"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.
When I'm in a crowd
Or on an island by myself
Silent or too loud
Wishing I was somewhere else
And I can't believe
You hit me fast and hard
When you turned to me and say
Never change the way you are
Trying to catch your eye
Things will never look the same
Now I can't deny
You're the moth and I'm the flame
There I go again
I should walk before I run
How can I explain
I can't stop what you've begun
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
What goes on inside
Is a mystery no doubt
Roller coaster ride
I may never work it out
Here's the brand new me
Skates around and floats on air
I'm a sight to see
Rainbow colors in my hair
You have set me free
The one who gets me there
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
Here is the place where
My head is spinning
Time is beginning to race away
You come to throw me
Knock me off my feet
You give me wings to fly
The world goes crashing by again
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
I'm falling through the door
(Suddenly it's clear) flying 'cross the floor
Anywhere but here
Or on an island by myself
Silent or too loud
Wishing I was somewhere else
And I can't believe
You hit me fast and hard
When you turned to me and say
Never change the way you are
Trying to catch your eye
Things will never look the same
Now I can't deny
You're the moth and I'm the flame
There I go again
I should walk before I run
How can I explain
I can't stop what you've begun
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
What goes on inside
Is a mystery no doubt
Roller coaster ride
I may never work it out
Here's the brand new me
Skates around and floats on air
I'm a sight to see
Rainbow colors in my hair
You have set me free
The one who gets me there
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
Here is the place where
My head is spinning
Time is beginning to race away
You come to throw me
Knock me off my feet
You give me wings to fly
The world goes crashing by again
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
Anywhere but here
I'm falling through the door
Flying 'cross the floor
When you look at me suddenly it's clear
You're burning up my dreams
Crazy as it seems
I don't want to be anywhere but here
I'm falling through the door
(Suddenly it's clear) flying 'cross the floor
Anywhere but here
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
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.
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.
I agree with star_crash*, but only difference is that i LOVE hilary duff songs, she's my favourite singer. yeah, i think it's something like she likes where she is until she see's a guy, and he 'burns up her dreams' to stay where she is or something. it's actually a hard song to interpret, like, it's a hard song to explain, like, i know what i think it's about, but i can't, like, type it, if you know what i mean :S