"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.
Verse 1
I guess what they say is true I didn't know what I had until I lost you But seeing you with him is clear Cause it was killin' me killin' me Wish I held you closer Then maybe your love would not be over Why didn't I when you were here When were feelin' me feelin' me
Pre-Hook
(I had) Everything I wanted I was blind and I couldn't see That it was the future that was standin right in front of me Now you're looking at him the way that you used to look at me Now I realize
Chorus
When you were mine I should've told you that you're beautiful When you were mine Should never let you feel invisible When you were mine Tried to be a player but I dropped the ball If I could rewind back to the time When you were mine Would never ever never let you go When you were mine Could've been so good but now we'll never know It kills me inside To know our story will remain untold How could I tell you goodbye When you were mine
Verse 2
As I watch you walk away The part of me dies inside I cannot hide I cannot lie to you Can't see myself with someone new (What am I gonna do gonna do) The mistakes that I made Are slappin' me in the face I'm feelin' so outta place Something's you just can't replace
Pre-Hook
(I had) Everything I wanted I was blind and I couldn't see That it was the future that was standin' right in front of me Tell me do you remember how you always used to look at me Back when you were mine
Chorus (2x)
When you were mine I should've told you that you're beautiful When you were mine Should never let you feel invisible When you were mine Tried to be a player but I dropped the ball If I could rewind back to the time When you were mine Would never ever never let you go When you were mine Could've been so good but now we'll never know It kills me inside To know our story will remain untold How could I tell you goodbye When you were mine
I guess what they say is true I didn't know what I had until I lost you But seeing you with him is clear Cause it was killin' me killin' me Wish I held you closer Then maybe your love would not be over Why didn't I when you were here When were feelin' me feelin' me
Pre-Hook
(I had) Everything I wanted I was blind and I couldn't see That it was the future that was standin right in front of me Now you're looking at him the way that you used to look at me Now I realize
Chorus
When you were mine I should've told you that you're beautiful When you were mine Should never let you feel invisible When you were mine Tried to be a player but I dropped the ball If I could rewind back to the time When you were mine Would never ever never let you go When you were mine Could've been so good but now we'll never know It kills me inside To know our story will remain untold How could I tell you goodbye When you were mine
Verse 2
As I watch you walk away The part of me dies inside I cannot hide I cannot lie to you Can't see myself with someone new (What am I gonna do gonna do) The mistakes that I made Are slappin' me in the face I'm feelin' so outta place Something's you just can't replace
Pre-Hook
(I had) Everything I wanted I was blind and I couldn't see That it was the future that was standin' right in front of me Tell me do you remember how you always used to look at me Back when you were mine
Chorus (2x)
When you were mine I should've told you that you're beautiful When you were mine Should never let you feel invisible When you were mine Tried to be a player but I dropped the ball If I could rewind back to the time When you were mine Would never ever never let you go When you were mine Could've been so good but now we'll never know It kills me inside To know our story will remain untold How could I tell you goodbye When you were mine
Lyrics submitted by desireeisforlovers
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
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 love this song as well!
i think this song is about not knowing what you have when you have it, but when its gone you realize what you lost and regreting letting it go.