"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.
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Way deep down south, where we play this game
It's them Quad City DJs and you, we call it the train
So if you wanna ride your thing
Just come on down the train
We gonna rock, ooh, Lord, just jump aboard, baby
So get your next of kin, your sister and your friend
Pack it up now
Choo, choo, ride on this, choo, choo
And, boo, you need to stop faking, and come on with me
I wanna take you home with me, to be alone with me
And I can see you wanna hide it, come on, just divide it
And please don't knock it, until you ride it
So to all of you girls, you know, I'm calling your name
Michelle, Tamika and Tanya wanna ride this train, ride out now
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
I can smell them tranquil breezes from a mile away
Graduated from Booze, up to allazay
Baby, you looking tough to death got your weave done right
It's on so tight, now it's on tonight, yeah, yeah
Right about now it's about that time for me to holler
Girl, I wanna waller in the back of my Impala
Woo, don't need no tickets for this thing
Just jump on in, let me hit them switches on the train
And it ain't no thing, it's all the same
Get on the train tracks, here we go, so get on the floor
And put a hump in your back
So pack your bags, come on, get ready, say what?
We're coming through your town
Move your arm up and down
And make that choo choo sound, like this
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Way deep down south, where we play this game
It's them Quad City DJs and you, we call it the train
So if you wanna ride your thing
Just come on down the train
We gonna rock, ooh, Lord, just jump aboard, baby
So get your next of kin, your sister and your friend
Pack it up now
Choo, choo, ride on this, choo, choo
And, boo, you need to stop faking, and come on with me
I wanna take you home with me, to be alone with me
And I can see you wanna hide it, come on, just divide it
And please don't knock it, until you ride it
So to all of you girls, you know, I'm calling your name
Michelle, Tamika and Tanya wanna ride this train, ride out now
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
I can smell them tranquil breezes from a mile away
Graduated from Booze, up to allazay
Baby, you looking tough to death got your weave done right
It's on so tight, now it's on tonight, yeah, yeah
Right about now it's about that time for me to holler
Girl, I wanna waller in the back of my Impala
Woo, don't need no tickets for this thing
Just jump on in, let me hit them switches on the train
And it ain't no thing, it's all the same
Get on the train tracks, here we go, so get on the floor
And put a hump in your back
So pack your bags, come on, get ready, say what?
We're coming through your town
Move your arm up and down
And make that choo choo sound, like this
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Ride that choo, choo, woo, woo
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
If you feel like dancing, well, come on, it's up to you
We got the sound to keep you getting down, down
The train is coming through
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, ride the train, hey, ride it
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
Come on, it's the choo, choo
Come on, it's the choo, choo train
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
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.
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 thinks it's a song about riding trains and all the fun you can have aboard a train. CHOO CHOO!