"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'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
There's a field nearby
With words written in stone
My love will not die
Please let be known
This place is dead
It echoes through town
There isn't one voice
I haven't heard a sound
The planes flew in
Their bombs did too
The city fell flat
The fires they grew
When the smoke comes in
It'll color this town
But I'll still have you
So I'll say it aloud
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
The friendship we made
Is a waste of our time
There's no one left here
To show future that's kind
It's a world of hate
Gone incredibly wrong
We cared to late
We just followed along
And the boys went down
With their gun in their hand
Their weapon of choice
Their knees in the sand
If that field nearby
Was still there to be used
Would you ever have known?
Those words were for you
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
The war
The ocean, is on fire
The sky turned dark again
As the boats came in
And the beaches
Stretched out with soldiers
With their arms and guns
It has just begun
Believe, you want this
Believe, I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
And the houses
Laid out like targets
With the defining sound
We watched them all go down
And the families
Now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
Believe, you want this
Believe, I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (believe)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (believe, you want this too)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
I'll be your distraction
There's a field nearby
With words written in stone
My love will not die
Please let be known
This place is dead
It echoes through town
There isn't one voice
I haven't heard a sound
The planes flew in
Their bombs did too
The city fell flat
The fires they grew
When the smoke comes in
It'll color this town
But I'll still have you
So I'll say it aloud
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
The friendship we made
Is a waste of our time
There's no one left here
To show future that's kind
It's a world of hate
Gone incredibly wrong
We cared to late
We just followed along
And the boys went down
With their gun in their hand
Their weapon of choice
Their knees in the sand
If that field nearby
Was still there to be used
Would you ever have known?
Those words were for you
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be your distraction
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
I'll be, I'll be yours
The war
The ocean, is on fire
The sky turned dark again
As the boats came in
And the beaches
Stretched out with soldiers
With their arms and guns
It has just begun
Believe, you want this
Believe, I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
And the houses
Laid out like targets
With the defining sound
We watched them all go down
And the families
Now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
Believe, you want this
Believe, I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (believe)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (believe, you want this too)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this?
Tear my head
Inside out
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Lyrics submitted by wendyclear-atticus
Distraction Lyrics as written by Thomas Delonge
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“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.
It sounds kind of like the girl's world is almost crashing down around them. He's trying to distract her from it. (What it means to me.)