"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.
The empire will fall like they planned on
Can we even last through the night?
We watch as the sky scrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky,
That blinds our eyes!
This is our last chance,
To make things right
A world lost forever
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight
Well try to find a place to sleep,
Its going on days, that we've been awake
A sadness that I've never seen
I said your name, and you, looked the other way
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I have nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left!
The disconnecting count of days
Of fading away, the lives that we made
Tear drops will spill, from your blue eyes
Intentions were wrong, I apologize
The empire is falling
Like they planned on and we lost it all
The city sleeps in flames
Lost
Time
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
I can't find a way to live in this life!
The empire will fall like they planned on
Can we even last through the night
We watch as the sky scrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky,
That blinds our eyes!
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I have nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
But I've got nothing left
Can we even last through the night?
We watch as the sky scrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky,
That blinds our eyes!
This is our last chance,
To make things right
A world lost forever
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight
Well try to find a place to sleep,
Its going on days, that we've been awake
A sadness that I've never seen
I said your name, and you, looked the other way
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I have nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left!
The disconnecting count of days
Of fading away, the lives that we made
Tear drops will spill, from your blue eyes
Intentions were wrong, I apologize
The empire is falling
Like they planned on and we lost it all
The city sleeps in flames
Lost
Time
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
Everything's gonna be fine. right?
I can't find a way to live in this life!
The empire will fall like they planned on
Can we even last through the night
We watch as the sky scrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky,
That blinds our eyes!
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I have nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
But I've got nothing left
Lyrics submitted by Brandnizzle2k4
The City Sleeps in Flames Lyrics as written by Peter Allen Costa Pouyan Sean Afkary
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
PS:
Pouyan is a dick in real life. But his taste in weed is good.
i personally belive that this song is about the rise of the police state in the u.s. and how the government will become so powerful that it will just kill itself and everyone else
Well, all you people talking about 9/11, I see your point, but I see this song on a more metaphorical level. From my perspective, it's pretty much about someone's life falling apart. "The City Sleeps In Flames." Perhaps the city represents this. "This is our last chance/To make things right." This is the speaker's last chance to repair friendships, etc. "Let's try to find a place to sleep," He obviously wants a break from the emotional chaos that has become of his everyday life. "A sadness that I've never seen." He's never been this sad before, simple enough. "I said your name and you looked the other way." Being rejected by loved ones. "Because these are my last words..." He's going to kill himself. "If there was something left," He's got nothing to live for. "Teardrops will spill from your blue eyes/Intentions were wrong..." The regret of others.
this song reminds me of the last day of the world.
yeah....except....the apocolypse...but the line "its going on days that we've been awake" reminds me of vampires for some odd reason lol...
I may be wrong but to me this song has references to the September 11th tragedy of 2001.
"The empire will fall like they planned on" Might be talking about terrorists.
"We watch as the sky scrapers crumble" May be talking about the Twin Towers.
Some of the song reminds me of September 11th but some doesn't so who knows.
i agree with Shawnk00, this song has to be about the apocolypse....when i listen to this song i just picture the world in total chaos
they sound awfully alot like my chemical romance...yet better! see "skylines and turnstiles" MCR
They're awesome, Yeh sounds like an apocolypse kinda thing to me...but could also have references to Sept 11.
my favorite song right now, it's very eerie and horror like emo...mmmm, my favorite.