"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.
If the South woulda won
We woulda had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
The day Elvis passed away would
Be our national holiday
If the South woulda won
We woulda had it made
I'd make my Supreme Court down in Texas
And we wouldn't have no
Killers getting off free
If they were proven guilty
Then they would swing quickly
Instead of writing books and smiling on TV
We'd all learn Cajun cooking in Louisiana
And I'd put that capital back in Alabama
We'd put Florida on the right track
Cause we'd take Miami back
And throw all them pushers in the slammer
Oh, if the south woulda won
We woulda had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
The day young Skynyrd died
We'd show our southern pride
If the south woulda won
We woulda had it made
"Play a little dixieland boys, ah yes"
I'd have all the whiskey made in Tennessee
And all the horses raised
In those Kentucky hills
The national treasury would be in Tupelo
Mississippi
And I'd put Hank Williams picture
On one hundred dollar bills
I'd have all the cars made in the Carolinas
And I'd ban all the ones made in China
I'd have every girl child sent to
Georgia to learn to smile
And talk with that southern accent
That drives men wild
I'd have all the fiddles made in Virginia
Cause they sure can make 'em sound so fine
I'm going up on Wolverton Mountain
And see ole Clifton Clowers
And have a sip of his good ole Arkansas wine
Hey, if the South woulda won
We'd a had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
When Patsy Cline passed away
That would be our national holiday
If the South woulda won, we'd a had it made
Olay he hee hee
I said if the South woulda won
We would a had it made
Might even be better off
We woulda had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
The day Elvis passed away would
Be our national holiday
If the South woulda won
We woulda had it made
I'd make my Supreme Court down in Texas
And we wouldn't have no
Killers getting off free
If they were proven guilty
Then they would swing quickly
Instead of writing books and smiling on TV
We'd all learn Cajun cooking in Louisiana
And I'd put that capital back in Alabama
We'd put Florida on the right track
Cause we'd take Miami back
And throw all them pushers in the slammer
Oh, if the south woulda won
We woulda had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
The day young Skynyrd died
We'd show our southern pride
If the south woulda won
We woulda had it made
"Play a little dixieland boys, ah yes"
I'd have all the whiskey made in Tennessee
And all the horses raised
In those Kentucky hills
The national treasury would be in Tupelo
Mississippi
And I'd put Hank Williams picture
On one hundred dollar bills
I'd have all the cars made in the Carolinas
And I'd ban all the ones made in China
I'd have every girl child sent to
Georgia to learn to smile
And talk with that southern accent
That drives men wild
I'd have all the fiddles made in Virginia
Cause they sure can make 'em sound so fine
I'm going up on Wolverton Mountain
And see ole Clifton Clowers
And have a sip of his good ole Arkansas wine
Hey, if the South woulda won
We'd a had it made
I'd probably run for President
Of the Southern States
When Patsy Cline passed away
That would be our national holiday
If the South woulda won, we'd a had it made
Olay he hee hee
I said if the South woulda won
We would a had it made
Might even be better off
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
If the South Woulda Won Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Its heritage not Hate! Gotta Love Bocephus <3