"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.
Scratch card glory, or waist-low pleasure?
Black eyes, nosebleeds, don't look back now
My white abode, do you remember my white abode?
But it's such a thrill, just to find out
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
Scratch card glory, or waist-low pleasure?
Black eyes, nosebleeds, don't look back now
My white abode, do you remember my white abode?
But it's such a thrill, just to find out
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
(Scratch card glory) or waist-low pleasure?
(Black eyes, nosebleeds) don't look back now
(My white abode) do you remember?
I sweat, I ache
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
What? What? What?
Goodbye, your world is
Insert your coin (insert your coin)
Please try again (please try again)
Insert your coin (insert your coin)
Please try again (please try again)
Black eyes, nosebleeds, don't look back now
My white abode, do you remember my white abode?
But it's such a thrill, just to find out
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
Scratch card glory, or waist-low pleasure?
Black eyes, nosebleeds, don't look back now
My white abode, do you remember my white abode?
But it's such a thrill, just to find out
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
(Scratch card glory) or waist-low pleasure?
(Black eyes, nosebleeds) don't look back now
(My white abode) do you remember?
I sweat, I ache
Sorry, you're not
A winner
With the air so cold and a mind so bitter
What have you got
To lose but false intentions
And a life so pretentious?
What? What? What?
Goodbye, your world is
Insert your coin (insert your coin)
Please try again (please try again)
Insert your coin (insert your coin)
Please try again (please try again)
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
as said its probably about a gambling addiction i believe the character in the song had the choice between love and gambling, he chose gambling. the song though, is following a guy buying a scratchcard and finding hes lost.
ill break it up for you to show what i mean
"Scratch card glory" - striking it rich gambling or waist low pleasure? - sex/love of course i believe he is given a chice btween the two wither the chose was made in the distant past or posssibly earlier that day there are reasons to think both. there are three different reasos i can think of;
"Black eyes nose bleeds," note plural, he often visited by debt collectors who he cant pay so they 'deal' with him to make him payup?
"don’t look back now" his choice has been made, chant change it/doest want to think about how much better life hwould have been. or its too late to back out hes in toom uch debt, only way out is to win big (bad mind set)
"My white abode, do you remember? My white abode" -im guessin a house may have been lost in gambling. or its figurative, he gambled evrything he owned
"But it’s such a thrill just to find out…" the buzz of anticipation, hoping he'll jackpot this time. hes justifying why he gambles
"Sorry you’re not a winner with the air so cold and a mind so bitter" - obviously he didnt win on the scratch card "sorry your not a winner" is revealed when he scratches off the silver. it leaves him feeling cold and bitter... naturally.
"What have you got to lose but false intentions and a life so pretentious?" - is he saying it doesnt matter that he lost and trying to fool himself? or is he going to buy another scratchcard/gamble some more. could be saying hell die/be killed if he keepes this up "what have you go to loose but...a life so pretentious?"
"I sweat, I ache." hes lost, its common to get a hot flush though anger with yourself when you loose money, it happens to me. or it could just be vaguely relevant filler text.
"Wha? Wha? What?" ... its probly what the guys says in reply to "sorry youre not a winner" he stutters unbelieving "w-w-what? i havent won!" or more filler text
"Please try again, Insert your coin... " all gambling machines display this to keep you coming back for more, obviously our character is going to buy another one now... this line assures us of that
anyway this took me ages so ; ) made me ound really nerdy too, fuckin awesome song, awesome band had to shar that with you. thoughts?
Pretty accurate, but i think it's about gambling in general as scratchards and slot machines (insert your coin, and the yellow ''winner'' t-shirt) are mentioned. this could tie in with us gambling away our planet, as an alien is on the shirt behind the slot machine (aliens are referenced in we can breath in space, return to energiser, etc.) hope i could be some help<br /> <br /> x
clap clap clap SCRATCH CARD GLORY!!
The songs about chosing love over money I think
Well seeing as nobody is throwing up any songmeanings, i'll think i'll have a stab.
Well i think it's about gambling, and maybe it being an addiction. "Scratch card glory" Well everyone dreams of winning the lottery.
"Sorry You're Not a Winner" Well, you didn't win but coz it's an addiction you'll just keep on doing it.
Meh, just a suggestion.
I think that this is a song about love and relationships.
He's comparing love to a type of game (or gambling if you will). So will this next relationship be 'scratch card glory' (or as many people would refer to it as being 'the one') or is it just more 'waist-low pleasure' (an excuse for sex and nothing meaningful)?
I think that 'Black eyes, nose bleed' is metaphorical and symbolises the hardships of previous failed relationships. Mistakes are made and people are hurt but there's no reason to look back and regret it.
I do agree that the reference to the white abode is possibly a symbol for a time of innocence or naivety as the colour white does connote purity. However whilst the speaker misses this simpler period of innocence, the thrill of trying to find the one (and possibly the desperation that comes with being alone) drives them to keep looking, no matter how many times they only manage to find 'waist-low pleasure'.
'Sorry you're not a winner' refers to the fact that they still haven't gotten 'scratch card glory'. This continued succession of failed attempts to find happiness has made the subject cynical and bitter - 'a mind so bitter'. They realise they have nothing to lose anymore but their hope for happiness and their life (both of which are slowly slipping away already).
The final repeated lines just outline that this cycle may never end. They keep trying and trying but here's no indication of an end to this. We as the listener are left to wonder whether they will ever find what they're looking for - 'Insert your coin / Please try again'.
Just my thoughts on this :)
@CorpseHatch this is it, read these comments weeks ago and it has been bothering me, but CorpseHatch nailed it.
luvluvvv this song.
these guys played a gig at backline in guildford (which is tiny) like 3 months before they got massive, and i didnt go, and now im fucking gutted
Absoloutley Kick ass band I have an Osession with them
Absoloutley Kick ass band I have an Osession with them
i dont usually listen to anything this "hardcore" but E.S are just amazing
clap clap clap
You think this is hardcore? Well it kinda is...but seriously? I like it...but these guys are not hardcore whatsoever.