"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.
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Doctor, I don't know what I've done
There's more to this than my
ex-love and my ex-limbs could ever in my life begin to explain
everytime I think of her
and what went on that night
I don't see it, instead I hear it
A song so awful and so perfect
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Doctor, I don't know what I'm gonna do
I need this song to be shouted out
and to be heard by everyone
It's like each word and
every chord refuses to be ignored
This is bigger than me,
but with no hands and even less skill
I don't know how it ever will come out
Doctor, I think it's her I hear
It's always been,
but if this pain can be arranged
in such a way to bring out beauty
then why and who am I to stop it?
I'll bring her back and I won't stop until it's done
Until these nightmares are done
I need her
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and, of you and me
I need her
I need this
The set is on to sing themselves, we just sing along
So if death's the answer than the question is the trigger
and I'm just a firing pin
Yeah I'm just a messenger
So if death's the answer than the question is the trigger
and I'm just a firing pin
And I'm just a messenger
doomed to death and maybe delivery
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Doctor, I don't know what I've done
There's more to this than my
ex-love and my ex-limbs could ever in my life begin to explain
everytime I think of her
and what went on that night
I don't see it, instead I hear it
A song so awful and so perfect
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Doctor, I don't know what I'm gonna do
I need this song to be shouted out
and to be heard by everyone
It's like each word and
every chord refuses to be ignored
This is bigger than me,
but with no hands and even less skill
I don't know how it ever will come out
Doctor, I think it's her I hear
It's always been,
but if this pain can be arranged
in such a way to bring out beauty
then why and who am I to stop it?
I'll bring her back and I won't stop until it's done
Until these nightmares are done
I need her
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and, of you and me
I need her
I need this
The set is on to sing themselves, we just sing along
So if death's the answer than the question is the trigger
and I'm just a firing pin
Yeah I'm just a messenger
So if death's the answer than the question is the trigger
and I'm just a firing pin
And I'm just a messenger
doomed to death and maybe delivery
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
that your surgery it might not be the key
to fix the memory of you and me
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
i hear... "so if thats the answer than the question is the trigger and I'm just a firing pin"