"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.
Another secret for ya
I've been told if you want to make it in this game
You got to have the luck
You got to have the look
To make what I quite like to make it through the night
My heart beats slow fast, I don't feel right
With a sleight of hand I might die
What about you over there?
Do you think I care?
Well I know you know I know you know I know
And to the man who would be king
I would say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
La la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
I lived my dreams today
And I have lived it yesterday
And I'll have lived it tomorrow
No don't look at me that way
Well I heed the words you say
But my heart has gone astray
You watched friendship slip away
But it wasn't s'posed to be that way
I lived my dreams today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
Anything else to say?
I lived my dream today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
So don't look at me that way!
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What will you do when she comes here?
Oh she'll kill me
Oh, I don't wanna kill me
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
La la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
It was a newspaper joke
Perish the day when they heed what you say
They'll take you away if they don't like what you say
They don't like what you say
So come what may but I'll never stay
I'll never stay
I've been told if you want to make it in this game
You got to have the luck
You got to have the look
To make what I quite like to make it through the night
My heart beats slow fast, I don't feel right
With a sleight of hand I might die
What about you over there?
Do you think I care?
Well I know you know I know you know I know
And to the man who would be king
I would say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
La la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
I lived my dreams today
And I have lived it yesterday
And I'll have lived it tomorrow
No don't look at me that way
Well I heed the words you say
But my heart has gone astray
You watched friendship slip away
But it wasn't s'posed to be that way
I lived my dreams today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
Anything else to say?
I lived my dream today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
So don't look at me that way!
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What's about you, Nancy my dear
What will you do when she comes here?
Oh she'll kill me
Oh, I don't wanna kill me
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
La la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
It was a newspaper joke
Perish the day when they heed what you say
They'll take you away if they don't like what you say
They don't like what you say
So come what may but I'll never stay
I'll never stay
Lyrics submitted by on_a_plain_11
The Man Who Would Be King Lyrics as written by Peter Doherty Carl Barat
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
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.
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/
"I watched friendship slip away But it wasn't s'posed to be that way"
could that be about how their friendship fell apart?
and like everyone else said, it works with 'tell the king' from 'up the bracket' and perhaps 'king' could be a symbol for (i cant explain this very well but here goes..) the person who is dominant, or who everyone looks up to and 'obeys'? because they were always fighting over who sang what and was more popular, shown in lyrics (i can only think of this one off the top of my head) 'ive read the reviews, they all prefer you', by pete, but i am probably wrong.
Wooh a song noones commented on so i can use my useless fact filled muso brain. This ones about Dominic Masters from the others. a shocking band that have lynched onto the fame of the libs to win over a few spiv fans. rant over
woah come on. the libertines are way better, but the others are also a brilliant band. maybe not the best looking in the world but still pretty good. listen to "stan bowles" by the others. its an awsum song and was written about Pete.
could it also be about prince charles? They'll take you away if they don't like what you say
Am I the only one to notice how this sounds like Time For Heroes mixed with The Boy Looked At Johnny? Anyway, I love this song.
I don't like The Others at all, they should leave The Libs alone! Pete, Carl & Co got fame for a good reason!
This is an awesome song, and reading the other comments here, the theme of it fits well with Tell the King, I think.
Am I the only one who thinks it sounds like they say lie-lie-la-la-la ?
yeh it does but i think its just the way its sang x
The Man Who Would Be King (1888) is a short story by Rudyard Kipling concerning two British ex-soldiers who set off from 19th century British India in search of adventure and end up as kings of Kafiristan (now part of Afghanistan). The story was inspired by the travels of American adventurer Josiah Harlan. Barat & Doherty are known fans of Rudyard Kipling & his work