"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.
Nobody can tell ya
There's only one song worth singing
They may try and sell ya
'Cause it hangs them up
To see someone like you
But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
You're gonna be nowhere
The loneliest kind of lonely
It may be rough going
Just to do your thing's the hardest thing to do
But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
So if you cannot take my hand
And if you must be going, I will understand
You gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
You gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own kind of song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
There's only one song worth singing
They may try and sell ya
'Cause it hangs them up
To see someone like you
But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
You're gonna be nowhere
The loneliest kind of lonely
It may be rough going
Just to do your thing's the hardest thing to do
But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
So if you cannot take my hand
And if you must be going, I will understand
You gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
You gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own kind of song
Make your own kind of music
Even if nobody else sings along
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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”
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.
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.
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.
yes! finally someone submits this song. This song gets me going every morning, but apparently there's a meaning behind it in relation to the tv show "lost". Can anyone figure it out?
I think that the meaning of this song is particulary relevant to Desmond's job:
You're gonna be nowhere The loneliest kind of lonely It may be rough going Just to do your thing's the hardest thing to do
Perhaps the whole library of record was carefully selected by Dharma's psicologists to encourage and motivate the hatch crew, to keep pushing the button.
On the other hand, it may refer to the big picture. I have this theory that the Dharma initiative where trying to influence, manipulate reality, either through genetics manipulation, electromagnetism, psichology, etc. (remember the "history" part on the orientation video). If this is it's meaning, it may refer to " Do not conform with the way the world is. Go out and change it ! ".
The numbers: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, may be the constants they're hoping to change... the result to some equations. When they enter them into the computer, it runs them through the system, and checks if the results have changed... like adding 2 plus 3 gets 5 everytime... but if you're able to change mathematics themselves, maybe it would sum 6, or 4.
Anyway, just a thought.
The actual meaning I get from this song (non-Lost), is that maybe the record executives wanted her (or them) to keep making hit singles... the kind of songs they knew would sell. But Mama Cass just wanted to make "her own kind of music", the songs she wanted to make...even if nobody else sang along.
I LOVE THIS SONG..it makes me wanna get up and start dancing and singing as loud as i can!!! and i like the way they put it in lost when everything was so suspensfull!!...lol
w/r/t Lost...I have this theory that all the survivors of the crash have something specific to learn about themselves, this is why fate put them in this situation. Locke has a new outlook on life, a purpose to live. Charlie faces his heroine addiction. Pretty much everyone faces his or her demons on the island. I think this song is relevant to that, each of the losties is "making [his or her] own kind of music, singing [his or her] own special song". In other words, finding meaning on the island.
The fact that this song qeues up every morning in the hatch is just absurd though, what a way to wake up.
The numbers: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, may be the constants they're hoping to change... the result to some equations. When they enter them into the computer, it runs them through the system, and checks if the results have changed... like adding 2 plus 3 gets 5 everytime... but if you're able to change mathematics themselves, maybe it would sum 6, or 4.
Anyway, just a thought.
That quote reminds me alot of 1984 and how O'brien made Winston believe that 2+2 =5. Anyway I love the use of this song in Lost, the whole song gives a sense of independence which is symbolic of Desmond David Hume's solitude. Also the song was released in 1969 and the dharma initiative was founded in 1970 so its likely that they had popular records and singles with them.
For those few who remember this song from Beautiful Thing movie: You are awesome. I think this song is about being unique and staying unique even if nobody else "sings along", even though it's pretty obvious, it's still great song.
Be brave, Be yourself
This song is a gay anthem.
The meaning is obvious, of course... I don't know about Lost but, to go a little further, when I first listen the lyrics of this song it made me think instantly of Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead. It's amazing how these lyrics sum up the whole philosophy of the book.