"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.
There's always somebody taller with more of a wit
And he's equipped to enthrall her and her friends think he's fit
And you just can't measure up though, you don't have a prayer
Wishing that you'd made the most of her when she was there
They've got engaged, there's no intention of a wedding
He's pinched your bird and he'd probably kick your head in
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but I know you were though
Now you don't know what she's up to, you can only assume
If she's not in the front of the shops then they've gone to his room
Bet she's gone 'round in her school stuff, bet that's what he likes
I know you thought she were different and you thought she were nice
But she's not nice, she's pretty fucking far from nice
She's looking at you funny rarely looking at you twice
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but it's so clear you were though
Have you heard what she's been doing? Never did it for me
He picks her up at the school gates at twenty past three
She's been with all of the boys but never went very far
And she wagged English and Science just to go in his car
They've got engaged, there's no intention of a wedding
He's pinched my bird and he'd probably kick my head in
Oh, now the girls have grown
Yeah, but I'm sure that they still carry on in similar ways
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but I'm only pretending, you know
Yeah, I'm only pretending, you know
I was only pretending, you know
I was only pretending, you know
And he's equipped to enthrall her and her friends think he's fit
And you just can't measure up though, you don't have a prayer
Wishing that you'd made the most of her when she was there
They've got engaged, there's no intention of a wedding
He's pinched your bird and he'd probably kick your head in
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but I know you were though
Now you don't know what she's up to, you can only assume
If she's not in the front of the shops then they've gone to his room
Bet she's gone 'round in her school stuff, bet that's what he likes
I know you thought she were different and you thought she were nice
But she's not nice, she's pretty fucking far from nice
She's looking at you funny rarely looking at you twice
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but it's so clear you were though
Have you heard what she's been doing? Never did it for me
He picks her up at the school gates at twenty past three
She's been with all of the boys but never went very far
And she wagged English and Science just to go in his car
They've got engaged, there's no intention of a wedding
He's pinched my bird and he'd probably kick my head in
Oh, now the girls have grown
Yeah, but I'm sure that they still carry on in similar ways
Bigger boys and stolen sweethearts
Oh, you're better off without her anyway
You said you wasn't sad to see her go
Yeah, but I'm only pretending, you know
Yeah, I'm only pretending, you know
I was only pretending, you know
I was only pretending, you know
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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.
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.
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.
There seems to be an alternate second verse... it was on the IBYLGOTD Single...
"You don't know what she's upto You can only assume If she's not on the front of the shops, then They've gone to his room Bet she's gone round in her school stuff Bet that's what he likes I know you thought she were different, And you thought she were nice
But she's not nice She's pretty fucking far from nice She's looking at you funny Rarely looking at you twice"