"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.
Staring up into the solar system
All the stars are fixed up in the sky
I just want to sparkle for a moment
Before I just fizzle out and die
I'm happy because I'm stupid
Scared of spiders, scared of flying
If I wasn't so happy
I wouldn't be so scared of dying
So just be gentle with me
(I'm not as young as I was)
And I'll be gentle with you
I'm not as brave as I thought
'Cause my heart gets broken so easily
So just be gentle, be gentle with me
Wide awake, waiting like a target
Listening for things I cannot see
Insects flutter up against my window
I don't like the way they look at me
I guess I've always needed
To be needed by someone
It's a comforting feeling
Being under someone's thumb
So just be gentle with me
(And if I am ever mean)
And I'll be gentle with you
I never mean to be mean
'Cause I want to pick peaches off of a cherry tree
Just be gentle, be gentle, be gentle, be gentle with me
So just be gentle with me
Trouble is sometimes
And I'll be gentle with you
I just can't switch myself off when I want to so I never do
Because I'm mental, be gentle, be gentle
Just be gentle, be gentle, be gentle
And I'll be gentle, be gentle, be gentle,be gentle with you
All the stars are fixed up in the sky
I just want to sparkle for a moment
Before I just fizzle out and die
I'm happy because I'm stupid
Scared of spiders, scared of flying
If I wasn't so happy
I wouldn't be so scared of dying
So just be gentle with me
(I'm not as young as I was)
And I'll be gentle with you
I'm not as brave as I thought
'Cause my heart gets broken so easily
So just be gentle, be gentle with me
Wide awake, waiting like a target
Listening for things I cannot see
Insects flutter up against my window
I don't like the way they look at me
I guess I've always needed
To be needed by someone
It's a comforting feeling
Being under someone's thumb
So just be gentle with me
(And if I am ever mean)
And I'll be gentle with you
I never mean to be mean
'Cause I want to pick peaches off of a cherry tree
Just be gentle, be gentle, be gentle, be gentle with me
So just be gentle with me
Trouble is sometimes
And I'll be gentle with you
I just can't switch myself off when I want to so I never do
Because I'm mental, be gentle, be gentle
Just be gentle, be gentle, be gentle
And I'll be gentle, be gentle, be gentle,be gentle with you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
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.
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.
holy freaking crap!! This song is so damn happy!! its like some one sticking a giant syringe full of pure happy straight into your spine! if you ever feel low or down, crank this song as loud as it goes and just feel the happy ooze into your blood making you want to do stupid things like dance around like a monkey!! yyyyeeeeeeeeehaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!