"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.
Hear you talk so loud and clear
Can't help feeling something's near
Though you've not said much
You said it all
Been four weeks it starts to show
Last in line for you I know
Though you've not said much
You said it all
But I'd stay for you
I'd go right through
I'd be here close
When you need it most
I'd be around
If you felt down
I'd bring you flowers
Sit and talk for hours
Finish up and dry my face
I'm shining like a new penny
I'll never light your eyes up like they should
But I'd stay for you
I'd help you through
Though your not mine
Already knew
I'd cheer you up
If you felt down
I'd make you smile
I'd be around
I'd stay for you
I'd go right through
I'd be here close
When you need it most
I'd be your type
Whatever you like
I'd bring you flowers
Sit and talk for hours
I'd cheer you up
If you felt down
I'd make you smile
When you came around
Can't help feeling something's near
Though you've not said much
You said it all
Been four weeks it starts to show
Last in line for you I know
Though you've not said much
You said it all
But I'd stay for you
I'd go right through
I'd be here close
When you need it most
I'd be around
If you felt down
I'd bring you flowers
Sit and talk for hours
Finish up and dry my face
I'm shining like a new penny
I'll never light your eyes up like they should
But I'd stay for you
I'd help you through
Though your not mine
Already knew
I'd cheer you up
If you felt down
I'd make you smile
I'd be around
I'd stay for you
I'd go right through
I'd be here close
When you need it most
I'd be your type
Whatever you like
I'd bring you flowers
Sit and talk for hours
I'd cheer you up
If you felt down
I'd make you smile
When you came around
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
Personally, I think this is actually about a guy who's actually GOING OUT with a girl, but realises that she doesn't really like him in that way, despite the fact he's really fallen hard for her. You can see this really well in the line "I'll never light your eyes up like they should" But in the chorus he's saying that he'll be there for her until she tells him how he feels, and even after that he'll still be there, even though it'll kill him to see her with another guy. This is kinda personal for me, cos i got dumped last night but id still be there for the girl no matter what happened.