"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 smiled at me with that half-ass grin
You know the one you give me all the time
With a face like that you should be on the cover of a magazine
But you don't read them
"They're not my type", at least that's what you say
I won't say a word if you won't either tonight
You can stand there all evening if you'd like
But the looks you're gonna throw my way won't make me any less conviced
You're a smalltown girl with a big mouth, and I'm through with this
Lovely, you look so lovely in your new suede shoes
They're you're favorite, mine too, will you take them with you
When you run through your woods you've got back at home?
Past the sunset and over the dirty roads
Look at you, a well dressed hypocrite
You sing all the songs you hated when you were a kid
You know the ones you never knew the words to
And that's alright, cuz you're all grown up
But just because you can spell love, doesn't mean you should say it so much
I can't fight the dark if you don't give me some light
You say daytime is your favorite, but you're so unfaithful, when you make love to the night
So won't you wrap yourself up in your insecurity blanket
It's nice and warm, to think you didn't want to buy it
Lonely, you look so lonely surrounded in you corner of friends
They're you're favorite, mine too, but will they follow you
When you run through the woods of your past?
"Oh don't worry, they don't know about that"
Look at you, a liar in designer jeans
I don't think this is what best friends is supposed to mean
No no you've got it all wrong
You can't sum up two years with the title of a song
You had me at hello,
But you've got a fancy way of saying goodbye
You know the one you give me all the time
With a face like that you should be on the cover of a magazine
But you don't read them
"They're not my type", at least that's what you say
I won't say a word if you won't either tonight
You can stand there all evening if you'd like
But the looks you're gonna throw my way won't make me any less conviced
You're a smalltown girl with a big mouth, and I'm through with this
Lovely, you look so lovely in your new suede shoes
They're you're favorite, mine too, will you take them with you
When you run through your woods you've got back at home?
Past the sunset and over the dirty roads
Look at you, a well dressed hypocrite
You sing all the songs you hated when you were a kid
You know the ones you never knew the words to
And that's alright, cuz you're all grown up
But just because you can spell love, doesn't mean you should say it so much
I can't fight the dark if you don't give me some light
You say daytime is your favorite, but you're so unfaithful, when you make love to the night
So won't you wrap yourself up in your insecurity blanket
It's nice and warm, to think you didn't want to buy it
Lonely, you look so lonely surrounded in you corner of friends
They're you're favorite, mine too, but will they follow you
When you run through the woods of your past?
"Oh don't worry, they don't know about that"
Look at you, a liar in designer jeans
I don't think this is what best friends is supposed to mean
No no you've got it all wrong
You can't sum up two years with the title of a song
You had me at hello,
But you've got a fancy way of saying goodbye
Lyrics submitted by punk-gurl22
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
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song is amazing. I'm gonna say my favorite.