"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.
Exploding international, the scenes, the sounds, and famously the feeling that you can't squeeze ground, while tearing off another page of loose change outrage. Its another perfect day until the night shows. Exploding international, the wind did howl. The sky above was thick with rings of smoke and clouds, and hanging on the bleeding end of conscious, who's this? Was there anything I missed, as far as you know? Was it all for swinging you around? Exploding international, the sun, the sights, the moments you are viewing through a beam of light, propel you through the golden age. We crash-land the first page on a crumbling world stage, into the front rows. All for swinging you around. And off your feet, all the love you found, spinning ground. We're twisting incognito with no time, can't talk, can't tell if this is fantasy or culture shock, or remnants of a golden age that's near mint unplayed, or a welcome overstayed beneath the lightshow. All for swinging you around.
Lyrics submitted by Statbucksbabe28
All for Swinging You Around Lyrics as written by Carl Allan Newman
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, 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
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.
It's about being famous, namely in the music business. The "while tearing off another page of loose change" thing is about writing a check (probably worth lots of money) as if it were pocket change (ie. nickels, quarters, dimes). Is that really that hard to grasp, it's kinda obvious?
It's not all that obvious it's about the music business, dude. whatever and dead have good points. It could be about any number of things. But I do love this song. Still can't figure out what it's about but maybe it's just words. As a songwriter/singer, that's sometimes how it works. You don't plan what a song is going to be about, words just kind of come to you while you're strumming on the guitar or beating on the drums or playing on the bass or piano. Sometimes it's just your mind that makes it for you.
LOVE this song. LOVE neko case's voice.
How about...
I think the "loose change" line in the first stanza is intersting, because on the Electric Version CD 'Loose Translation' and 'Chump Change' are the songs that come before this one.
I have no idea what this song is about, but I love it.. maybe it isn't actually about anything, i dunno
Yes, but what about the parts referring to love?
yeah man, what ABOUT the parts referring to love?! I just watched the video on youtube...gotta say... pretty sweet ....jump rope is HOT
Coming right after Chump Change (which IMO is about being screwed over by the music business, typical Bejar), it would be really funny if it this song was about being rich and famous in the music industry.
I think it's just generally about being a musician - 'you' being the person listening.