"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.
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Give me a reason to end this discussion
To break with tradition, to fall and divide
'Cause I hate the ocean, theme parks and airplanes
Talking with strangers, waiting in line
I'm through with these pills that make me sit still
(Are you feeling fine?) Yes, I'm feeling fine
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
I'm sick of the things I do when I'm nervous
Like cleaning the oven or checking my tires
Or counting the number of tiles in the ceiling
Head for the hills, the kitchen's on fire
I used to rely on self-medication
I guess I still do that from time to time
But I'm getting better at fighting the future
(Someday you'll be fine) yes, I'll be just fine
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Give me a reason (I don't believe a word)
To end this discussion (of anything I've heard)
To break with tradition (they tell me that it's not so hard)
To fall and divide (it's not so hard)
So let's not get carried (away with everything)
Away with the process (from here to in-between)
Of healing relations (the long goodbye)
I don't want to waste your time
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
(Alright) tell me that you're alright
(Hi, everything is great) yeah, everything is alright
(Everything's fine) oh, please tell me that you're alright
(Hi, everything's great) yeah, everything is alright
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Give me a reason to end this discussion
To break with tradition, to fall and divide
'Cause I hate the ocean, theme parks and airplanes
Talking with strangers, waiting in line
I'm through with these pills that make me sit still
(Are you feeling fine?) Yes, I'm feeling fine
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
I'm sick of the things I do when I'm nervous
Like cleaning the oven or checking my tires
Or counting the number of tiles in the ceiling
Head for the hills, the kitchen's on fire
I used to rely on self-medication
I guess I still do that from time to time
But I'm getting better at fighting the future
(Someday you'll be fine) yes, I'll be just fine
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Give me a reason (I don't believe a word)
To end this discussion (of anything I've heard)
To break with tradition (they tell me that it's not so hard)
To fall and divide (it's not so hard)
So let's not get carried (away with everything)
Away with the process (from here to in-between)
Of healing relations (the long goodbye)
I don't want to waste your time
Tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
Oh, please tell me that you're alright
Yeah, everything is alright
(Alright) tell me that you're alright
(Hi, everything is great) yeah, everything is alright
(Everything's fine) oh, please tell me that you're alright
(Hi, everything's great) yeah, everything is alright
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Everything's fine
Lyrics submitted by constant, edited by dustonthedash, Attacker96
Everything Is Alright Lyrics as written by Joshua Cain Jesse Johnson
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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 always thought this song was about anxiety or depression. I think it can be related to a number of different thinks, but I think it's mostly about anxiety because of these lines: "I'm through with these pills that make me sit still" and "I'm sick of the things I do when I'm nervous " and he's basically saying in the song that he's fine now. :)
Really catchy song. I love it.