"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.
Champagne, caviar
Hot boys at the bar
Looking at me, yeah
They're looking at me
I was true to you
Just from my point of view
Now you're looking at me
Yeah, you're looking at me
They wanna give it to me
They wanna give it to me
I won't go for that
'Cause boy I had your back
This song is all about me
Damn right, it's all about me, yeah
(La la la la la la)
(La la la la la la)
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Fast cars and bubble baths
High heels stepping on the gas
Looking at me
Yeah, they're looking at me
Dreamsicles melt away
I'm thinking every day
Looking at me
You're still looking at me
I wanna give it to you
I wanna give it to you
But I can't go for that
'Cause boy it's in the past
This song is all about me
Damn right, it's all about me
(La la la la la la)
(La la la la la la)
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Controversy is like
A ticking time bomb
Controversy, it's what they want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Good news for me, it's about
What I spend my time on
Controversy is all they want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hot boys at the bar
Looking at me, yeah
They're looking at me
I was true to you
Just from my point of view
Now you're looking at me
Yeah, you're looking at me
They wanna give it to me
They wanna give it to me
I won't go for that
'Cause boy I had your back
This song is all about me
Damn right, it's all about me, yeah
(La la la la la la)
(La la la la la la)
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Fast cars and bubble baths
High heels stepping on the gas
Looking at me
Yeah, they're looking at me
Dreamsicles melt away
I'm thinking every day
Looking at me
You're still looking at me
I wanna give it to you
I wanna give it to you
But I can't go for that
'Cause boy it's in the past
This song is all about me
Damn right, it's all about me
(La la la la la la)
(La la la la la la)
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Controversy is like
A ticking time bomb
Controversy, it's what they want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Good news for me, it's about
What I spend my time on
Controversy is all they want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
So look who's talking now
That's what this song's about, me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Think you got me figured out
Well, look who's talking now, it's me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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.
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.