"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'm not a cry baby
I'm the cry baby
A caterpillar that got stuck
Mr. Moth come quick with any luck
A long walk to a dark house
A Roman candle heart keep us far apart
I've got your body doing alright
Hate me baby, maybe I'm a piece of art
Oh, my friends all lie and say
They only want the best wishes for me
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
I can make your heart slow
I can feel the weather in my bones
Wish hard enough, I can turn it to what I like
Your pupils they're big
They're rolling like dice
They say they only want the best wishes for me
(They only want the best for me)
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
Not the boy I was
The boy I am is just venting, venting
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Not the boy I was
The boy I am is just venting, venting
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
They say they only want the best wishes for me
(They only want the best for me)
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa
I'm the cry baby
A caterpillar that got stuck
Mr. Moth come quick with any luck
A long walk to a dark house
A Roman candle heart keep us far apart
I've got your body doing alright
Hate me baby, maybe I'm a piece of art
Oh, my friends all lie and say
They only want the best wishes for me
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
I can make your heart slow
I can feel the weather in my bones
Wish hard enough, I can turn it to what I like
Your pupils they're big
They're rolling like dice
They say they only want the best wishes for me
(They only want the best for me)
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
Not the boy I was
The boy I am is just venting, venting
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Not the boy I was
The boy I am is just venting, venting
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
Dear gravity, you held me down in this starless city
They say they only want the best wishes for me
(They only want the best for me)
Oh, three, two, one
We go live
Oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
You're a faded moon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
And oh, baby you're a classic
Like a little black dress
But you'll be faded soon
Stuck on a little hot mess (little hot mess)
Whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[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.
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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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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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.
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.
Wayne's small part is awesome. Gives it a darker feel. Anyway, chorus is great. One of my favorite songs on the album.