"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.
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall
And there's always something more
It's lost in talk, I waste my time
And it's all been said before
While further down behind the masquerade the tears are there
I don't ask for all that much I just want someone to care
That's right now
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Come on out beneath the shining sun
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Sneak on out beneath the stars and run
Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah, oh yeah
It's king and queen and we must go down now beyond the chandelier
Where I won't have to speak my mind and you won't have to hear
Shreds of news and afterthoughts and complicated scenes
We'll huddle down behind the light and fade like magazines
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Hey hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh now, meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Let me see you smiling back at me
Hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Hold me tight and love and loving's free
Woah yeah
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall
And there's always something more
It's lost in talk, I waste my time
And it's all been said before
While further down behind the masquerade the tears are there
I don't ask for all that much I just want someone to care
That's right now
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Come on out beneath the shining sun
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Sneak on out beneath the stars and run
Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah, oh yeah
It's king and queen and we must go down now beyond the chandelier
Where I won't have to speak my mind and you won't have to hear
Shreds of news and afterthoughts and complicated scenes
We'll huddle down behind the light and fade like magazines
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Hey hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh now, meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Let me see you smiling back at me
Hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Hold me tight and love and loving's free
Woah yeah
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
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.
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 cannnot Belive no ones commented on this song, it's just such a good sounding song, and hey,everyone likes a romeo or juliet themed song, hehe
It's a cover of a '70's song. He does a great job on it.