"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.
Oh, Lou- I'd like to let you know that I do not feel welcome.
All the birds, the trees, the falling snow
No they were not made for me.
And though this is where her heart resides we met in California
She saw a city's promise reaching through my eyes
And she turned herself away
Well, how I curse that western skyline
And yet I thank it for my start
But oh Lou, though my dreams did not come true; no they only came apart
So I followed her here to Birmingham, where the soil is so much richer
And though my aching pride might guide my hand, she did not ask for me to come
So now I wait for her all through the day, as if I wait for her surrender
And every time I get her to look my way, she says I'm not where I belong
But I watch her father preach on Sundays
I know the hymnals all by heart
But oh, Lou, though my dreams did not come true; no they only came apart
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Oh the snowfall this time of year, it's not what Birmingham is used to
I get the feeling that I brought it here, and now I'm taking it away
So let's share one more drink together, before I go reload my cart
But oh, Lou, no my dreams did not come true — no they only came apart
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Take me ho—
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh —ome.
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
All the birds, the trees, the falling snow
No they were not made for me.
And though this is where her heart resides we met in California
She saw a city's promise reaching through my eyes
And she turned herself away
Well, how I curse that western skyline
And yet I thank it for my start
But oh Lou, though my dreams did not come true; no they only came apart
So I followed her here to Birmingham, where the soil is so much richer
And though my aching pride might guide my hand, she did not ask for me to come
So now I wait for her all through the day, as if I wait for her surrender
And every time I get her to look my way, she says I'm not where I belong
But I watch her father preach on Sundays
I know the hymnals all by heart
But oh, Lou, though my dreams did not come true; no they only came apart
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Oh the snowfall this time of year, it's not what Birmingham is used to
I get the feeling that I brought it here, and now I'm taking it away
So let's share one more drink together, before I go reload my cart
But oh, Lou, no my dreams did not come true — no they only came apart
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Take me ho—
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh —ome.
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Ohhhh, oh oh oh oh
Lyrics submitted by blueisthecolor8, edited by MadsCH
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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The correct lyric is
But I watch her father preach on Sundays. I know the hymnals all by heart.
no my dreams did not come true - no they came only apart.
an amazingly simple but real line. fantastic song.
this song is beautiful.
I agree with the two lyric corrections above - "no my dreams" and "I know the hymnals". At least that's how I hear the words.
But also, as a life-long Birmingham resident, there are two things that stick out in this song to me...
First, the idea of snowfall in Birmingham. It's such a weird moment, this city shuts down when that happens. Secondly is the two references to "Lou" as though this is a story being told to someone named Lou. There's a prominent and historic bar in one of the downtown districts called "Lou's Pub and Package" It's one of two bars in town that (through being grand-fathered in) sells bottles of liquor on the premises. though Lou died in 2008, it makes me think that whoever wrote this song spent some time here. These two ideas are so oddly and specifically relevant.
But then again, the contrarian view, the line about "where the soil is so much richer"... Yeah, Birmingham is built upon what's known as Alabama Red Clay. It isn't exactly rich or friendly to growing jack squat. If you want rich soil, go about 80 miles south - below Montgomery.
All the same, this is great album and this is a great opener. Dawes is this perfect mix of Avett Brothers, Kings of Leon, and a heavy splash of Bob Seger. I completely love the throwback sound of this entire album.
Lou's Pub and Package makes perfect sense to me as the person he's talking to in this song. Sounds like he chased his love to a foreign town without her asking him to, found a local haunt that he felt comfortable with while he was there, and, now that he realizes it's over, he's telling his story to the only place/people he feels he can talk to.<br /> <br /> I'll agree that the Birmingham soil reference is weird, but at the same time the damp, red soil in Birmingham can seem "rich" to those who've never tried to grow on it.
Also as a long time Ham-ian. Snow fall in birmingham, that line. Brilliant. Anyone whos from the Ham will instantly understand this line. this song is simply amazing. but for its meaning... i think its just simply what hes saying, hes following a girl from cali back to the ham, and it didnt seem to work out. Amazingly sung song. love this band.
ps. as for the soil line mrtito, i think its more along the lines of him talking about the feeling of birmingham, not so much the soil. i think its more of a metaphor then a actual term.
I was very unaware how much i'm next to Lou's pub and package, its in the heart of the bars and night life here. Crazy to think about, wonder who wrote the song.
I think you can assume Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes wrote that song.
I think these lyrics could simply be about the city rather than a girl. He leaves his home to go to California and when he returns it just doesn't feel the same. He tries to do the things he's done before such as attending church but nothing feels like home anymore. He feels unwelcome now. I don't know much about Birmingham, but I see from the other comments that the "Lou" reference could very well be about a popular pub which again would make sense that he is addressing this spot and stating he no longer feels welcome no matter how hard he tries. Beautiful song.