"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.
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
(Hey)
When I'm down to my last dollar
I walk right through my shoes
Just a small reminder
Of the hell that I've gone through
But look at me still smiling
'Cause I'm wondering what I'll do
Since I ain't got nothing
I got nothing to lose
Everybody say: ha ha ha, ha ha ha
My friends are always giving me
Watches, hats, and wine
That's how I know this is serious
That's how I know it's time
I don't have to worry about things that I don't have
'Cause if I ain't got nothing
I got nothing to hold me back
And one, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
There's nothing that's worth keeping me
From places I should go
From Happy-ville to Loving-land
I'm gonna tour from coast to coast
I'm leaving everything behind
There's not much that I need
'Cause If I ain't got nothing
I'm foot-loose and fancy-free
And one, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
Look at me so free
Nothing's holding me down (down)
Look at me so free
Can't keep my feet on the ground
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away
(Fly Away)
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
(Hey)
When I'm down to my last dollar
I walk right through my shoes
Just a small reminder
Of the hell that I've gone through
But look at me still smiling
'Cause I'm wondering what I'll do
Since I ain't got nothing
I got nothing to lose
Everybody say: ha ha ha, ha ha ha
My friends are always giving me
Watches, hats, and wine
That's how I know this is serious
That's how I know it's time
I don't have to worry about things that I don't have
'Cause if I ain't got nothing
I got nothing to hold me back
And one, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
There's nothing that's worth keeping me
From places I should go
From Happy-ville to Loving-land
I'm gonna tour from coast to coast
I'm leaving everything behind
There's not much that I need
'Cause If I ain't got nothing
I'm foot-loose and fancy-free
And one, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
Look at me so free
Nothing's holding me down (down)
Look at me so free
Can't keep my feet on the ground
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
'Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away, fly away
Fly away
(Fly Away)
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
One, two, three, like a bird, I sing
'Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
Lyrics submitted by rocketqueenz
Last Dollar (Fly Away) Lyrics as written by Kenny Alphin
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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.
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.
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.
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'm amazed that there's no more comments on this song! it's so good i think it's about someone that realized that even if they don't have a lot that they can be happy and all they need is the people around them.. i also think it's a bout god in a way.. i think he's talking about how god has given him this awesome life and he's glad that he has god because if tomorrow never comes he'll have to 'fly away' to heaven.. now i'm not Christian but that's just what it seems he's talking about