"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.
I've been down for far too long
Till my faith was nearly gone
I never knew somebody just like you
Could be a friend I could call my own
Till I let go of a broken heart
I let go to an open heart
I let go of my broken dreams
I let go to the mystery
And I believe in the miracles
I believe in the spiritual
I believe in the one above
I believe in the one I love
And take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
And even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
I never meant to hurt you, no
And you never meant to hurt me too
But it seems like you always do
And even though I'm scared sometimes
If ever see you fallen down
I will be the one that's there for you
So I let go of a broken heart
I let go to an open heart
I let go of my broken dreams
I let go to the mystery
And I believe in the miracles
I believe in the spiritual
I believe in the one above
I believe in the one I love
And take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
Even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
I'm walking, I keep on walking to you
I keep on walking to you
I'm walking, I keep on walking to you
I'm walking and I'm never going to stop now
I just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
I take one step closer to you
And it don't stop, I take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
Even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I'll take one step closer
I'll take two steps closer
Just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
And even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
Till my faith was nearly gone
I never knew somebody just like you
Could be a friend I could call my own
Till I let go of a broken heart
I let go to an open heart
I let go of my broken dreams
I let go to the mystery
And I believe in the miracles
I believe in the spiritual
I believe in the one above
I believe in the one I love
And take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
And even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
I never meant to hurt you, no
And you never meant to hurt me too
But it seems like you always do
And even though I'm scared sometimes
If ever see you fallen down
I will be the one that's there for you
So I let go of a broken heart
I let go to an open heart
I let go of my broken dreams
I let go to the mystery
And I believe in the miracles
I believe in the spiritual
I believe in the one above
I believe in the one I love
And take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
Even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
I'm walking, I keep on walking to you
I keep on walking to you
I'm walking, I keep on walking to you
I'm walking and I'm never going to stop now
I just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
I take one step closer to you
And it don't stop, I take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
Even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I'll take one step closer
I'll take two steps closer
Just take one step closer to you
I just take one step closer to you
And even when I've fallen down
My heart says follow through
I take one step closer to you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Jane's Addiction
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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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
i am SO in love with this song! i can't believe no one else has commented on it. it just makes me happy whenever i hear it.
Damn, this song is so amazing. I believe it's about two people- probably friends or in a more serious relationship- that have been very close, but have for some reason grown apart. These two have hurt each other in some way, whether the each realize it or not (perhaps they both do and just refuse to say anything about it). In this song, Michael is taking a stand against the typical notion of simply letting go of what they had and saying that he would rather set aside his pride and do what ever it takes to make amends and become close to that person again. The most powerful lines of this song I believe are: "To let go of a broken heart, and let go to an open heart, to let go of my broken dreams, and let go to the mysteries" They echo with me so much and I can feel where he is coming from. Letting go of the torment in your soul and looking forward as positively as possible is the attitude he decides to take in this situation. I believe in this very much and hope that I too can do this in order to fix what little I had with someone very special to me and possibly achieve something greater. I could go on and on about this one song...but that's the just of it from me.
Peace.
I heard this song a few days ago when I woke up before my boyfriend. Feeling sad about what we both knew was coming, I went outside to think alone. This came on the radio, and it spoke to my soul, making me cry at first, then peace and understanding washed over me. It's about being hurt numerous times throughout life, eventually becoming bitter. His words made me realize that no matter what someone does to you, acts in hurtful ways, or just can't give themselves to you, they are also human with a heart and are good in ways that drew is to them in the first place. It reminded me that holding on to anger only hurts both people worse. Forgive, let go, be friends, and remember to see the amazing things that other human being offers. Yes, the hurt you feel in your heart aches so much but truly letting go of that, not blaming, or looking at the other with angry eyes heals and will make not only you a happier person, but both of your lives will be richer.
Listen to "See You in the Light" by him, as well. Therapeutic and uplifting even more than this amazing song.