
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with
Good enough to be with me
I would like to thank you
For lettin' me know I can feel this way
Feel this way
For lettin' you know I can feel
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with me
Just throw it all away
You let me down
Like everybody says
You let me down
Write me off like yesterday
You let me down
Oh, I guess that's your not good enough to be with
Good enough to be with me
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
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”
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
and that’s what wrong that’s what i get for feeling this
To me I take it as a relationship that wasn't meant to be, possibly warned about, solid LB song, even if Fred goofs it up by making noises, you can still get the meaning... how someone or something (drug) can make you feel and mess you up and let you down.
i’d like to thank you for lettin’ me know i can feel this way