"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.
I dig my heels into the dirt
'Cause this one's gonna hurt
Won't let the waves wash me away
Is what I always pray
In my heart I know you couldn't see
In the dark or find your way through me
Now I'm alone my hands are numb
How do I carry on?
And at the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Now I'm held hostage in my head
With every word you said
Got all those lessons in my past
I spit them out so fast, I
See myself
With you I act so small
See myself
With you I always crawl
So someone leave a raft for me
The water's getting deep
And at the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Here I am (in my insecurity)
Here I am (with my damaged dignity)
Here I am (you're pulling me in too deep)
Here I am
Here I am (I'm in the mercy seat)
Here I am (running without my feet)
Here I am (oh, what's come over me)
Here I am
When I was melting in your hand
You didn't understand
You slip through me like grains of sand
You still don't understand
Overboard I'm thrown out to see what you are and what I mean to me
But I will always have my dream where you can swim to me
At the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
And I've been on your shore before
And it was no waste of time
Over my head and in my mind
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
'Cause this one's gonna hurt
Won't let the waves wash me away
Is what I always pray
In my heart I know you couldn't see
In the dark or find your way through me
Now I'm alone my hands are numb
How do I carry on?
And at the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Now I'm held hostage in my head
With every word you said
Got all those lessons in my past
I spit them out so fast, I
See myself
With you I act so small
See myself
With you I always crawl
So someone leave a raft for me
The water's getting deep
And at the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Here I am (in my insecurity)
Here I am (with my damaged dignity)
Here I am (you're pulling me in too deep)
Here I am
Here I am (I'm in the mercy seat)
Here I am (running without my feet)
Here I am (oh, what's come over me)
Here I am
When I was melting in your hand
You didn't understand
You slip through me like grains of sand
You still don't understand
Overboard I'm thrown out to see what you are and what I mean to me
But I will always have my dream where you can swim to me
At the turn of the tide
I feel this part of me die
And I've been on your shore before
And it was no waste of time
Over my head and in my mind
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Am I washed on your shore and barely alive?
Lyrics submitted by cristinaish
On Your Shore Lyrics as written by Charlotte Martin
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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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One of my fav songs.
"You slip through me like grains of sand" Love this song, it makes me cry.