"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.
[MURS]
See, had the place to myself, my parents went outta town
So I had the music up and was runnin' around
Singing to the beat of my favorite underground song at the time, let's just say it was MURS
I was rappin' in the mirror, I was throwin' every verse
I was doin' my thang until the doorbell rang (ding-dong)
It was my homeboy Shock, a mellow type of fellow
That I knew from up the block, he walked in and said:
[Shock G]
Yo, what's the deal MURS? First things first
you couldn't of hit me at a better time
them four cars behind me, they with me
All women, all dimes, the redhead she's mine
She wanna hump me, yo this my brother Humpty
[Humpty]
What's up yo? Pardon me, but I gots to go
Where the bathroom at?
Y'all got liquor? Come on, Trina! Yo this house is phat
Ay cat, you wanna hit this? Oops I shouldn't of did that
I'll clean it up before your folks come home
yo where they at?
[MURS]
Man I don't believe you brought this nigga
man, I heard about his ass
The only fool dumb enough to flunk his P.E. Class
It's not that he's dumb, he's just loud and he's ignorant
Known for gettin' mad drunk and gettin' all belligerent
Man I'm sick of this I shouldn't have told nobody
I mean three's company, but four cars makes a party
Mental note: lock the garage, hide the keys to dad's Rolls
'Cause it's outta control, this bitch is taking off her clothes!
[Shock G]
Is your dad's Rolls blue? 'Cause I got bad news
Humpty took a cruise, and barbeque pit went in the pool
Turned the water grey, I would stay and help you clean up
But the neighbors say police are comin', I'm bout to G up
[Humpty Hump]
Beep, beep, beep! Yo, I'm back MURS, where should I park it?
I brought the whole strip club with me, we bout to spark it
My girl urled in your backseat, but yo it's cool
We got weed and some shrooms, is it cool to use your dad's room?
[HOOK]
It's risky business, man what is this?
I'm caught up in a twist, and I'm tryin' to fix shit
It's risky business, man what is this?
I'm caught up in a twist, now I'm tryin' to fix it (x2)
[MURS]
What you mean my dad's room? Nigga is you crazy?
And what's up with them glasses, what'cha eye kinda lazy?
Anyways we gotta clean that shit up out the backseat
But first what's up with that blonde, you think she
likes black meat?
[Shock G]
She said she was a virgin to the brown
never splurged in the town
But she's down, 'cause you got her all moist
like the Rolls Royce backseat
'Least I can do is help you clean it up cousin
What time is mom and dad comin'?
[Humpty Hump]
Yo, why y'all bein' responsible and shit? We gotta hook up
We tryin' to get these chicks upstairs, see what we can cook up
One of them got their toes blue, coochie shaved, so cool
My nose tryin' to be with those when the doors close fool
[MURS]
Exactly. Fuck the backseat I'm tryin' to smack cheeks
Until they turn reddish, and satisfy my fetish
Lay back and get some lettuce (Humpty: Yo, what'chu mean, head?) (Yeah)
That's what I said, then call it a wrap (Shock: But what about your parents?)
Well, they never called me back, I guess their flight got delayed
So we got time to get layed, ayo Hump could you watch out for that white Escalade?
(Humpty: Did you even have to ask?) Well since you're on the task
I'ma head upstairs and get focused on some ass
And if I start to scream, do your best to ignore me
If my parents come in, just tell them the Burger King story
Just keep 'em entertained until I finish gettin' brain
(Humpty: Hello Ms. Connor, he's gettin' drained)
...And her name is Elaine
[Chorus 2X]
See, had the place to myself, my parents went outta town
So I had the music up and was runnin' around
Singing to the beat of my favorite underground song at the time, let's just say it was MURS
I was rappin' in the mirror, I was throwin' every verse
I was doin' my thang until the doorbell rang (ding-dong)
It was my homeboy Shock, a mellow type of fellow
That I knew from up the block, he walked in and said:
[Shock G]
Yo, what's the deal MURS? First things first
you couldn't of hit me at a better time
them four cars behind me, they with me
All women, all dimes, the redhead she's mine
She wanna hump me, yo this my brother Humpty
[Humpty]
What's up yo? Pardon me, but I gots to go
Where the bathroom at?
Y'all got liquor? Come on, Trina! Yo this house is phat
Ay cat, you wanna hit this? Oops I shouldn't of did that
I'll clean it up before your folks come home
yo where they at?
[MURS]
Man I don't believe you brought this nigga
man, I heard about his ass
The only fool dumb enough to flunk his P.E. Class
It's not that he's dumb, he's just loud and he's ignorant
Known for gettin' mad drunk and gettin' all belligerent
Man I'm sick of this I shouldn't have told nobody
I mean three's company, but four cars makes a party
Mental note: lock the garage, hide the keys to dad's Rolls
'Cause it's outta control, this bitch is taking off her clothes!
[Shock G]
Is your dad's Rolls blue? 'Cause I got bad news
Humpty took a cruise, and barbeque pit went in the pool
Turned the water grey, I would stay and help you clean up
But the neighbors say police are comin', I'm bout to G up
[Humpty Hump]
Beep, beep, beep! Yo, I'm back MURS, where should I park it?
I brought the whole strip club with me, we bout to spark it
My girl urled in your backseat, but yo it's cool
We got weed and some shrooms, is it cool to use your dad's room?
[HOOK]
It's risky business, man what is this?
I'm caught up in a twist, and I'm tryin' to fix shit
It's risky business, man what is this?
I'm caught up in a twist, now I'm tryin' to fix it (x2)
[MURS]
What you mean my dad's room? Nigga is you crazy?
And what's up with them glasses, what'cha eye kinda lazy?
Anyways we gotta clean that shit up out the backseat
But first what's up with that blonde, you think she
likes black meat?
[Shock G]
She said she was a virgin to the brown
never splurged in the town
But she's down, 'cause you got her all moist
like the Rolls Royce backseat
'Least I can do is help you clean it up cousin
What time is mom and dad comin'?
[Humpty Hump]
Yo, why y'all bein' responsible and shit? We gotta hook up
We tryin' to get these chicks upstairs, see what we can cook up
One of them got their toes blue, coochie shaved, so cool
My nose tryin' to be with those when the doors close fool
[MURS]
Exactly. Fuck the backseat I'm tryin' to smack cheeks
Until they turn reddish, and satisfy my fetish
Lay back and get some lettuce (Humpty: Yo, what'chu mean, head?) (Yeah)
That's what I said, then call it a wrap (Shock: But what about your parents?)
Well, they never called me back, I guess their flight got delayed
So we got time to get layed, ayo Hump could you watch out for that white Escalade?
(Humpty: Did you even have to ask?) Well since you're on the task
I'ma head upstairs and get focused on some ass
And if I start to scream, do your best to ignore me
If my parents come in, just tell them the Burger King story
Just keep 'em entertained until I finish gettin' brain
(Humpty: Hello Ms. Connor, he's gettin' drained)
...And her name is Elaine
[Chorus 2X]
Lyrics submitted by convince
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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,
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.