"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 you lead me
And fit around my tongue
It's so easy, to forget that I'm lost
Spent all of my life
Waiting for answers
To lift me, to numb me, to define it all
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like this
Cause all I want to be is the minute that you hold me in
When you pretend that I'm all that you waited for
Time slips to nothing and I'm better than I've ever been
I'm suspended
With your breathing, filling up my lungs
I can almost believe that I'm almost enough
Spent all of my life emptied of anthems
And bracing for something that never did come
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like this
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like it
Cause all I want to be is the minute that you hold me in
When you pretend that I'm all that you waited for
Time slips to nothing and I'm better than I've ever been
I'm suspended
It's not enough to stay surrounded
It's not enough to stay awake, torn, braced, cornered
And not feel alive
And fit around my tongue
It's so easy, to forget that I'm lost
Spent all of my life
Waiting for answers
To lift me, to numb me, to define it all
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like this
Cause all I want to be is the minute that you hold me in
When you pretend that I'm all that you waited for
Time slips to nothing and I'm better than I've ever been
I'm suspended
With your breathing, filling up my lungs
I can almost believe that I'm almost enough
Spent all of my life emptied of anthems
And bracing for something that never did come
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like this
Sunshine, I'm beginning to like it
Cause all I want to be is the minute that you hold me in
When you pretend that I'm all that you waited for
Time slips to nothing and I'm better than I've ever been
I'm suspended
It's not enough to stay surrounded
It's not enough to stay awake, torn, braced, cornered
And not feel alive
Lyrics submitted by skeeter688
Suspended Lyrics as written by Matt Nathanson Eric Bazilian
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
This is a great song as it is on the album. I saw it live when Matt performed it unplugged as an encore. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had at a concert. Matt truly touched everyone in the audience of about 150 people with his performance of Suspended. It is just a beautiful song.
to me its about how he ahs finally found true love and he knows she's perfect for him but becuase of maybe heartache in the past, he' still slightly apprehensive, "i can almost believe that i'm almost enough"
"all i want to be is the minute that you hold me in, and you pretend that i'm all that you waited for."
it may not be a perfect relationship, they may not be perfect for each other, but they can pretend because the sex is damn good.
"spent all of my life emptied of anthems and bracing for something that never did come"
he's saying he spent his life searching for true love, but he never found it, so right now he can just settle for damn good sex.
Feels like he's finally with the girl. But it's almost to good to be true He's trying to fight that feeling and just give in. Love Matt, and this song.
Its about when you're in a relationship and the other person sees you in a way that you never saw yourself and it makes you feel better about who you are.
When he's with this girl, he forgets about everything else. He loses himself in her and it masks how lost he is in life. How unhappy he is with certain things. He feels better about himself and his situation when he is in her warm embrace.
Here's my take on it. They're not in an actual relationships. It could be just a friends with benefits sort of thing. Either way he's in deeper than she is. "I can almost believe that I'm almost enough".. this line goes to prove that they're not together. He's almost enough for her, but at the same time he's not and he knows it. "cause all i want to be is the minute that you hold me in when you pretend that i'm all that you waited for" Once again, they're not together and he's not what she's looking for, but for the moment while they're together she'll pretend that he is...
It's a bittersweet thing. Perhaps I only interpret it this way because I'm kinda going through that sort of thing and this song seems to fit perfect.
i think it's about a relationship that was alright in the beginning. but now they both know that it has to end, but she's kind of pretending for a while that he's right for her and he's pretending that he's enough for her. ?
i'd definitely have to agree with stargazer on this one, i don't think he's in a relationship with a girl, to me, she's leading him on. "your breathing filling up my lungs, i can almost believe that i'm almost enough" i pictured that meaning that they're sleeping next to eachother or something and he thinks that he won, that he's finally made her happy enough to be part of her life, but she still doesn't want him. at the same time though "cause all i want to be is the minute that you hold me in" he just wants to spend time with her, even though he knows this is the situation that he's in.
Although some of you make a good case, I believe that this song is point on with cubbyblues. His life isn't the greatest and with her he feels like he is a better person. When he is with her he feels like he can forget about his crappy life when in her presence. One of my favorites...although there are so many. Always get chills with the alive note.