"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.
PNC yeah, sup bro with your shit
I did a dub with car went and bought it
Fucking enjoyed it, who betta than this?
Hey im feeling ya Jordans, the leather is fresh
You recording your next disc, who woulda guessed?
Can i buy you a drink or a low key sesh?
You dont smoke? Well thats cool with me
Can i take a little time to just shoot the breeze?
See this tat on my arm, it's the name of my bestfriend
Died in a car crash this year, now he resting in heaven
But he bump you 24/7
He listened to ya shit, then get to penning his lyrics
And say "I wanna rhyme like him"
When I hear ya shit i'm reminded of him
And his spirit, so thanks for that
Let me slap ya hand and let you go my man
I let you go my man
I let you go
And i say Whats up?
In the streets and clubs
And I thank each and everyone for the love
We down, then hug, and when i'm out they shout
Whats up whats up?
Some chill and some just fuck
But i say whats up my cuz?
Whether you mate or a hating chump
To me it's all love so I say whats up?
PNC yeah, nah bro fuck your shit
I listened to that Rookie Card
Fuck it was all shit
Glad i pawned it, who betta than this?
I got cousins and all them would get on that list
They recording the next disc, shit A of the best
Grow slow up your raps, take a low key breath
You a joke not cool to me
Just Roll clip look like a fool to me
See this tat on my arm, its the city I rep man
Dont even try step through there, or you be resting in heaven
I heard so and so kicked your head in
Well listen to the shit, you think your the man in your lyrics
Or you just try to buy it off Em
Big and Jay but you aint quite like them
Your shit is not gangsta, Sam
Dont even slap my hand
Or you'll get slapped my man
Get back my man?
You get slapped
And i say Whats up?
In the streets and clubs
And I thank each and everyone for the love
We down, then hug, and when i'm out they shout
Whats up whats up?
Some chill and some just fuck
But i say whats up my cuz?
Whether you mate or a hating chump
To me it's all love so I say whats up?
I did a dub with car went and bought it
Fucking enjoyed it, who betta than this?
Hey im feeling ya Jordans, the leather is fresh
You recording your next disc, who woulda guessed?
Can i buy you a drink or a low key sesh?
You dont smoke? Well thats cool with me
Can i take a little time to just shoot the breeze?
See this tat on my arm, it's the name of my bestfriend
Died in a car crash this year, now he resting in heaven
But he bump you 24/7
He listened to ya shit, then get to penning his lyrics
And say "I wanna rhyme like him"
When I hear ya shit i'm reminded of him
And his spirit, so thanks for that
Let me slap ya hand and let you go my man
I let you go my man
I let you go
And i say Whats up?
In the streets and clubs
And I thank each and everyone for the love
We down, then hug, and when i'm out they shout
Whats up whats up?
Some chill and some just fuck
But i say whats up my cuz?
Whether you mate or a hating chump
To me it's all love so I say whats up?
PNC yeah, nah bro fuck your shit
I listened to that Rookie Card
Fuck it was all shit
Glad i pawned it, who betta than this?
I got cousins and all them would get on that list
They recording the next disc, shit A of the best
Grow slow up your raps, take a low key breath
You a joke not cool to me
Just Roll clip look like a fool to me
See this tat on my arm, its the city I rep man
Dont even try step through there, or you be resting in heaven
I heard so and so kicked your head in
Well listen to the shit, you think your the man in your lyrics
Or you just try to buy it off Em
Big and Jay but you aint quite like them
Your shit is not gangsta, Sam
Dont even slap my hand
Or you'll get slapped my man
Get back my man?
You get slapped
And i say Whats up?
In the streets and clubs
And I thank each and everyone for the love
We down, then hug, and when i'm out they shout
Whats up whats up?
Some chill and some just fuck
But i say whats up my cuz?
Whether you mate or a hating chump
To me it's all love so I say whats up?
Lyrics submitted by azthet1k
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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.
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.