"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.
this is us on a western atlantic coast
with no place to be
just taking in the sea
tonight with a constant buzz
we're staring at the ocean crashing on
all the rocks below
in this foreign home
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
and you lay on the grass along the edge
"is this a dream,"
you ask and i don't say anything
because this may be a dream
and we come to this place
like two convicts that have escaped
from the prison of everyday
and for the moment we'll have our stay
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
and you lay on the grass along the edge
you know that tomorrow comes like disease to us
from this cliff's edge the gulls fly below us
diving into the sea below us
and i'm not cold tonight beside you, beside you
and we're not cold tonight
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
this old story
expatriot, you're coming home
with no place to be
just taking in the sea
tonight with a constant buzz
we're staring at the ocean crashing on
all the rocks below
in this foreign home
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
and you lay on the grass along the edge
"is this a dream,"
you ask and i don't say anything
because this may be a dream
and we come to this place
like two convicts that have escaped
from the prison of everyday
and for the moment we'll have our stay
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
and you lay on the grass along the edge
you know that tomorrow comes like disease to us
from this cliff's edge the gulls fly below us
diving into the sea below us
and i'm not cold tonight beside you, beside you
and we're not cold tonight
this old story
when we're gone i feel i'll never miss anyone
this old story
expatriot, you're coming home
Lyrics submitted by minus_the_bear942
Drilling Lyrics as written by Johnson Bayles
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I just looked in the CD booklet, and yes, it IS expatriate.
I always wondered about that line, when I thought it was patriot, it never seemed to fit with the rest of the song.
But now I know.