"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 need someone to live for
Something to die for
Because this crazy life
Is getting to me
Don't want to play the part
Of a man with a broken heart
Somebody, help me find a way
To release the aggression inside
It's so cold in this lonely room
Sitting around thinking of you
And I'm alone, just talking to myself
Trying to find the answer but to no avail
Never moving
Never changing
Blank stares at the blank walls
Drill a deep hole in my empty soul
Never moving
Never changing
Life is just a game they say
And what if I don't want to play no more
Such a high price to pay
Come inside or get away from that door
We've got to make a change
We got to rearrange
Because this stagnant life
Is getting to me
Like a river must flow
It's time to let myself go
Nobody made me choose the life
I chose to live anyway
Forever moving
Forever changing
Blank stares at the blank walls
Drill a deep hole in my empty soul
Forever moving
Forever changing
Something to die for
Because this crazy life
Is getting to me
Don't want to play the part
Of a man with a broken heart
Somebody, help me find a way
To release the aggression inside
It's so cold in this lonely room
Sitting around thinking of you
And I'm alone, just talking to myself
Trying to find the answer but to no avail
Never moving
Never changing
Blank stares at the blank walls
Drill a deep hole in my empty soul
Never moving
Never changing
Life is just a game they say
And what if I don't want to play no more
Such a high price to pay
Come inside or get away from that door
We've got to make a change
We got to rearrange
Because this stagnant life
Is getting to me
Like a river must flow
It's time to let myself go
Nobody made me choose the life
I chose to live anyway
Forever moving
Forever changing
Blank stares at the blank walls
Drill a deep hole in my empty soul
Forever moving
Forever changing
Lyrics submitted by Thrash Metal Rulez
Stagnant Lyrics as written by Robert F. Cavestany Andy Galeon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Yo La Tengo
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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,
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Blink-182
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Brilliant song, love the solo.
The meaning does stand out...
"I need someone to live for Something to die for Because this crazy life Is getting to me Don't want to play the part Of a man with a broken heart Somebody help me find a way To release the aggression inside"
Basically he needs a woman in his life, someone to live for, to die for.
"It's so cold in this lonely room Sitting around thinking of you And I'm alone just talking to myself Trying to find the answer but to no avail
Never moving Never changing
Blank stares at the blank walls Drill a deep hole in my empty soul
Never moving Never changing"
He's on his own thinking of that someone, not doing anything, never moving, never changing, same routine etc.
"Life is just a game they say And what if I don't want to play no more Such a high price to pay Come inside or get away from that door
We've got to make a change We got to rearrange Because this stagnant life Is getting to me Like a river must flow It's time to let myself go Nobody made me choose the life I chose to live anyway"
Brilliant lyrics. Come isnide or get away from that door means you have to do something, not wait around.
He's saying this stagnant life is getting worse, and it's time to flow and be himself and no one did force him to live this life as life is what you make it. So he is going to do something and change the way he is living, and be himself.
"FForever moving Forever changing"
Forever moving and changing, the stagnant lifestyle is eradicated.