"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.
Well they're building a gallows outside my cell
And I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell
I got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal
With 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel
I got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch
With 21 minutes to go
And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch
I've got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die
With 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye
With 18 minutes to go
Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul
With 13 minutes to go
And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold
12 more minutes to go
Well they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine
11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine
10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waitin' for the pardon that'll set me free
With 9 more minutes to go
But this ain't the movies so forget about me
8 more minutes to go
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose
5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose
7 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies
With 3 more minutes to go
And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't want to die
2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows
1 more minute to go
And now I'm swingin' and here I go!
Thank you very much. I'm going to do another song here,
Featuring the harmonica, eh
And then I want to get the stool there and sit down and do some, uh
Slow ballad type songs that we wanted to do for this album
And especially for you.
What I do with my list over there. My idiot sheet
Oh, hit the floor.
How ya doing Shirley?
And I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell
I got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal
With 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel
I got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch
With 21 minutes to go
And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch
I've got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die
With 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye
With 18 minutes to go
Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul
With 13 minutes to go
And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold
12 more minutes to go
Well they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine
11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine
10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waitin' for the pardon that'll set me free
With 9 more minutes to go
But this ain't the movies so forget about me
8 more minutes to go
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose
5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose
7 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies
With 3 more minutes to go
And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't want to die
2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows
1 more minute to go
And now I'm swingin' and here I go!
Thank you very much. I'm going to do another song here,
Featuring the harmonica, eh
And then I want to get the stool there and sit down and do some, uh
Slow ballad type songs that we wanted to do for this album
And especially for you.
What I do with my list over there. My idiot sheet
Oh, hit the floor.
How ya doing Shirley?
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
25 Minutes to Go Lyrics as written by Shel Silverstein
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, T.R.O. INC.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Not just that, but telling it from the inmate's point of view really makes you empathize with him.
"Here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!"