"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.
Always such a fast girl
Always such a fast girl
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved with everything?
Take back this, hey where do I begin?
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved with everything?
Knew it couldn't last well
I showed you
I can't breathe
I'll be home soon
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
As I said come back for me
The back burn kept us high and dry, dry
High and dry, dry
Nothing left for us to steal
My fast girl
I can't leave
I'll breathe more soon
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
When I said get back to me
The back burn kept us high and dry, dry
High and dry, dry
High and..
Break apart
Break her, break her
Break apart
Break her, break her
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast..girl
I've seen too much, best I should run
I can't escape from what I've done
This ship was never meant to sink
Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, jealousy
As I stare hard into the sun
I can't believe just what I'd done
Did you put something in my drink?
Jealousy, jealousy
Always such a fast girl
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved with everything?
Take back this, hey where do I begin?
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved with everything?
Knew it couldn't last well
I showed you
I can't breathe
I'll be home soon
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
As I said come back for me
The back burn kept us high and dry, dry
High and dry, dry
Nothing left for us to steal
My fast girl
I can't leave
I'll breathe more soon
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
When I said get back to me
The back burn kept us high and dry, dry
High and dry, dry
High and..
Break apart
Break her, break her
Break apart
Break her, break her
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast...girl
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
Are you this involved in everything?
Are you this involved with everything?
Always such a fast girl
Always such a...fast..girl
I've seen too much, best I should run
I can't escape from what I've done
This ship was never meant to sink
Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, jealousy
As I stare hard into the sun
I can't believe just what I'd done
Did you put something in my drink?
Jealousy, jealousy
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
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.
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.
no comments already? c'mon guys!
This one hit me when i was listening to it the other day. i reckon daniel has become involved with a girl but she was rushing in to it too quickly and taking things too fast (hence the title "fast girl" and "Are you this involved in everything"). anyway he was feeling crushed by this relationship "I can’t breathe" and could see it was going nowhere "Knew it couldn’t last well".
and then it looks like he needed to get out so the quickest way to do that was to hook up with someone else, but it looks like he's regretting it "I can’t believe just what I’d done. Did you put something in my drink? Jealousy..."