"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.
Ooh, you gotta push
Before you can get on board
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
So tired of Scorching Down
Let's rest on the Body Farm
I'm sure we won't Lose that way
It Follows us all the time
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
You're Racked and it won't let up
Let me tell you about the snuff
Yeah, Break and you'll be all right
Follow signs to our little Tribe
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Machine Action in the streets
Divided we need not be
Give each other and soon you'll see
All Fall Down and Gotta Believe
Ooh, you better push
Before you can get on board
Yeah, you gotta push
Before you can get it 'round
So tired of Scorching Down
Let's rest on the Body Farm
I'm sure we won't Lose that way
It Follows us all the time...
Before you can get on board
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
So tired of Scorching Down
Let's rest on the Body Farm
I'm sure we won't Lose that way
It Follows us all the time
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
You're Racked and it won't let up
Let me tell you about the snuff
Yeah, Break and you'll be all right
Follow signs to our little Tribe
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Ooh, you better push
Before you can let it go
Machine Action in the streets
Divided we need not be
Give each other and soon you'll see
All Fall Down and Gotta Believe
Ooh, you better push
Before you can get on board
Yeah, you gotta push
Before you can get it 'round
So tired of Scorching Down
Let's rest on the Body Farm
I'm sure we won't Lose that way
It Follows us all the time...
Lyrics submitted by SykoNachoman
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Love how the titles (or working titles) of all the other songs are in the lyrics. The only one I don't see is Above Me. (Scorching down = Slow Scorch, All fall down = Crazy Love)