"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.
Please take a long hard look through your text book
'Cause I'm history
When I strap my helmet on I'll be long gone
Cause I've been dying to leave
Yeah, I'll ride the range and hide all my loose change
In my bedroom
'Cause riding a dirt bike down a turnpike
Always takes it's toll on me
I've had just about enough
Of quote, "diamonds in the rough"
Because my backbone is paper thin
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in (I'll cave in, I'll cave in)
If the bombs go off
The sun will still be shining (the sun will still be shining)
Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud
Has a silver lining
(Though we're always undermining too deep to know)
Swallow a drop of gravel and blacktop
'Cause the road tastes like wintergreen
The wind and the rain smell of oil and octane
Mixed with stale gasoline
I'll soak up the sound trying to sleep on the wet ground
I'll get ten minutes give-or-take
'Cause I just don't foresee myself getting drowsy
When cold integrity keeps me wide awake
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in (cave in, cave in, cave in, cave in, cave in)
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in
I'll keep my helmet on just in case my head caves in (in case my head caves in)
'Cause if my thoughts collapse or my framework snaps
It'll make a mess like you wouldn't believe
Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track (so I stay on track)
And if my intentions stray I'll wrench them away
Then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back
I won't even look back
'Cause I'm history
When I strap my helmet on I'll be long gone
Cause I've been dying to leave
Yeah, I'll ride the range and hide all my loose change
In my bedroom
'Cause riding a dirt bike down a turnpike
Always takes it's toll on me
I've had just about enough
Of quote, "diamonds in the rough"
Because my backbone is paper thin
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in (I'll cave in, I'll cave in)
If the bombs go off
The sun will still be shining (the sun will still be shining)
Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud
Has a silver lining
(Though we're always undermining too deep to know)
Swallow a drop of gravel and blacktop
'Cause the road tastes like wintergreen
The wind and the rain smell of oil and octane
Mixed with stale gasoline
I'll soak up the sound trying to sleep on the wet ground
I'll get ten minutes give-or-take
'Cause I just don't foresee myself getting drowsy
When cold integrity keeps me wide awake
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in (cave in, cave in, cave in, cave in, cave in)
Get me out of this cavern
Or I'll cave in
I'll keep my helmet on just in case my head caves in (in case my head caves in)
'Cause if my thoughts collapse or my framework snaps
It'll make a mess like you wouldn't believe
Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track (so I stay on track)
And if my intentions stray I'll wrench them away
Then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back
I won't even look back
Lyrics submitted by LovelyMauve
Cave In Lyrics as written by Adam R. Young
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
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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,
Blue
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Amazing
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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.
owl city always makes me so sad in an amazingly happy way. his lyrics creep me out. always. but in such a sweet way.
"Swallow a drop of gravel and blacktop 'cause the road tastes like wintergreen"
&
"If the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud has a silver lining"
just makes me shiver.
The song is about moving forward. All of what he's saying is about leaving and moving past failed relationships.
I've had just about enough of quote "diamonds in the rough" and If the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud has a silver lining are statements to show that there's always hope after failure and that he's tired of failling.
He's so tired of failed relationships in fact that it might drive him crazy.
The reference to road and dirtbike are showing that he is leaving. As is his saying "I'm history"
I totally agree, well put. I originally thought it might be about war and the effects, physically emotionally and psychologically, it has on soldiers/veterans, but I changed my mind based on the lyrics and theme(s) of the song, as you mentioned.
This song is about war... The very first line talk about looking through your text book because he's history is talking about past and the current war. The part about strapping on his helmet because he's dying to leave, is talking about how the young and nieave want to go off to war. And about how " if the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining" is saying that they are use to explosions and death, socit won't really effect them. The part about the "air semmls like oil and octane, mixed with stale gasoline" is talking about the machines of war like tanks and what not all around. Also the part about keeping he helmet on so his head won't collapse is talking about how a soldier should never take his helmet off because he may get shot in the head if he does. Lastly when he talks about sleeping on the wet ground and how he'll get 10 minutes give or take of sleep, a soldier doesn't get a much sleep at all and the ground could be wet with old blood or oil in todays war.
I completely agree with you marcus.. Im actually deployed in Iraq right now and I was thinking of making a compilation of all my videos I took here to this song. It very much reminds me of being here and the things we(the soldiers on the ground) go through. Its nice to see that there is somebody else out there that thinks of the same exact things as I do while listening to this song. I agree with everyone of your examples you gave above. I think once I put up my video on youtube it will sync perfectly with my pictures and video I have of my journey here.<br /> <br /> U.S. ARMY, SPC Michael Mulliken 38B, OIF V 09-10
Firstly I love this song, it's my favorite. Anyway, I'm with you on that. I never thought of it that way before, but it makes so much sense...sad sense...
Wow, I never thought of this song this way, awesome! Thanks for your insight! Incredible. :)
L1qu1dS1lenc3r I personally would like to thank you for everything you do And have done so I can sleep safely in my bed at night. Thank you!
I also never thought of this song in that way, but i don´t think it´s about war. <br /> it´s about seing the beautiful things in bad ones<br /> "If the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining<br /> Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud has a silver lining"
Love this song. His most 'unpopular' songs are always the best.
I also think it is about the days after a broken relationship, but I also think he is using war-metaphors as symbols of the fight it has to be to get over a relationship, which is why he'll get ten minutes give or take. He also has to strap his helmet so he wouldn't collapse, because he has to recieve som hard 'hits' after a break-up. A break-up can be tough and that is why he prepares himself to the fight, because he wants to move on. That's just the way I see.. He uses war and history as a symbol of his feelings and what he is going through..
I'm in big trouble. I've been dying to leave, so I might as well pack up and head out. I'll travel and hide my money in my bedroll. ? I've had enough of people who are generally good but lack class, because I can get irritated easily. Let me out of this confinement or I'm going to have a meltdown. If things go wrong, it's not the end of the world. Good things can come out of a bad situation. (Though I'm not always sure this is the case) Take a fall because good things can come out of it. ? I'll try to manage settling down in this uncomfortable situation but it won't last long. I don't think I can settle down My morals are to important to stand down for. Get my out of this confinement or I'll breakdown. I'll protect myself just incase I can't handle it. Because if I lose it I could make a big mess of things. I need to try to stay on track and if my intentions stray I'll snap myself back into line and I won't stray off again.
God i loved that, thanks!
Um...hi. I've been interested in this song for quite a while, but I always thought this song didn't make sense at all. I remember reading an article somewhere saying that Adam told a magazine that the song was particularly "dear to his heart", as the song had to do with his "hopes and dreams", though at first I didn't see how.
One day, I was bored and decided to do some research on some of the phrases in the lyrics and found some of them were metaphors I had never heard before. :O After reading over the lyrics a few times, I came up with an interpretation of the lyrics. If it's right, then I think what Adam said would make sense. I'm not sure if my interpretation is correct, but I'm pretty sure it's close...so here is what I think it means, and let me know what you think...
Please take a long hard look through your textbook 'Cause I'm history When I strap my helmet on, I'll be long gone 'Cause I've been dying to leave
I think this means something like, "I'm ready to go on a long journey to achieve my goal. I'm determined to get there, and I'm not going to let anything stop me."
Yeah, I'll ride the range and hide all my loose change In my bedroom 'Cause riding a dirt bike down a turnpike Always takes its toll on me
There's a bit of a "pun" in there, if that's what you wanna call it. When someone's doing something that takes a "toll" on them, it normally means that they're doing something that's really tiring or stressing them out. So at first glance, those two lines basically mean, "Riding this dirt bike down a turnpike always tires me out."
"Toll", as a literal meaning, as quoted from the dictionary, is: "a payment or fee exacted by the state, the local authorities, etc., for some right or privilege, as for passage along a road or over a bridge." And I guess he's hiding the "loose change" (money) so the "dirt road" doesn't take his money, or a "toll" from him...get it?
I don't think this verse actually has anything really super meaningful besides that, but who knows...
I've had just about enough of, quote, "diamonds in the rough"* (Everyone says I can do it, but I'm beginning to have my doubts.) Because my backbone is paper thin (Because I'm not sure if I'm capable of it.) Get me out of this cavern or I'll cave in (I'm stuck on what to do, help me.) If the bombs go off the sun will still be shining (Though, even if bad things happen, there's still hope.) Because I've heard it said that every mushroom cloud has a silver lining** Though I'm always undermining too deep to know (I was too depressed about my mistakes to see this./I have so little confidence in myself that I don't realize this.)
*"Diamonds in the rough" is a metaphor, meaning that a person has very good potential, but doesn't know it yet. **Silver lining is also a metaphor, for hope in times of crisis or despair. It is most often associated with the idiom, "Every cloud has a silver lining." Mushroom clouds are "clouds" that resemble the shape of a mushroom, hence the name. They form as a result of a very large explosion, oftentimes from bombs. Adam played a little with this idiom, as you can see.
Swallow a drop of gravel and blacktop 'Cause the road tastes like wintergreen The wind and the rain smell of oil and octane Mixed with stale gasoline
I think this verse is basically a whole metaphor for the hardships and pains you'll face as you get closer to your goals.
I'll soak up the sound trying to sleep on the wet ground I'll get ten minutes give or take 'Cause I just don't foresee myself getting drowsy When cold integrity keeps me wide awake
Basically, this whole verse means something along the lines of: "I'm restless and can't sleep, because I'm too eager and determined to complete my goal."
I'll keep my helmet on just in case my head caves in (I'll try to be confident and go for it, no matter what.) 'Cause if my thoughts collapse or mind framework snaps (Because if I lose focus on my goal...) It will make a mess like you wouldn't believe (Then I'll never be able to achieve it.) Tie my handle bars to the stars so I stay on track (I'm ready and I'll make sure I don't lose track of my dream.) And if my intentions stray I'll wrench them away (If my confidence ever wavers again, I'll still keep trying.) Then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back (I'm set on my goal, and I'm never giving up.)
To sum it up, the song's lyrics talk about the struggles he went through to achieve his "hopes and dreams", and never giving up. Well, that's what I think it means...
love<3 so relaxing, I can't even describe it. it's like so mellow and for some reason reminds me of airplanes. I dunno but I love owl city's new album c:
first!
This song reminds me of how I just want to get the hell out of school, and my town and everything that's keeping me "bound" as a person and break free. I don't think it has to do with the war lol.
Seeing as Adam (aka Owl City) is a very outspoken Christian and at least one other song on the album (Meteor Shower) clearly reflects, I'd say that you could argue that the song is a metaphor for running away from temptation. This could be in a secular sense too, but the last few lines (Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track/And if my intentions stray I'll wrench them away/Then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back") seem to fit the religious side. Basically, as I see it, the song is basically about getting out of a place/situation that's causing harm. Also, a bit of trivia: Matt Thiessen of Relient K does the overlapping vocals on this song and others on Ocean Eyes.
Well, I am a Christian myself. And hearing that Adam Young is a Christian, I listen to his songs and try to find the Christian meaning behind them, not all of them really have Christian tones, but some do, like you said Meteor Shower,"I'm not my own, for i have been made new" is in fact a quote of a Bible verse, but i'll talk more about that on that songs page ;) I agree with the you also about the last part, it reminded me of tempation as well. I love Owl City and the music, honestly, I see it as a man using his God-given talents with music, and giving this world some hope. :)