"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.
You'll be forever an angel in a sundress
Blowing in the sweet September wind.
At least that's how I choose to remember.
And in my heart, you'll never love again.
Maybe it's too late to regain sight of all that we have lost now.
We've got to hold on to this moment; don't let it go.
Maybe it's too late for redemption now.
I see a blanket of pale white snow on the streets today
From this dollhouse full of open wounds.
And the stained glass of the church next door
Casts its light upon this empty room.
Your eyes, they used to shine as white as Northern Lights.
The demand to be loved is the greatest arrogance.
And I can never make you love me again.
And when all else fails, it fails.
Did I fail you? Well, you failed me too.
Because there's nothing that I wouldn't do to hold on to you,
But you give me nothing to hold on to.
And maybe it's too late to keep the one I love from giving up.
I guess it's too late for forgiveness, God forgive me.
I guess it's too late for a family now.
Everything reminds me of you.
Everything reminds me of you.
You're an angel in a sundress,
And my heart will never love again.
Blowing in the sweet September wind.
At least that's how I choose to remember.
And in my heart, you'll never love again.
Maybe it's too late to regain sight of all that we have lost now.
We've got to hold on to this moment; don't let it go.
Maybe it's too late for redemption now.
I see a blanket of pale white snow on the streets today
From this dollhouse full of open wounds.
And the stained glass of the church next door
Casts its light upon this empty room.
Your eyes, they used to shine as white as Northern Lights.
The demand to be loved is the greatest arrogance.
And I can never make you love me again.
And when all else fails, it fails.
Did I fail you? Well, you failed me too.
Because there's nothing that I wouldn't do to hold on to you,
But you give me nothing to hold on to.
And maybe it's too late to keep the one I love from giving up.
I guess it's too late for forgiveness, God forgive me.
I guess it's too late for a family now.
Everything reminds me of you.
Everything reminds me of you.
You're an angel in a sundress,
And my heart will never love again.
Lyrics submitted by MarkSummers
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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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Good job on this one. I just submitted "We all become Smoke" and my attempt at "Soundtrack" so we have the whole album on here now. Do you know if there is a version of "The Driftwood Sinn" floating around, cause I was really looking forward to that song. I hear it's really good from show reviews.
I just listened to this song again and I think it should be "regain SIGHT of all that we have lost..." Nothing big, just something I noticed.
melancholy and a complete contrast of "looking back on today" from the previous release.
Well, considering Denise left him, yeah.
I'm not sure if it's intended, but this song is almost virtually the same chord progression as Looking Back On Today. Perhaps a subtle intention there... who knows.
A few corrections are needed, I think...
"We've got to hold onto this moment; DON'T LET GO." "Casts its VILE upon this empty room." "Did I fail you? YEAH, YOU FAILED ME TOO."
I hadn't noticed the chord progression thing, but I would be extremely surprised if it wasn't intended.
I hadn't noticed the chord progression thing, but I would be extremely surprised if it wasn't intended.
Amazing song. That line in there, "Did I fail you? Well, you failed me too," just breaks my heart every time. Wanted to point out the line in there, "The demand to be loved is the greatest arrogance," obviously derived from "The demand to be loved is the greatest of all arrogant presumptions," which is Nietzsche. I don't think there's much to try and figure out about the songs Kris writes. All of his lyrics are simple to understand, yet somehow he manages to just grab ahold of you with every line. Hugely underrated song on a hugely underrated album from a hugely underrated band.