"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.
Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun
Yes, I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won
So I took what's mine by eternal right
Took your soul out into the night
It may be over but it won't stop there
I am here for you, if you'd only care
You touched my heart, you touched my soul
You changed my life and all my goals
And love is blind but that I knew when
My heart was blinded by you
I've kissed your lips and held your hand
Shared your dreams and shared your bed
I know you well, I know your smell
I've been addicted to you
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
I am a dreamer and when I wake
You can't break my spirit, it's my dreams you take
And as you move on, remember me
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile
I've watched you sleeping for a while
I'd be the father of your child
I'd spend a lifetime with you
I know your fears and you know mine
We've had our doubts but now we're fine
And I love you, I swear that's true
I cannot live without you
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
And I still hold your hand in mine
In mine when I'm asleep
And I will bare my soul in time
When I'm kneeling at your feet
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun
Yes, I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won
So I took what's mine by eternal right
Took your soul out into the night
It may be over but it won't stop there
I am here for you, if you'd only care
You touched my heart, you touched my soul
You changed my life and all my goals
And love is blind but that I knew when
My heart was blinded by you
I've kissed your lips and held your hand
Shared your dreams and shared your bed
I know you well, I know your smell
I've been addicted to you
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
I am a dreamer and when I wake
You can't break my spirit, it's my dreams you take
And as you move on, remember me
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile
I've watched you sleeping for a while
I'd be the father of your child
I'd spend a lifetime with you
I know your fears and you know mine
We've had our doubts but now we're fine
And I love you, I swear that's true
I cannot live without you
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
And I still hold your hand in mine
In mine when I'm asleep
And I will bare my soul in time
When I'm kneeling at your feet
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
Goodbye, my lover
Goodbye, my friend
You have been the one
You have been the one for me
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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."
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.
Ok guys, i do apologise. This maybe a bit lengthy, but anyone interested feel free to comment on my interpretation.
When i first heard the song i adopted the universal assumption at first, that two lovers were together, but it didnt work, of coarse with different variables.
After listening to it so much it hit me one night, and i apologise to anyone offended because this can be touchy, but i think it is affiliated with suicide. Its like he loved her so much, but he knew it wouldnt work from the start. If anyone has ever been involved with soemone with a serious mental illness you would understand (i do). So he loved her, but she was blinded by the darkness and couldnt escape, and he was blinded about the effects because he just loved her so much. Not all the song suggests the theme that she took her life, but there are some parts that get me. For instance:
"Did I disappoint you or let you down? Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown? 'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun, Yes I saw you were blinded and [I knew I had won]"
Its like in that verse he feels guilty, was it hes fault that he couldnt help her and she slipped through, like in a metaphorical sense "let the judges frown" refers maybe to the world looking down on him/blaming. The rest of the first verse is simple to follow he is just reciting how he loves her.
Come the second verse, "I'd be the father of your child. I'd spend a lifetime with you. I know your fears and you know mine. We've had our doubts but now we're fine, And I love you, I swear that's true. I cannot live without you"
Had she not passed on, hes talking about how things would have been, having a family, growing old together etc. Hes a dreamer too, so he thinks in pictures, so he thought of spending forever with him, so when he wakes up although hes spirit is with him to carry him through life ( giving him that resilience to push on) Her passing has taken away all hes dreams :-(.
The final part that hit me and its my favourite part of the song, is this, "And I still hold your hand in mine. In mine when I'm asleep. And I will bear my soul in time, When I'm kneeling at your feet".
This part if u break it down is something many of us have been through if we loved someone and they have left us somehow, he can still feel her prescence so hes holding her hand. After he bares hes soul on judgement day hell greet her when he passes on too in a loving position where he kneels at her feet..... (most beautiful part of the song).
To sum up my tedious and boring essay haha, "goodbye my lover" talks about losing her, and "im so hollow" just means hes walking along this world alone, and weve all felt it. Now anyone wanting to comment please do, i think im way off but i look into things too much.
Cheers, :-)
Talk about hitting the nail on the head
@Bundy2008 well this clearly took me 13 more years to realize…\r\nI came across your comment due to this song being on repeat at the moment due to, well just some things going on I’m my relationship at the moment. After like the millionth time listening to it, was just out for a clear your head kind of drive, and it just all of the sudden hit me hard enough to take my breath away that I truly felt like the song was about him taking his life. So I googled asking so and well so far you are the only other that feels the song the same way as I. Probably a deep soul like myself. Thank you for breaking it down more, definitely helped to understand why I feel the way I do about this song. It’s truly beautiful in a painful kind of way, and this is just point on.