"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.
Kakushite iru omoi ni wa fureraretaku mo nakute
Egaite iru yume sae mo shinjikirenaku natteta
Not wanting to be able to touch the hidden feelings
I was losing faith in even the blooming dream
Ano koro wa itsumo kowaresou na genjitsu ni
Tomadotte namida shita boku ga ita
In that period I was always perplexed and
crying because of the fragile reality
Ima bokura no hajimari ga koko made kiteru
Saa tobira wo tatakou
Kono hikari no yukue ni wa mada minu asu ga
Zutto ryoute wo hiroge
Matte iru
Now our beginning has come this far
well, let's knock on the door
In this place of light I'll be waiting
with my arms outstretched, for
the still unseen tomorrow
Utsushite iru sugata ni mo kyoumi sura wakanakute
Dareka to hanashite itemo muchuu ni narenakatta
not even understanding interest in the reflected form
no matter who I talked to, I couldn't become entranced
Ano koro ni wa mou kowaresou na kono mune ni
Shinjitsu to jounetsu wo motte ita
In that period I already had truth
and passion in my fragile heart
Ima bokura no zenbou ga aka sarete yuku
Mou minogasanaide
Kono basho kara okutteru kono SHIGUNARU ga
Kitto ima nara kimi ni
Todoku hazu
Now our whole story goes on being divulged
please don't overlook it anymore
The signal that is sent out
from this place should surely
reach you now.
Soshite ima seijaku wo kirinukete
And pierce the silence now
Ima bokura no hajimari ga koko made kiteru
Saa tobira wo tatakou
Kono basho kara okutteru kono SHIGUNARU ga
Kitto ima nara kimi ni
Todoku kara
Now our beginning has come this far
well, let's knock on the door
Because the signal that is sent out
from this place will surely
reach you now.
Egaite iru yume sae mo shinjikirenaku natteta
Not wanting to be able to touch the hidden feelings
I was losing faith in even the blooming dream
Ano koro wa itsumo kowaresou na genjitsu ni
Tomadotte namida shita boku ga ita
In that period I was always perplexed and
crying because of the fragile reality
Ima bokura no hajimari ga koko made kiteru
Saa tobira wo tatakou
Kono hikari no yukue ni wa mada minu asu ga
Zutto ryoute wo hiroge
Matte iru
Now our beginning has come this far
well, let's knock on the door
In this place of light I'll be waiting
with my arms outstretched, for
the still unseen tomorrow
Utsushite iru sugata ni mo kyoumi sura wakanakute
Dareka to hanashite itemo muchuu ni narenakatta
not even understanding interest in the reflected form
no matter who I talked to, I couldn't become entranced
Ano koro ni wa mou kowaresou na kono mune ni
Shinjitsu to jounetsu wo motte ita
In that period I already had truth
and passion in my fragile heart
Ima bokura no zenbou ga aka sarete yuku
Mou minogasanaide
Kono basho kara okutteru kono SHIGUNARU ga
Kitto ima nara kimi ni
Todoku hazu
Now our whole story goes on being divulged
please don't overlook it anymore
The signal that is sent out
from this place should surely
reach you now.
Soshite ima seijaku wo kirinukete
And pierce the silence now
Ima bokura no hajimari ga koko made kiteru
Saa tobira wo tatakou
Kono basho kara okutteru kono SHIGUNARU ga
Kitto ima nara kimi ni
Todoku kara
Now our beginning has come this far
well, let's knock on the door
Because the signal that is sent out
from this place will surely
reach you now.
Lyrics submitted by darkprincess016
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
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”
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.