"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.
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
We’ve both been
A very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pulled the tricks out of our sleeves
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
Said
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
If I could get the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d take you where nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
I said nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
And I could take another hit for you
And I could take away the trips from you
And I could take away the salt from you
And take away the skin and salt in you
And I could take away your shaky knees
And I could give you all the olive trees
And I could give you all the olive trees
And I could take away your shaky knees
Put it all up into the trees and into the sea and away from here
So give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
We’ve both been very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pulled the tricks out of our sleeves
But I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
If I could get the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d take you where nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
Nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
I said nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way
About your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
Because nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
Because nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way.
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
We’ve both been
A very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pulled the tricks out of our sleeves
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
Said
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
If I could get the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d take you where nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
I said nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
And I could take another hit for you
And I could take away the trips from you
And I could take away the salt from you
And take away the skin and salt in you
And I could take away your shaky knees
And I could give you all the olive trees
And I could give you all the olive trees
And I could take away your shaky knees
Put it all up into the trees and into the sea and away from here
So give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
We’ve both been very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pulled the tricks out of our sleeves
But I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
If I could get the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d share a life and I’d share a life
If I could take the fire out from the wire
I’d take you where nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
Nobody knows you and
Nobody gives a damn
I said nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way
About your blood, your bones, your voice, and your ghost
Because nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way
I’ll believe in anything and
You’ll believe in anything
Because nobody knows you
And nobody gives a damn either way.
Lyrics submitted by Clap Your Hands
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Blink-182
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Punchline
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Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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