"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.
Hey, hey, hey. (x3)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I've been sitting in the suicide lane on Highway 99,
looking for a sign in the headlights.
Well, I've been to war with my mind,
but things will be different this time.
I won't be putting up a fight.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living. (x2)
Hey, hey, hey.
I've been sitting by the train tracks near the backdoor of my mind (of my mind),
waiting for the planets to align.
Well, I've got a pretty good reason
to make this open season.
Hang my head above the mantle piece tonight.
Hey hey, hey hey hey.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie.
Hey, hey hey.
Gravedigging! (x3)
We're digging our own graves!
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie.
Hey, hey hey. (x2)
Gravedigging! (x3)
We're digging our own grave!
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I've been sitting in the suicide lane on Highway 99,
looking for a sign in the headlights.
Well, I've been to war with my mind,
but things will be different this time.
I won't be putting up a fight.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living. (x2)
Hey, hey, hey.
I've been sitting by the train tracks near the backdoor of my mind (of my mind),
waiting for the planets to align.
Well, I've got a pretty good reason
to make this open season.
Hang my head above the mantle piece tonight.
Hey hey, hey hey hey.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie.
Hey, hey hey.
Gravedigging! (x3)
We're digging our own graves!
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie,
No longer living.
Give me your poison pills
'cause I'm
digging my star-crossed grave tonight.
No longer living a lie,
No longer living,
No longer living a lie.
Hey, hey hey. (x2)
Gravedigging! (x3)
We're digging our own grave!
Lyrics submitted by hockey2skate
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This Song Reminds Me of Scary Kids Scaring Kids. Pretty much their whole ablum reminds me of SKSK. The Screaming The Crazy Guitars. This has to be on the top 5 for the best album of the year!