"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.
Telling me to go
But hands beg me to stay
Your lips say that you love
Your eyes say that you hate
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
What you build, you lay to waste
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
You promise me the sky
Then toss me like a stone
You wrap me in your arms
And chill me to the bone
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
But hands beg me to stay
Your lips say that you love
Your eyes say that you hate
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
What you build, you lay to waste
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
You promise me the sky
Then toss me like a stone
You wrap me in your arms
And chill me to the bone
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
Since no one else is really explaining what the song is about...
I think he's talking about a relationship that has gone bad, and he wants his ex to know that it's not over because of him, but because of her and what she's done. ("So I, I won't be the one. Be the one to leave this in pieces"). He's saying that she's at fault for the relationship failing, and that he wasn't the one who let things fall apart.
But this is an incredible song, you can feel what he feels just by the emotion in his voice alone.
@antimeridian yup, that's totally what the song means. Thanks for explaining :D
pretty close
Telling me to go But hands beg me to stay Your lips say that you love Your eyes say that you hate
There's truth in your lies Doubt in your faith What you build you lay to waste There's truth in your lies Doubt in your faith All I've got's what you didn't take
So I I wont be the one Be the one to leave this In pieces And you You will be alone Alone with all your secrets And regrets Don't lie
You promise me the sky Then toss me like a stone You wrap me in your arms And chill me to the bone
There's truth in your lies Doubt in your faith All I've got's what you didn't take
So I I wont be the one Be the one to leave this In pieces And you You will be alone Alone with all your secrets And regrets Don't lie
So I I wont be the one Be the one to leave this In pieces And you You will be alone Alone with all your secrets And regrets Don't lie
I don't know how many know thins but "Minutes to Midnight" is reference to the doomsday clock made in 1947 where midnight is when humankind is destroyed by nuclear war, war seems to be an issue in this cd...
I'm pretty much in love with this song. My favorite on the CD.
This reminds me of my recent ex. When the relationship started, she promised she would never get bored of me or break my heart.
She did both. She lied to my face many times. And she was the one who dumped me...just to save her own heart from being broken. Funny thing was, I wanted to try and make it work. And I feel this song sums up how I feel.
I shouldn't be the one "to leave this, in pieces". Because it's her loss.
I instantly fell in love with this song when I first heard it for this reason. And I bet you when the album is finally released...it's going be a huge hit. The ska guitar is an odd, yet perfect choice. =]
the same happened with me i could relate my relationship with this song <br /> she promised that she wont leave me then she cheated on me <br />
haah :] this songs awesome
Like everyone else I loved it as soon as i heard it. I hope Linkin Park really goes in the direction of this song on their next album.
i wish to type out the complete opposite of the above poster. But you get the idea.
Guitar is good in this song though :)
this song is a perfect example of why chester is one of the best singer out there today ... his range is incredable and unlike anyone else out there today .. he goes from this soft heart felt voice quickly over to a emotional scream that when u hear it just strikes u ... he can go from a hard core screamer to a love song seemlessly .. even his own band mates say how lucky they are to have him as theyre singer ..
edit: wrong song, thinking about in betwen, not in pieces