"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.
Got a package full of wishes
A time machine, a magic wand
A globe made out of gold
No instructions or commandments
Laws of gravity or
Indecision's to uphold
Printed on the box I see
Acme's build a world to be
Take a chance, grab a piece
Help me to believe it
What kind of world do you want?
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now
Should there be people or peoples
Money, funny pedestals for fools who never pay
Raise your army, choose your steeple
Don't be shy, the satellites can look the other way
Lose the earthquakes, keep the faults
Fill the oceans without the salt
Let every man own his own hand
Can you dig it, baby?
What kind of world do you want?
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now
Sunlight's on the bridge
Sunlight's on the way
Tomorrow's calling
There's more to this than love
What kind of world do you want
What kind of world do you want
What kind of world do you want
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece, yeah
History starts now
Starts now
Be careful what you wish for
Start now
Now
A time machine, a magic wand
A globe made out of gold
No instructions or commandments
Laws of gravity or
Indecision's to uphold
Printed on the box I see
Acme's build a world to be
Take a chance, grab a piece
Help me to believe it
What kind of world do you want?
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now
Should there be people or peoples
Money, funny pedestals for fools who never pay
Raise your army, choose your steeple
Don't be shy, the satellites can look the other way
Lose the earthquakes, keep the faults
Fill the oceans without the salt
Let every man own his own hand
Can you dig it, baby?
What kind of world do you want?
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now
Sunlight's on the bridge
Sunlight's on the way
Tomorrow's calling
There's more to this than love
What kind of world do you want
What kind of world do you want
What kind of world do you want
Think anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece, yeah
History starts now
Starts now
Be careful what you wish for
Start now
Now
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This song basically says that we can do whatever we want in life, its our choice from start to finish. But as much as we may see a perfect picture nothing ever turns out perfect. Although not in the lyrics i love when he says can you dig it baby. I'm young so i never lived when people used dig it, but i constatley say it and people think i'm crazy. I love the let's start at the start, build a masterpiece. It shows that perfect picture in life
Can't believe there is only one comment about this song so far. A great tune...along with all the other songs on this album. Meaning is pretty straight forward
Love it.
I think this is an amazing song and then again so are all of their songs. I think this song tells us that we have control of our lives and it is in our control. Our lives start now and although we can't literally start over, we can always get a fresh start and begin a better life and become better people at anytime. He's also saying that we have to be careful with everything that we do cause be can never take it back. LOVE IT!
I actually think this song is about us, and how mankind should proceed regarding the environmental issues we are facing. That we have to act now, and our actions will affect the world dramatically in the future.. Anyone agree? (amazing song by the way)
The current world as we know it is not perfect for human life. In many ways, it's hostile as hell to human life. The song is about humanity struggling to build a better world against the odds, struggling against the raw elements of the universe to build a world where all people can be happy and live a good life. Only humanity can do this, and we've got to try.
Build a world for humans, by humans.
Of course, it must be an environmentally sustainable world, but humanity currently lives on a hostile planet. Only science gives us the ability to live in many of the places which would otherwise kill us.
What kind of world do you want?
Build it.
It's been done before.
History starts when you start it.
But be careful what history you make it
That's what I got from it. Beautiful song.
I want a world with peace...
question is, how do we do that?<br />
this song is amazing. its basically saying that if all the world could start over again how would we live it. what would we change?
I love this song! One thing in the lyrics, though, after the lines:
"Lose the Earthquakes - Keep the Faults Fill the oceans without the salt Let every Man own his own Hand"
He sings "Can you dig it, baby?" That's my favorite line!