"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.
Don't say goodbye
'Cause I'm still right here
And don't you give up
My love for you
Is stronger than this
I'm a tightrope walker
And a vagabond poet
Who was killed
For an artist's guilt
Time will disappear
And kill you
Without any conscience
But I'll still always be here
You know I know how much
This hurts you my dear
Just give it time
I promise we'll meet again
I'm a tightrope walker
And a vagabond poet
Who was killed
For an artist's guilt
Time will disappear
And kill you
Without any conscience
But I'll still always be here
The highway is a ghost town
And the roads are paved with glass
The moon is our spotlight
And the stars our final crowd
There's blood in the backseat
And our screams the only sound
And soon they'll be nobody here
'Cause I'm still right here
And don't you give up
My love for you
Is stronger than this
I'm a tightrope walker
And a vagabond poet
Who was killed
For an artist's guilt
Time will disappear
And kill you
Without any conscience
But I'll still always be here
You know I know how much
This hurts you my dear
Just give it time
I promise we'll meet again
I'm a tightrope walker
And a vagabond poet
Who was killed
For an artist's guilt
Time will disappear
And kill you
Without any conscience
But I'll still always be here
The highway is a ghost town
And the roads are paved with glass
The moon is our spotlight
And the stars our final crowd
There's blood in the backseat
And our screams the only sound
And soon they'll be nobody here
Lyrics submitted by burriedblack, edited by edfen7
11:11 Lyrics as written by Christopher James Gray Alan Nacinovic
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
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/
I'm not sure exactly what this song is about but this is what came to mind:
Don't say goodbye 'Cause I'm still right here And don't you give up My love for you is stronger than this (A girl broke up with her boyfriend for another guy, and he is begging for her back, hes saying that he still loves her and its impossible that she doesnt still love him)
I'm a tightrope walker (hes saying he would do anything for her hes a wild and fun guy, he would put his life in danger for her. he takes every chance he gets in life) And a vagabond poet Who was killed for an artist's guilt (he is romantic and poetic, but his talent didn't get him far in life in comparison to the guy he was dumped for who may have been just as artistic but was successful with his talent. he was killed, or made heartbroken by this guy because thats who is ex is now with) Time will disappear and kill you without any conscience But I'll still always be here (hes saying much time will go by when she is with this other guy and slowly the other guy will bring her down and she wont realize it, but when she does realize hes not good for her he will be there to pick her back up.)
You know I know How much this hurts you my dear Just give it time I promise we'll meet again (hes saying he knows that hes not the only one hurt by this, she really does still love and she just needs time to realize it and he promises he will wait untill she does realize it.)
The highway is a ghost town And the roads are paved with glass (hes saying the road you have choosen will lead you to nowhere as this man will give you nothing that he gave her. hes saying that not only will her new relationship lead to a disaster but they're not going to get along the whole time it will be fight after fight and she will just get hurt) The moon is our spotlight And the stars our final crowd (he is maybe jealous and is telling her that she shouldn't spend her nights with him, it was their time to be together and still should be, they always ended their nights together alone, with nobody to interfere but the night sky) There's blood in the backseat And our screams the only sound And soon they'll be nobody here... (i believe the last three lines are referring times they spent together, blood in the backseat could be memory's in the back seat, and our screams the only sound could be the times where they spent hours talking and ignored everything around them just listened to each other, the words blood and screams instead of memory's and voices i think are used to show that those good times were killed by this new artist, they cant have good times anymore because he is now in the way because she wants to be with him, hes going to hold on and keep fighting but soon there will be nobody here because shes going to realize she wants to be with him after all but the artist kills what ever got in his way of being with her first the memory's than there talking and soon her ex will be killed and she will have nobody because she realizes that she doesn't want the artist)
That's all i could come up with. I agree with Kaqeko about the title, but to go further into that it was his wish to be with her, thats all he wanted, the song is about how he and her should be together.
great song