"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.
Looking from a window above, it's like a story of love
Can you hear me
Came back only yesterday
I'm moving further away
Want you near me
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
Sometimes when I think of her name
When it's only a game
And I need you
Listen to the words that you say
It's getting harder to stay
When I see you
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
This is going to take a long time
And I wonder what's mine
Can't take no more
Wonder if you'll understand
It's just the touch of your hand
Behind a closed door
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
Can you hear me
Came back only yesterday
I'm moving further away
Want you near me
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
Sometimes when I think of her name
When it's only a game
And I need you
Listen to the words that you say
It's getting harder to stay
When I see you
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
This is going to take a long time
And I wonder what's mine
Can't take no more
Wonder if you'll understand
It's just the touch of your hand
Behind a closed door
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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."
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.
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.
Sheesh, kids these days...
No, this song was NOT written for the movie Can't Hardly Wait, it was released by Yaz in 1982 on eighties classic "Upstairs at Eric's".
No, his voice is not gorgeous, it was sung by Alison Moyet, who does admittedly have a deep voice, smokey for a woman, but is all female.
This song is great, one of my favorites. It is a little difficult to attach a meaning to it simply because the meaning is different for everyone. Some people see this as a breakup song and to other's it is their wedding song and I think that is the beauty of songs like these. They have the ability of taking us back to that point in our lives when we felt heartache or joy.
I remember the heartache after a break up back in the 80's and this song playing over and over on the radio and the tears just roliing down my cheeks again and again. Oh the pain fo being a teenager. This sure captured it.
u are sooo right genetru. kids these days think they know everything.
by the way...one of the best songs ever written and may i add "midnight" is awesome too. vince clarke is a genius and alison moyet is a great vocalist!
No one is talking about the song meaning itself.
Even more beautiful when harmonized by The Flying Pickets.
This song is about separation from your only love and the long and uncertain road back home.
'Only You' came out in 1982, when I was in the third year of my relationship with my future wife. It has been 'Only Her' for 28 years. Now my chronic addiction is tearing us apart.
We are recently separated: "I'm moving farther away, want you near me."
My pleas to come back home are being met with tough liove: "Listen to what you have to say, it's getting harder to stay."
I realize now: "This is going to take along time, and wonder what's mine, can't take no more. All I want is the touch of your hand behind a closed door."
And as the reality sets in, the chorus keeps going through my head: "All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew, only you."
Why didn't I see this before? The past tense of the lyrics gives a sense of capitulation. But I am not giving up as long as I get sober.
For another take on growing old and possibly alone, listen to Lukas Graham and his song, '7 Years,' which asks when we are 60, "Will I think the world is cold or will I have lots of children who can warm me?"
Time will tell, one day at a time....
firstly this reminds me of The Office as its played on the christmas special as Tim and Dawn finally get together! but it also has personal meaning for me theres this girl on my course at uni, a few months ago i used to really fancy her (but i had a rival mate who also did). i asked her out but she said no but we we remained good friends. i never lost the feelings though and she knew how much i liked her... for her 21st we went down to where she lives in surrey where we went out in the evening. at a nightclub she was dancing with my mate and they were kissing, passionately. i was very upset and broken! the night after she apolagised in a txt for her 'drunken insensitive actions' and how nothing more would happen as were both friends to her. 2 days later it was valantines day. i sent her a card, disguising my writing and not signing it. i also quoted lines from this song on the envelope.
she worked out the card was from me, and said it was the most amazing card shes ever had, and its one of her favourite songs! i had no idea she even knew the song! so i'll always think of this song as something which helped me turn a really shitty weekend completely on its head and repair a strong friendship which really looked like it could be lost at one point.
this is in the top 3 greatest 80s songs of all time. and this song is played at the end of "cant hardly wait" and it makes the movie perfect. this song reminds me of my love...we would play it over and over because its just one of those songs you cant get sick of ever. damn no comments. jeez 80s fans.
Are you mad? Only three comments? This is one of the greatest songs ever. I would like an explanation of the lyrics. I really don't understand the story. Sorry for my bad english.
It was the song on my wedding. !