"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.
I saw Abbie Hoffman's ghost in the distance,
We got Saul Williams keeping up the resistance.
And punk rock and blues music keep dying,
We keep buying.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have taken over the mission,
Cause our politicians they don?t have a position.
Who?s to blame for this shallow existence?
Our existence.
We try and fight, but this wall's too high
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything.
And I think I'll go write my senator a letter,
But they just talk shit they ain?t gonna make nothing better.
Me and Bev we ain't two birds of a feather,
Of a feather.
And I'm counting on Chomsky, McClellan,
Aldous Huxley and the intelligencia.
Well Cat Stevens he got out and he ain?t missin? ya
And this overpriced and candy coated life, does it fit ya?
Does it fit ya?
We try and fight, but this wall's too high
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, but I don't ask why.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, the fire, the fire, the fire.
And these are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, I don't ask why.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, but it?s time, it?s time to sing.
We try and fight, but this wall's too high.
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything, could change everything.
And these are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, and I don't ask why (could change everything).
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, but it's time, it?s time to sing.
Have we lost this fight?
We got Saul Williams keeping up the resistance.
And punk rock and blues music keep dying,
We keep buying.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have taken over the mission,
Cause our politicians they don?t have a position.
Who?s to blame for this shallow existence?
Our existence.
We try and fight, but this wall's too high
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything.
And I think I'll go write my senator a letter,
But they just talk shit they ain?t gonna make nothing better.
Me and Bev we ain't two birds of a feather,
Of a feather.
And I'm counting on Chomsky, McClellan,
Aldous Huxley and the intelligencia.
Well Cat Stevens he got out and he ain?t missin? ya
And this overpriced and candy coated life, does it fit ya?
Does it fit ya?
We try and fight, but this wall's too high
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, but I don't ask why.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, the fire, the fire, the fire.
And these are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, I don't ask why.
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, but it?s time, it?s time to sing.
We try and fight, but this wall's too high.
Have we lost tonight?
But one second chance could change everything, could change everything.
And these are bloody faces we hold in the fire.
Open up the gates, and I don't ask why (could change everything).
These are bloody faces we hold in the fire, but it's time, it?s time to sing.
Have we lost this fight?
Lyrics submitted by RileyLewis
One Second Chance Lyrics as written by Maida
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
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.
i think "McClellan" is a mispronunciation of McCluhan (sorry if that's spelled wrong). He has talked before about how he studied Marshall McCluhan at U of T, and in other songs he mentions "The medium is the message" which is McCluhan's famous line. I am pretty sure he refers to the guy as McClellan though.