"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.
I was born in '67
The year of Sgt. Pepper
And Are You Experienced
Into a suburban heaven
Yeah, it should've been forever
It all seems to make so much sense
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
She said "Luck is what you make it
You just reach out and take it
Now let's dance a while"
She said "nothing ever happens
If you don't make it happen
And if you can't laugh and smile"
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
And laughing in the summer showers
That's still the way I see you now
How does time break down?
With no marker, things slow down
A conference of the strange
And your family is deranged
I could tell you what I'm thinking
While we sit here drinking
But I'm not sure where to start
You see there's something wrong here
I'm sorry if I'm not clear
Can you stop smoking your cigar
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
And the coat you wore to Alton Towers
Is still the way I see you now
The year of Sgt. Pepper
And Are You Experienced
Into a suburban heaven
Yeah, it should've been forever
It all seems to make so much sense
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
She said "Luck is what you make it
You just reach out and take it
Now let's dance a while"
She said "nothing ever happens
If you don't make it happen
And if you can't laugh and smile"
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
And laughing in the summer showers
That's still the way I see you now
How does time break down?
With no marker, things slow down
A conference of the strange
And your family is deranged
I could tell you what I'm thinking
While we sit here drinking
But I'm not sure where to start
You see there's something wrong here
I'm sorry if I'm not clear
Can you stop smoking your cigar
But after a while
You realize time flies
And the best thing that you can do
Is take whatever comes to you
'Cause time flies
And the coat you wore to Alton Towers
Is still the way I see you now
Lyrics submitted by tt86, edited by SuricataKat
Time Flies Lyrics as written by Steven John Wilson
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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,
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Ed Sheeran
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wow. cant believe this is already up...pretty self-explanatory. i dont get the cigar line though
Time flies faster as you grow and if you keep smoking.. you will have even less time ;)
I think its a reference to have a cigar, pink floyd.
I think I actually do get the cigar line.<br /> <br /> Not long ago, I reconnected with a friend from my childhood, who now has a small child of her own.<br /> <br /> So, to me, it's entirely strange seeing her with a child, because I still remember her as the 8 year old I watched Disney movies with.<br /> <br /> Similarly, smoking is an "Adult" thing, so i imagine it might be unsettling to picture someone as a child, and watching them do something adult.
My first thought was that <br /> "You see there's something wrong here<br /> I'm sorry if I'm not clear<br /> can you stop smoking your cigar"<br /> is a part of a talk to someone. the one who talks has something really important to say (the whole song is about live your life well and stuff, right?), and although (or because?) he doesnt really know how to say it ("I'm sorry if Im not clear"), he wants the other person's full attention. He does not want him to lean back and smoke his cigar while he is being taught the most important lesson in his life, he wants him to listen up closely, because what he has to say is life-changing.<br /> Does that sound right to you guys?
kitze3039 thats exactly what i thought when i heard the lyrics too.<br />
It's a metaphor for middle aged men - riding Harleys, smoking cigars etc.
mikaela i think u might be right. yet i also think it's about his hippie friend telling him all kind of slogans about how to make things happen and make his life better and he's getting a little annoyed by his "coolness" and that goddamn chilling cigar.