"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.
5-4-3-2-1 let's start a fire.
burn this town from inside out
until no one's left alive.
and you can’t feel the rhythm of your steps
when you hit the street the city seems so far away from here
when you’re counting every step
5-4-3-2 what are you waiting for?
the train is catching up
keep on running - don’t look back.
'cause it's 10-9-8-7 everybody’s coming to burn this city, burn this city down tonight and leave it all behind
all his life he lived in this same house same white fence surrounding him,
he swore he would get out but he can’t because his foot got caught in between the rails,
and all his friends are up ahead they can’t hear him yelling (yelling for some help) and it’s much too late to
call the doctor now this town is full of sympathies we’re drowning in it all
5-4-3-2 What are you waiting for?
the train is catching up
keep on running - don’t look back.
'cause it's 10-9-8-7 everybody’s coming to burn this city, burn this city down tonight and leave it all behind.
is that the sound of the gate coming down?
no flashing lights, no warning?
when we press our ears to the ground we feel the shake but it’s under the skin, so we wilt like violets and can’t get up to put the petals in their place
5-4-3-2 What are you waiting for?
burn this town from inside out
until no one's left alive.
and you can’t feel the rhythm of your steps
when you hit the street the city seems so far away from here
when you’re counting every step
5-4-3-2 what are you waiting for?
the train is catching up
keep on running - don’t look back.
'cause it's 10-9-8-7 everybody’s coming to burn this city, burn this city down tonight and leave it all behind
all his life he lived in this same house same white fence surrounding him,
he swore he would get out but he can’t because his foot got caught in between the rails,
and all his friends are up ahead they can’t hear him yelling (yelling for some help) and it’s much too late to
call the doctor now this town is full of sympathies we’re drowning in it all
5-4-3-2 What are you waiting for?
the train is catching up
keep on running - don’t look back.
'cause it's 10-9-8-7 everybody’s coming to burn this city, burn this city down tonight and leave it all behind.
is that the sound of the gate coming down?
no flashing lights, no warning?
when we press our ears to the ground we feel the shake but it’s under the skin, so we wilt like violets and can’t get up to put the petals in their place
5-4-3-2 What are you waiting for?
Lyrics submitted by xsaint2sinnerx
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I think that this worry about Geoff's lyrical ability slipping is a bit premature. This song is catchy and radioish, but for that matter, I've heard "Signals Over The Air" described as too stereotypically emo. But the albums always work. This song will have a place. And I'm sure the whole Killers-ripoff thing isn't going to happen in every song.
anyone who thinks that they have lost their edge because of one single is simply trying to criticize and find a reason not to like thursday. you probably thought full collapse was the greatest album of all time, and when watt came out, you were expecting a huge letdown. you probably criticized signals over the air. but you couldn't touch the album bc it was solid. the same will happen here. this song is actually pretty musical, and if you like that kinda thing, you appriciate it. Don't you worry, this cd will be contending for album of the year. 5/2/06
I wholeheartedly disagree. I am on my third or fourth listen and I cannot get enough of it. Loving it. can't wait for the album. vintage thursday. I agree with the radio friendly comments, but I think it's great. can't wait to hear it live in Eugene this month.
I just think Geoff may have lost his writing prowess, well actually judging from the At This Velocity Demos that is completely untrue, but just look at these lyrics thery're totally uninspired.Maybe not completely but it pales in comparison to the rest of Thursday's material. Also I belives it's wilt like violets, which are prone to wilt, they are sensitive
another song involving numbers? jet black new year > counting.
Knife2aGunFight, I agree with you completly.
I am so dissapointed in this song.
Thursday is my second favourite band because thier songs are usualy so powerfull, so true, so cleverly writen and cover so many levels of emotion. This song just sucks.
It's too poppy. The edge is lost.
It sounds forced and uninspired, like bits of other songs strung together because it was all that came to mind.
This is true. The At this Velocity Demos were really friggin good IMO, except maybe #3 which may have just needed some tweaking in the song structure. I'm sure they didn't make an entire album of Counting 5-4-3-2-1s. But really who counts in songs anymore, at least it made sense in Jet Black New Year, and it was actually clever. This is just filler. And it is true, Signals was not the best either, but even that was better than this. Heaven help Thursday
Yet another disappointed fan, it's catchy "radioish", "mtvish" and all that. But then At this velocity sounds like a totally different band playing. This track reminds me of the new taking back sunday shit. I undersatnd if the guys would make one more mainstream sounding song, but WHY IN THE WORLD do the lyrics have to be so weak and without passion or much depth?
((also let it be mentioned that there is no harsh screaming in the song War All The Time either))
I never said every good song of Thursday's had to have screaming in it. I do like their screaming in most songs but they have songs that are beautiful without any. and yes War All The Time(the song), did not have any screaming, and it is wonderful, but it also had incredible, insightful lyrics. This song does not. I like to write songs, and none of these lyrics have that, "OMG I wish I'd thought of that" quality that their other songs. It just seemed rushed like it could have been really good lyrically but they rushed it a little, like it could be improved. And no I never tried to insight that he lost his touch writing either, the ATV demos were excellent lyrically, and I'm sure Untitled 5 will be on there, as it says "the light divides what darkness mends", prolly the title track.New single is just.....radio friendly, therefore disappointing, uninspired lyrically, guitars are kinda cool tho, and it's a lil catchy.