"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.
A syringe full of disco ball light
Another binging Saturday night
(Empty of you, leave it all behind)
Gonna trip on a laser design
Gonna sip on your sweat tonight
(Improvise and fill your eyes)
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
Cigarettes so they catch the blind
Smell the flesh
When I stumble inside
(Empty of you, leave it all behind)
One more hit to kick in the high
One more fix to cross the line
(Improvise and fill your eyes)
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
-Guitar solo-
Rest my head on a DJ's shrine
That will do, last call tonight
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
(Shine on, shine on, shine on)
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
Another binging Saturday night
(Empty of you, leave it all behind)
Gonna trip on a laser design
Gonna sip on your sweat tonight
(Improvise and fill your eyes)
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
Cigarettes so they catch the blind
Smell the flesh
When I stumble inside
(Empty of you, leave it all behind)
One more hit to kick in the high
One more fix to cross the line
(Improvise and fill your eyes)
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
-Guitar solo-
Rest my head on a DJ's shrine
That will do, last call tonight
Then it comes, somewhat indigo
Light shine on my morose state of mind
(Shine on, shine on, shine on)
That I love
Almost trance-like kind of numb
One with this paradise I've become
I'm gone
Lyrics submitted by lovehate25
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
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.