"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.
Let me start this from the end to beginning
That way the story has a happy ending.
Some details I can't remember
But I know it all ends in late December.
Heartbroken Bobby picks up his phone;
He dials 911, there's a body on his floor.
Her name's Michelle - Michelle, his belle
Appears to have drawn a knife on herself.
Bobby came in a moment before.
He heard screams and coughing through his front door.
Bobby was out buying flowers for her
Cause he told her she's crazy and he called her a whore.
Michelle was caught cheating with Bobby's friend Dan.
Dan deals drugs so he's got money and plans.
Bobby's been cold so Michelle was upset.
Michelle loved him so much but Bobby couldn't care less.
Bobby's been working a lot more than he should.
Michelle kisses his cheek and says "It's all good."
Bobby kisses her too and says there's no one like her.
Michelle goes to school while Bobby's at work.
They started to date three years before this;
A year and six months they shared an apartment.
Bobby didn't care if he couldn't afford it.
Michelle loved him so much - things were just oh so perfect.
That way the story has a happy ending.
Some details I can't remember
But I know it all ends in late December.
Heartbroken Bobby picks up his phone;
He dials 911, there's a body on his floor.
Her name's Michelle - Michelle, his belle
Appears to have drawn a knife on herself.
Bobby came in a moment before.
He heard screams and coughing through his front door.
Bobby was out buying flowers for her
Cause he told her she's crazy and he called her a whore.
Michelle was caught cheating with Bobby's friend Dan.
Dan deals drugs so he's got money and plans.
Bobby's been cold so Michelle was upset.
Michelle loved him so much but Bobby couldn't care less.
Bobby's been working a lot more than he should.
Michelle kisses his cheek and says "It's all good."
Bobby kisses her too and says there's no one like her.
Michelle goes to school while Bobby's at work.
They started to date three years before this;
A year and six months they shared an apartment.
Bobby didn't care if he couldn't afford it.
Michelle loved him so much - things were just oh so perfect.
Lyrics submitted by remembermaine
Apparition. Apparitions. Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
this song is fucking amazing.
Wow, just one comment is kind of shocking. The first time I heard this song, the story just hit me so hard. Every time I listen to it it just leaves me completely speechless. This song fucking owns.
i love all the names in all of TS's songs.