"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.
We talked all night about suicide
And she said if this is living
How come i never feel alive?
First time you're there
Well it gets you up
Second time alright
But its just not enough
No, it shootss through your veins
Tears all you nerves apart
Well, you give it a go
You give it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
You give it a go
You give it a go
You get a little high
And you get a little low
I've seen you there so many times
You had your hands in your pocket
You said "I've just got this message on my phone, and its blowing my mind, You know its tearing me up inside out"
Strangles me, Strangles me
You know
First time you're there
Well it gets you up
Second times alright
But its the second circle of hell in your mind
It shoots through your veins
It tears all you nerves apart
Oh, just give it a go
Just give it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Just give it a go
Just give it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Well if its all so hard
Why don't you slide on down with me
And if your hanging on my words
Well that's alright with me
Because its just so easy
And we'll be alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get so high
Your so high
Count your fingers to four
One, Two, Three, Four,
And that's it
And she said if this is living
How come i never feel alive?
First time you're there
Well it gets you up
Second time alright
But its just not enough
No, it shootss through your veins
Tears all you nerves apart
Well, you give it a go
You give it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
You give it a go
You give it a go
You get a little high
And you get a little low
I've seen you there so many times
You had your hands in your pocket
You said "I've just got this message on my phone, and its blowing my mind, You know its tearing me up inside out"
Strangles me, Strangles me
You know
First time you're there
Well it gets you up
Second times alright
But its the second circle of hell in your mind
It shoots through your veins
It tears all you nerves apart
Oh, just give it a go
Just give it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Just give it a go
Just give it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Well if its all so hard
Why don't you slide on down with me
And if your hanging on my words
Well that's alright with me
Because its just so easy
And we'll be alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You know its alright
You know its alright
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get a little high
You get a little low
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
Your giving it a go
You get so high
Your so high
Count your fingers to four
One, Two, Three, Four,
And that's it
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
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.
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 Herion. Only song on the album I don't totally get but it's still got an awesome part in it:
Well if it's all so hard Why don't you slide on down with me? And if you're hanging on my words, yeah Well that's alright with me Because it's just so easy And we'll be alright