"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.
Venus stopped the train
While the brakeman lost his place
Satellites were spinning
In outer space
They televised her feelings
While the light
The light struck terror
I kept my distance
Because she fell in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She fell in love with me
I was polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her loneliness
Her father warmed the benches
Vice President of southern branches
He reached out to her
When her mother slept
He would never forget
The light
The light
The light striking terror
I kept my distance
Because she fell in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She fell in love with me
I was polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her loneliness
Satellites spinning
Satellites spin
The light
The light
The light
The light
The light
The light strikes terror
The light strikes terror
I keep my distance
Because she falls in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She falls in love with me
I'm polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her ugliness
I keep my distance
Because she falls in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She falls in love with me
I'm polite to her
I reached my soft hand out to her
I've known her for a very, very, long time
While the brakeman lost his place
Satellites were spinning
In outer space
They televised her feelings
While the light
The light struck terror
I kept my distance
Because she fell in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She fell in love with me
I was polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her loneliness
Her father warmed the benches
Vice President of southern branches
He reached out to her
When her mother slept
He would never forget
The light
The light
The light striking terror
I kept my distance
Because she fell in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She fell in love with me
I was polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her loneliness
Satellites spinning
Satellites spin
The light
The light
The light
The light
The light
The light strikes terror
The light strikes terror
I keep my distance
Because she falls in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She falls in love with me
I'm polite to her
A soft sadness had her much more than her ugliness
I keep my distance
Because she falls in love with everyone
Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees
She falls in love with me
I'm polite to her
I reached my soft hand out to her
I've known her for a very, very, long time
Lyrics submitted by Hunter
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[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.
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.
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.
I have always suspected that this song was about Tweedy's encounter with Winona Ryder during the Summer Teeth tour. I think she is being referred to as Venus. She stopped the train because her presence sent his life spinning. He was and still is a happily married man with 2 children but conflicted by all of the demands that brings which is all documented in the songs on Summer Teeth.
The line "They televised her feelings, while the light, the light struck terror" I think refers to her appearance on Conan where she gushed over Tweedy publicly. I think the idea that she was speaking on national television about him scared the hell out of him and likely made it a little too obvious that something was going on between the two of them.
"I kept my distance Because she fell in love with everyone" refers to Winona's well documented flings with many mid-west based musicians.
"Smoking grass and taking Christmas trees" refers to, well smoking grass and taking drugs. This was during Tweedy's well known period of drug abuse.
I don't know much about Winona Ryder so I won't speculate as to the "Her father warmed the benches" part.
Lastly, many Wilco fans love this song but it has never been played live nor has it appeared on any of their albums. I think this may be because Tweedy is being respectful to his wife and thought it best to leave this song buried.