"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.
When the waitress is sliding down the wall
You can see her chest rise and fall
Her mascara runnin' thin
And the pay phone is swinging against the wall
Don't ask her 'bout the call
You know she only trying to begin again
And the manager is yelling
Something about her hair being in her face
Customer complainin' but he really has no case
And the counter queens don't even lookup from their magazines
But oh, and the waitress, oh, she stares straight ahead
Saying something she never said
And the waitress has them backing
Has them backing against the wall till they white in the face
She got 'em going now, oh, them praying
But they never know of the role they play
And the manager is quiet as she f-f-fumbles with the drawer
No, he said no, he said, you will never get away with this
No, she said, you will never get away with this
'Cause today when the door opens
The rain slants in
There's water all over the floor
Busser waves to the meter maid
Who don't waive back no more
We're all searching for something
We'll all find a place to stay
Though we may have next to nothing
Oh Lord, we'll find a way
You can see her chest rise and fall
Her mascara runnin' thin
And the pay phone is swinging against the wall
Don't ask her 'bout the call
You know she only trying to begin again
And the manager is yelling
Something about her hair being in her face
Customer complainin' but he really has no case
And the counter queens don't even lookup from their magazines
But oh, and the waitress, oh, she stares straight ahead
Saying something she never said
And the waitress has them backing
Has them backing against the wall till they white in the face
She got 'em going now, oh, them praying
But they never know of the role they play
And the manager is quiet as she f-f-fumbles with the drawer
No, he said no, he said, you will never get away with this
No, she said, you will never get away with this
'Cause today when the door opens
The rain slants in
There's water all over the floor
Busser waves to the meter maid
Who don't waive back no more
We're all searching for something
We'll all find a place to stay
Though we may have next to nothing
Oh Lord, we'll find a way
Lyrics submitted by shaynew216
Waitress Lyrics as written by Chad David Taylor Chad Alan Gracey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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@[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.
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“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think she got a call about something tragic and really deeply effects her, but the world around her just keeps going. Hence the manager yelling at her and the customers complaining... and then all the built up tention of everything and she quits.. but before leaving she takes all the money and just surprises all her co-workers because they always just saw her as a shy wallflower.