"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.
Fiendish wonder in the carnival's wake
Dull caresses once again irritate
Tread softly, stranger
Move over toward the danger that you seek
You think excitement has receded then the mirror distracts
The logic of the trance quickly reaches and grasps
Handsome and faceless
And weightless, your imagination runs
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
In the moonlight they're more thrilling
Those things that he knows
As he leads you through the grinning
Bubble blowers in the snow
Watching his exit
Was like falling off the ferry in the night
The inevitables gather to push you around
Any other voice makes such a punishing sound
He became laughter's assassin
Shortly after he showed you what it was
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Dull caresses once again irritate
Tread softly, stranger
Move over toward the danger that you seek
You think excitement has receded then the mirror distracts
The logic of the trance quickly reaches and grasps
Handsome and faceless
And weightless, your imagination runs
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
In the moonlight they're more thrilling
Those things that he knows
As he leads you through the grinning
Bubble blowers in the snow
Watching his exit
Was like falling off the ferry in the night
The inevitables gather to push you around
Any other voice makes such a punishing sound
He became laughter's assassin
Shortly after he showed you what it was
And now it's no one's fault but yours
At the foot of the house of cards
You thought you'd never get obsessed
You thought the wolves would be impressed
And you're a sinking stone
But you know what it's like to hold the jeweler's hands
That procession of pioneers all drowned
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Without the last corner piece, I can't calibrate
Let's get it ingrained
If you've a lesson to teach me
I'm listening, ready to learn
There's no one here to police me
I'm sinking in until you return
If you've a lesson to teach
Please don't deviate, don't be afraid
Lyrics submitted by life_aint_chess, edited by TheBronze
The Jeweller's Hands Lyrics as written by Alex Turner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
I think when people can't understand a set of lyrics, they assume it's about drugs.