"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.
It's a dark road
And a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says you're never gonna find me there, oh no
I've got an open door
It didn't get there by itself
It didn't get there by itself
There's a feelin'
But you're not feelin' it at all
There's a meaning
But you're not listening anymore
I look at that open road
I'm gonna walk there by myself
And if you catch me I might try to run away
You know I can't be here too long
And if you let me I might try to make you stay
Seems you never realize a good thing till it's gone
Maybe I'm still searchin' but I don't know what it means
All the fires of destruction are still burnin' in my dreams
There's no water that can wash away this longin' to come clean
Hey yeah yeah
I can't find the joy within in my soul
It's just sadness takin' hold
I wanna come in from the cold
And make myself renewed again (I wanna go livin' I wanna come renewed)
It takes strength to live this way (oohh)
The same old madness everyday (nooo)
I wanna kick these blues away (kick away now)
I wanna learn to live again
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
It's a dark road
And a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says
You're never gonna find me there oh no
I've got an open door
It didn't get there by itself oh
It didn't get there by itself
And a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says you're never gonna find me there, oh no
I've got an open door
It didn't get there by itself
It didn't get there by itself
There's a feelin'
But you're not feelin' it at all
There's a meaning
But you're not listening anymore
I look at that open road
I'm gonna walk there by myself
And if you catch me I might try to run away
You know I can't be here too long
And if you let me I might try to make you stay
Seems you never realize a good thing till it's gone
Maybe I'm still searchin' but I don't know what it means
All the fires of destruction are still burnin' in my dreams
There's no water that can wash away this longin' to come clean
Hey yeah yeah
I can't find the joy within in my soul
It's just sadness takin' hold
I wanna come in from the cold
And make myself renewed again (I wanna go livin' I wanna come renewed)
It takes strength to live this way (oohh)
The same old madness everyday (nooo)
I wanna kick these blues away (kick away now)
I wanna learn to live again
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
It's a dark road
And a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says
You're never gonna find me there oh no
I've got an open door
It didn't get there by itself oh
It didn't get there by itself
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think it's a reflection of giving up.
"Its a dark road, and a dark way that leads to my house" - It's no longer her home. It's cold, unwelcoming, and unsafe.
"I've got an open door" - She tried but now she's looking to leave. She's looking to get out.
"It didn't get there by itself There’s a feelin’ But you’re not feelin’ it at all There’s a meaning But you’re not listening any more I look at that open road I’m gonna walk there by myself…" - You pushed her to the point of feeling as though her only option is to leave the place that's no longer home. She's been the only one holding on but you've gone numb. She's no longer someone you need or want. You've left her so she's going to walk out alone.
"Maybe I’m still searchin’ but I don’t know what it means All the fires of destruction are still burnin’ in my dreams There’s no water that can wash away this longin’ to come clean" - She's still trying to find herself, a place where she can call home. What's the meaning to life if everything changes? Things that were meant to be constant and stable have crumbled. She just wants to feel alive (clean).
"I can’t find the joy within in my soul It’s just sadness takin’ hold I wanna come in from the cold And make myself renewed again It takes strength to live this way The same old madness everyday I wanna kick these blues away I wanna learn to live again" - Same as above. She wants to get herself back. Where she's happy. She wants to feel like everything will be ok but this "madness" is detroying her. The strength to hold onto someone that's already let go is causing her to get further and further away from a sense of home. Of being free and alive again.
"I’ve got an open door It didn’t get there by itself" - She's thinking about leaving, but you're the one that pushed her there.
The fact that she wrote this song and is still trying to communicate with the person that is pushing her away... could mean that she's hoping they'll change her mind. That the person will turn around and realize what they're losing. That they really do care. I don't think she's saying it's over... I think she just wants things to be ok again. To go back to how they were when it was them against the world.