"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.
Hold me, don't ever leave me
Know me, never believe me
Stay here but don't get too near me
Leave me, leave me alone
But don't ever let me go
Show me, but don't ever teach me
Touch me, don't try to reach me
Hold me but don't ever keep me
Baby, don't ever let me in
And don't let me win
'cause I leave myself to you
Yes, I release myself with you
I believe in me and you
So don't ever say you do
Love me, try not to need me
Need me but don't let the greed in
Feel free but don't ever leave me
Give in, don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win
Hold me, don't ever leave me
Ask me but don't ever make me
Save me, don't ever forsake me
Call me but don't ever say my name
Know what you do
'cause I leave myself to you
Yes I release myself with you
I believe in me and you
So don't ever say you do
Don't let me win
Just hold me
And you say "nina nina ninana...."
Now how can I let you go?
Hold me, don't ever leave me
Love me but don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win
Know me, never believe me
Stay here but don't get too near me
Leave me, leave me alone
But don't ever let me go
Show me, but don't ever teach me
Touch me, don't try to reach me
Hold me but don't ever keep me
Baby, don't ever let me in
And don't let me win
'cause I leave myself to you
Yes, I release myself with you
I believe in me and you
So don't ever say you do
Love me, try not to need me
Need me but don't let the greed in
Feel free but don't ever leave me
Give in, don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win
Hold me, don't ever leave me
Ask me but don't ever make me
Save me, don't ever forsake me
Call me but don't ever say my name
Know what you do
'cause I leave myself to you
Yes I release myself with you
I believe in me and you
So don't ever say you do
Don't let me win
Just hold me
And you say "nina nina ninana...."
Now how can I let you go?
Hold me, don't ever leave me
Love me but don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
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.
I think both of them are in love and she likes that and wants them to be close, but at the same time she appreciates that both of them also need their own space in life and that the balance between spending time by yourself and dedicating time to the other person isn't as simple as she'd first thought. It's almost like she's saying, "Yes, love me and hold me, but don't get too carried away."