"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.
My bedroom's worse than the Catholic church
I let anyone in
And now my carnal sins
Have gotten to be so boring
My heart's wide open
I sure was hoping you could close it down
It seems I'm finding out
That loving you girl can be so frightening
And you strike me like gas and ligtning
Love me, don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
And help me do the right thing
And you steel my nerve and you strike me
Love don't like me
Don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
I've made time with girls
From every walk of life
And line of work
It's fine, I'm sure there must be something more
Because when we touch I swear
I think I think too much
I still remember every minute if you were in it
And you strike me, smite me
Ladies like me
Love me, don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
Say my name and I will give you anything
Kiss my face and I'll kiss yours anyway
Walk my way and watch me lose my mind
And do the right thing
Hold my hand and I will tell you everything
Say you'll wait and I will get you anything
Just don't go or watch me lose control
You steal my nerve and you've struck my life
Don't love me for just one night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
I let anyone in
And now my carnal sins
Have gotten to be so boring
My heart's wide open
I sure was hoping you could close it down
It seems I'm finding out
That loving you girl can be so frightening
And you strike me like gas and ligtning
Love me, don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
And help me do the right thing
And you steel my nerve and you strike me
Love don't like me
Don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
I've made time with girls
From every walk of life
And line of work
It's fine, I'm sure there must be something more
Because when we touch I swear
I think I think too much
I still remember every minute if you were in it
And you strike me, smite me
Ladies like me
Love me, don't just spend the night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
Say my name and I will give you anything
Kiss my face and I'll kiss yours anyway
Walk my way and watch me lose my mind
And do the right thing
Hold my hand and I will tell you everything
Say you'll wait and I will get you anything
Just don't go or watch me lose control
You steal my nerve and you've struck my life
Don't love me for just one night
You can't count on me to do the right thing
Lyrics submitted by booker_pee, edited by P514sub
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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,
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.
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.
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've looked on so many different lyrics sites and I STILL see the misprint in the line: "And now my my carnal sins Have got ginger beef so boring."
...it's obviously: "And now my carnal sins Have gotten to be so boring."
I'm puzzled as to how anyone could think that they were singing "ginger beef."
OKAY-- first of all. My city has an alternative station that plays this song all the time and I LOOOVE it. Second, I can't download it! I search for it all of the time on like Lime Wire and it NEVER works. (I just get these crappy virus things) and I'm so disappointed because this song is pretty well amazing. Thanks for putting up the lyrics!
-Kat
Good song. (I'm also in the music video :P)
you live in calgary right? thats where i always here it too... if you go on youtube there's a video for it
AMAZING SONG
hell yeah to living in calgary, this band is one of the benefits
I heard this song at the start of the film "Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale". The film was pretty bad even to Tom Green's standards, but this song is amazing. I know I'm slow on the charts, give me a break they are Canada's biggest secret by the looks of things.
It's pretty obvious what the song is about. My interpretation is that he wants to settle down for this one girl.
Pretty clear that the song's about a promiscuous rock star that really just wants some girl to stop and care.
I always thought he was saying "you CAN count on me". But this certainly puts a different twist on the song XD