"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 want something
That's purer than the water
Like we were
It's not there now
Ineloquence and anger
Are all we have
Like Saturn's rings
An icy loop around me
Too hard to hold
Lash out first
At all the things we don't like
Or understand
And it's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head
Barely touching in our cold bed
Are you beginning to get, get my point?
They're always fighting with aching joints
It's doing nothing but tire us out
No one knows what this fight's about
The answer phone
The lonely sound of your voice
Frozen in time
I only need
The compass that you gave me
To guide me on
And it's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head
Barely touching in our cold bed
Are you beginning to get get my point?
They're always fighting with aching joints
It's doing nothing but tire us out
No one knows what this fight's about
It's so thrilling but also wrong
Don't have to prove that you are so strong
'Cause I can carry you on my back
After our enemies attack
I tried to tell you before I left
But I was screaming under my breath
You are the only thing that makes sense
Just ignore all this present tense
We need to feel breathless with love
And not collapse under its weight
I'm gasping for the air to fill
My lungs with everything I've lost
We need to feel breathless with love
And not collapse under its weight
I'm gasping for the air to fill
My lungs with everything I've lost
That's purer than the water
Like we were
It's not there now
Ineloquence and anger
Are all we have
Like Saturn's rings
An icy loop around me
Too hard to hold
Lash out first
At all the things we don't like
Or understand
And it's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head
Barely touching in our cold bed
Are you beginning to get, get my point?
They're always fighting with aching joints
It's doing nothing but tire us out
No one knows what this fight's about
The answer phone
The lonely sound of your voice
Frozen in time
I only need
The compass that you gave me
To guide me on
And it's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head
Barely touching in our cold bed
Are you beginning to get get my point?
They're always fighting with aching joints
It's doing nothing but tire us out
No one knows what this fight's about
It's so thrilling but also wrong
Don't have to prove that you are so strong
'Cause I can carry you on my back
After our enemies attack
I tried to tell you before I left
But I was screaming under my breath
You are the only thing that makes sense
Just ignore all this present tense
We need to feel breathless with love
And not collapse under its weight
I'm gasping for the air to fill
My lungs with everything I've lost
We need to feel breathless with love
And not collapse under its weight
I'm gasping for the air to fill
My lungs with everything I've lost
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Somehow, Gary Lightbody managed to release a song that describes a situation I was going through at the exact time. So get ready for a LINE BY LINE breakdown!
"I wanted something, that's purer than the water, Like we were."
He wants to find something that was as good as what he had with her. But not quite with her.
"It's not there now, Ineloquence and anger, are all we have"
Further proving the point that whatever magic the couple once had, it is now gone and replaced by anger.
"Like Saturns rings, an icy loop around me, too hard to hold"
The female has turned cold towards him and it's too hard to take.
"Lash out first, at all the things we don't like, or understand"
They don't quite realize that it's ending, but they are prepared to fight each other about it.
"And it's beginning to get to me I know more of the stars and sea Than I do of what's in your head Barely touching in our cold bed"
It displeases him that he seems to know trivial things but not what she's thinking (so true!) And now they don't even show affection to each other
"Are you beginning to get get my point? They're always fighting with aching joints It's doing nothing but tire us out No one knows what this fight's about"
Neither of them quite know what they're fighting about it, but they are going to fight about it anyways, no matter how tired they are
"The answer phone, the lonely sound of your voice, frozen in time"
This ones a bit of a stretch I suppose, but I interpret it as the female has called our protagonist and either dropped a bomb or broken up with him over the phone, frozen in time meaning that he will forever remember that moment.
"It's so thrilling but also wrong Don't have to prove that you are so strong 'Cause I can carry you on my back After our enemies attack"
It might seem exhilirating but it is a stupid thing to do just to prove a point. Our hero is prepared to "carry" her, trhough all of what others might say of their relationship.
"I tried to tell you before I left But I was screaming under my breath You are the only thing that makes sense Just ignore all this present tense"
My absolute favorite line in any song ever! To me!, it means that the protagonist wanted to tell her something but was so angry he couldn't manage the words, what he wanted to say was that she was the only thing that made sense "Just ignore all this present tense" meaning, at least, she once was. But now, nothing makes sense.
"We need to feel breathless with love And not collapsed under its weight I'm gasping for the air to fill My lungs with everything I've lost"
We need to feel breathless with love, it should be effortless and not as hard as it was for them hence "collapsing". Gasping for the air to fill, he is trying to regain everything that he has put into there relationship and lost because of it.
So my interpretation kinda jumps around a bit, but that's what i hear when i listen to this masterpiece of a song. Like I said, an exact same situation to one i've experienced.
Best song off the album imo.
I love this song
great song. catchy rhythm. this song has been around but just heard it about a month ago. sadly its not as popular as the band's other songs.
This is by far my favorite Snow Patrol song and is likely my favorite song of all time. The track features a unique and rather nontraditional progression, not to mention brilliant instrumentation and an epic build-up! The actual writing in this is something to behold as well, especially with how they carry the imagery of water, coldness, and ice throughout the song. Anyway, this song is the epitome of what contemporary music should strive to be in my opinion.
Amazing song! Snow Patrol rocks!
We need to feel breathless with love And not collapsed under its weight I'm gasping for the air to fill My lungs with everything I've lost
Equals
Gary Lightbody Lyrical Genius
This song, to me, means that the 'obvious' problem in this relationship is not thee problem. There are things that we will do and say to each other that have a first glance reason for being done. What this song suggests is that there is much more going on under the surface and if both parties involved would just come to terms with that and commit to a comprimise then the relationship could be saved.
Thats what I get from it.
And in reading that: When did I start sounding like a lawer? Ew.
Toodles Poodles, ~*MM
hmm why don't they have the full lyrics in the book of the CD? Or am I blind?
it's "COLLAPSE under its weight"
i love this song, its about a relationship breakdown, and lack of communication, and gary's trying to get it back on track.
the last four lines area amazing. i actually love them and it's where the real sentiment comes out, where his solution is voiced. he wants to get the thing back on track.