"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.
Memory comes when memory's old
I am never the first to know
Following the stream up North
Where do people like us float
There is room in my lap
For bruises, asses, handclaps
I will never disappear
For forever, I'll be here
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
I'm laying down, eating snow
My fur is hot, my tongue is cold
On a bed of spider web
I think of how to change myself
A lot of hope in a one man tent
There's no room for innocence
So take me home before the storm
Velvet mites will keep us warm
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
I am never the first to know
Following the stream up North
Where do people like us float
There is room in my lap
For bruises, asses, handclaps
I will never disappear
For forever, I'll be here
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
I'm laying down, eating snow
My fur is hot, my tongue is cold
On a bed of spider web
I think of how to change myself
A lot of hope in a one man tent
There's no room for innocence
So take me home before the storm
Velvet mites will keep us warm
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Whispering
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Morning, keep the streets empty for me
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Uncover our heads and reveal our souls
We were hungry before we were born
Lyrics submitted by MaritheGreat, edited by ahnalia
Keep The Streets Empty For Me Lyrics as written by Karin Dreijer Andersson Cecilia Nordlund
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I believe this song is about human nature and the human spirit. It's easiest to analyze the human spirit when you use something or someone (like a homeless or displaced person) who has been completely stripped of the complexities that society and the material world can impose. We're listening to the voice of a human being...simplified. When we strip away all the bs - we are animals (looking for shelter, food, and warmth),and if those needs aren't threatened, we strive for goodness and love - there's no bad intention, and with that comes an innocence (kind of like how you might picture an animal - or the dear everyone is referencing). Strip us of our desires to compete with each other, to make money, to be "attractive", to live within the confines of society - we're simple beings. A homeless person may not be bogged down by the petty shit a lot of us waste so much energy on. They want food and warmth...and with that simplicity comes clarity, and a sense of freedom...an outsiders perspective on humanity. I just want to be warm, full, and a "good person". Where do I find more people like me? "Where do people like us float?"
"...hope in a one man tent, there's no room for innocence". Our struggle to survive in general, and the need to compete amongst ourselves makes it difficult to be a good person - when you have to fight to stay alive, it can force us to push aside our humanity. "keep the streets empty for me" - keep me safe, and away from the hustle/bustle/potential for negative interactions with the world we've created. Keep me innocent (but not ignorant) and sheltered. The song's about the true nature of a human being, and the struggle to survive while keeping our innocence/"goodness".
Or it could be about shapeshifting - like everyone else is saying. Haha. :) Whatev's. It's art. It can mean something different to so many people.
Very insightful... I agree
Good point. <br />
@justagrl Just replied to the first guy's comment, but you've deconstructed it perhaps more thoroughly and provided some keen insights. Kudos!