"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.
trying not what i'm used to
this time, i'll abstain my telephone
so my fingers won't obey, anyway
finding courses to act for another night
anything for the broken brain
take to the streets in another way
i go to best friend's girl's house
and this lady, haley's all under a hat
if we can talk for a while
she can break me down
and find
we're all just kids out looking for our own piece of mind
with every damn mouth telling us we'll never be fine
and so i'll scream
and sometimes all you got is your mom on your side
when you go back to the chains
from where you used to reside
i awake (in my sleep)
i'm awake (i still dream)
and it's always me
on my god damn knees
haley's so drunk, no way she'll remember
the twenty-second of '04 november
but maybe i will have these problems too
and drink like a fish that's over fed at the zoo
and if it seems to be the case whereas
i stay inside on rainy nights (in)stead seeing you
do not fall
it's not your fault
so with this shootout, let's draw
and it's always me
on my god damn knees
where's the upside please?
she's me disease
but oh no, here it comes around again
and i can only wonder what i do
to cause such complications and issues
(oh no, oh no)
okay i said it, what to do
i should be hung dead for the youth
i'm careless and frightened, and kind of exicted
so why you gonna kill me girl
well i know, i keep up this damn town
by singing for the night
and i felt i'd fall into bad ways
so i'll keep out of sight
ears are bleeding from headphones beating
no, i'll never go unhook myself from
my computer screen
no, this console's got me cooking
like an addict, we crave these things
so haley's not coming back, not for nothing
and even if i could make up for something
she'd still be right to hate me
this time, i'll abstain my telephone
so my fingers won't obey, anyway
finding courses to act for another night
anything for the broken brain
take to the streets in another way
i go to best friend's girl's house
and this lady, haley's all under a hat
if we can talk for a while
she can break me down
and find
we're all just kids out looking for our own piece of mind
with every damn mouth telling us we'll never be fine
and so i'll scream
and sometimes all you got is your mom on your side
when you go back to the chains
from where you used to reside
i awake (in my sleep)
i'm awake (i still dream)
and it's always me
on my god damn knees
haley's so drunk, no way she'll remember
the twenty-second of '04 november
but maybe i will have these problems too
and drink like a fish that's over fed at the zoo
and if it seems to be the case whereas
i stay inside on rainy nights (in)stead seeing you
do not fall
it's not your fault
so with this shootout, let's draw
and it's always me
on my god damn knees
where's the upside please?
she's me disease
but oh no, here it comes around again
and i can only wonder what i do
to cause such complications and issues
(oh no, oh no)
okay i said it, what to do
i should be hung dead for the youth
i'm careless and frightened, and kind of exicted
so why you gonna kill me girl
well i know, i keep up this damn town
by singing for the night
and i felt i'd fall into bad ways
so i'll keep out of sight
ears are bleeding from headphones beating
no, i'll never go unhook myself from
my computer screen
no, this console's got me cooking
like an addict, we crave these things
so haley's not coming back, not for nothing
and even if i could make up for something
she'd still be right to hate me
Lyrics submitted by black_out
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
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
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.