"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.
All you found is another back door
And no-one see's a reason for
At the heart of the travelling band
You have to understand, there's
A drivin' need to hit the yellow line
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
Hey you!
You've been around for a while
If you admit that you were wrong
Then we'll admit that we're right
Hey you!
Come along for the ride
We'll hit the Money City
If it takes us all night
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
[Solo]
Hey you!
You've been around for a while
If you'll admit that you were wrong
Then we'll admit that we're right
You take the heart of the travellin' band
You'll never understand that
All they know is the yellow line, yeah
Whoo!
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke-fizz
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke-
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Joke is, when he awoke his
Body was covered in coke fizz..
And no-one see's a reason for
At the heart of the travelling band
You have to understand, there's
A drivin' need to hit the yellow line
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
Hey you!
You've been around for a while
If you admit that you were wrong
Then we'll admit that we're right
Hey you!
Come along for the ride
We'll hit the Money City
If it takes us all night
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
[Solo]
Hey you!
You've been around for a while
If you'll admit that you were wrong
Then we'll admit that we're right
You take the heart of the travellin' band
You'll never understand that
All they know is the yellow line, yeah
Whoo!
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke fizz
And the joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke-fizz
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Joke is, when he awoke, his
Body was covered in coke-
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Joke is, when he awoke his
Body was covered in coke fizz..
Lyrics submitted by Cleanupinaisle3, edited by joerav, TorontoRob
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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.
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/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
It's just simply about how a touring band has a need to be on the road. It's the strong urge that takes them on the road, to play to new people, see the sights, get new crowds interested, and maybe make a little money on the side.
The joke is... when he awoke his body was covered in coke fizz. You can't tell me you've never been on a road trip and pranked your sleeping car- or bus-mates :)
Nobody's commented? This song kicks ass!
I always wondered whether they were referring literally to a guy spilling coca cola on himself or whether it meant freebase mixing spilling all over?
SO ROCKIN when I first heard this on the radio yeeaaars back, before I knew who Sloan was, I thought it was like classic rock or something.
I first heard this song and of these back a few years back when the Dresden Dolls were on "rage" (Oz music show) and showed the vid. I thought they were saying "body was covered in coke fizz", but thought that can't be right.
The first verse seem to be speaking to a fan/groupie of a band hanging around the backstage entrance to get some action. Then it kind of says how they're only in town on tour and we'll be hitting the road onto the next town, so like what are you expecting to happen that we'll fall in love and just stop and settle in wherever the hell we are?
The second verse in saying that if you understand what we said in the first verse and are aware that it's only going to be a one night thing, then let's go for it.
But then the chorus suggests that despite the possibilty of those scenarios happening, it's more likely the members of a band will wind up falling asleep with a can on coke in between their legs than another person because being in the band dominates their life, kind of.
Anyway that's how I interpret the lyrics.
I think the coke fizz bit: you think touring in a rock n roll band is going to be all "sex, drugs, and rock n roll", but the joke is that it's not so much partying and doing drugs(coke), as much as it is spending another night on the bus and waking up to find you've spilt coke(a cola) on yourself. Perception vs reality.
After further thought I believe there isn't actually a can of coke at all and that "coke fizz" is a metaphor or play on words for "cock jizz". It's saying that the although this guy in a band has others that want to sleep with him, he winds up "sleeping" with himself for reasons like he has no time to form relationships or just no time to go thru the rituals of sex with another.