"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.
This life starts, with a heartbeat,
Is it beat-, beat-, beat-, beat-, beating me down?
I could lose who I am!
I can't help, but to see, this assistance living shit outta me,
I could lose who I am!
Every time I walk away,
Every word I never say!
Restless, chasing shadows
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Are you afraid of who you are?!
Denial, my soul will burn,
Is it burn-, burn-, burn-, burn-, burning me out?
You're feeding the flames!
Spread out the ash,
Pretend to see,
That you can still fight some day with me.
I just feed the flames.
Every time I walk away,
Every word I'd ever say!
Restless, chasing shadows,
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Oh my god, what am I afraid of?
This success scares the living shit out of me.
Oh my god, are you afraid of me,
And everything that breathes?
Restless, chasing shadows,
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Afraid of who you are?
Is it beat-, beat-, beat-, beat-, beating me down?
I could lose who I am!
I can't help, but to see, this assistance living shit outta me,
I could lose who I am!
Every time I walk away,
Every word I never say!
Restless, chasing shadows
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Are you afraid of who you are?!
Denial, my soul will burn,
Is it burn-, burn-, burn-, burn-, burning me out?
You're feeding the flames!
Spread out the ash,
Pretend to see,
That you can still fight some day with me.
I just feed the flames.
Every time I walk away,
Every word I'd ever say!
Restless, chasing shadows,
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Oh my god, what am I afraid of?
This success scares the living shit out of me.
Oh my god, are you afraid of me,
And everything that breathes?
Restless, chasing shadows,
Choices, facing gallows' pole.
Are you hanging by a thread,
Or swinging from the rope?
Don't think we don't see your scars,
Are you afraid of who you are?
Afraid of who you are?
Lyrics submitted by aristuma21
Gallows Lyrics as written by Brandon Saller Porter Marc Mcknight
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
Actual lyrics
This life stars with a hearbeat is it beat beat beat beat beating me down like the loser i am i cant help but to see that success scares the living shit out of me like the loser i am.
everytime i walk away every word i never say.
restless chasing shadows choices facing gallows poll are you hanging by a thread or swinging from the rope dont thief we dont see your scars are you afraid of who you are?
Denial a subtle burn is it burn burn burn burning me out for feeing the flame spread out the ash pretend to see that you still can find some value in me i just feed the flames.
oh my god what am i afraid of success or not having what it takes oh my god i am afraid of me and evertyhing that brings.
Actual Lyrics:<br /> <br /> This life starts with <br /> a hearbeat is it <br /> beat beat beat beat beating me down<br /> like the loser i am i cant help but <br /> to see that success scares <br /> the living shit out of me<br /> like the loser i am<br /> <br /> everytime i walk away every word i never say<br /> <br /> (Chorus)<br /> restless chasing shadows <br /> choices facing gallows pole<br /> are you hanging by a thread <br /> or swinging from the rope <br /> dont think we dont see your scars <br /> are you afraid of who you are?<br /> are you afraid of who you are?<br /> <br /> Denial a subtle burn <br /> is it burn burn burn burn burning me out <br /> for feeding the flame<br /> spread out the ash pretend <br /> to see that you still can find some value in me<br /> i just feed the flames<br /> <br /> everytime i walk away every word i never say<br /> <br /> (Repeat Chorus)<br /> <br /> oh my God what am i afraid of <br /> success or not having what it takes<br /> oh my God i am afraid of me <br /> and everthing that brings<br /> <br /> (Repeat Chorus
4 min ago
Rated 0 Actual Lyrics:
This life starts with a hearbeat is it beat beat beat beat beating me down like the loser i am i cant help but to see that success scares the living shit out of me like the loser i am
everytime i walk away every word i never say
(Chorus) restless chasing shadows choices facing gallows pole are you hanging by a thread or swinging from the rope dont think we dont see your scars are you afraid of who you are? are you afraid of who you are?
Denial a subtle burn is it burn burn burn burn burning me out for feeding the flame spread out the ash pretend to see that you still can find some value in me i just feed the flames
everytime i walk away every word i never say
(Repeat Chorus)
oh my God what am i afraid of success or not having what it takes oh my God i am afraid of me and everthing that brings
(Repeat Chorus)
I think this song is an insight into Alex's mind. I've heard and seen that he really doesn't like cameras and he can be slightly socially awkward sometimes. I've heard he's a little bit of a loner if he's in the right moods and stuff like that. Thats why Brandon and Dan do a lot of the interviews. Alex has also talked about how he's struggled with depression and drugs and stuff like that, trying to live without anti-depressants and trying to balance his life. I think this is his admitance to him being afraid of himself and his success.
"restless chasing shadows" He's constantly fighting back his old skeletons and his problems in his mind "choices facing gallows pole" the choices he makes can be ones that really hurt or save him. "are you hanging by a thread
or swinging from the rope" Is he barely holding on? or is he already dead and swinging there, has he already given in to his old ways? "dont think we dont see your scars are you afraid of who you are?" His scars are always there as a reminder of who he was and who he's trying to avoid being.
I love alex though, I'm not ragging on him. He writes some of the most amazing lyrics and he's really funny and one of the nicest people I've heard. Plus he can scream like a motherfucker.
Agreed. It's about fear of being successful, or fear of failing trying to achieve success.
I read an interview somewhere where Alex seems to get across that he feels their last album was something of a copout, and that they maybe didn't try hard enough or get the musical style right on that record and went off-track. This song seems to speculate on why he feels like that about Lead Sails Paper Anchor.
I don't think he's saying he's afraid of success, but more the consequences that come in his line of success. I've heard the same, that Alex is a rather introverted individual. Maybe he's saying he fears all the eyes on him because he knows that if, in those eyes, he fucks up it would destroy him.
"The Gallows" are a metaphor for the judgmental mess humanity has become. He fears his success for fear of facing "The Gallows" since Atreyu's has garnered a fair amount of attention over the years, and the shadows of his past are pried open and spilled across his fans. Think of just how scary this really is... knowing the worst part of your past is spread around the tongues of fans by the thousands.
In the end we all fear the gallows... that haunting thought we won't be good enough for those we love.
This is easily one of my favorite songs by Atreyu (I've been a loyal fan since Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses).
I imagine that our two favorite singers are speaking to each other in this song. It seems these are two sides of an internal monologue. The individual's (Id, perhaps?) is trying to be honest with himself and he is trying to get over his hang-ups, but is simultaneously berating him for feeling that way. The phrases "Don't think we don't see your scars? Are you afraid of who you are?" may be spoken from the perspective of the Super-Ego adopting the attitude, "don't be a whiny bitch, just walk it off". While that may be the useful front to put up for social interactions, the Super-Ego and Id are in conflict, meanwhile the Ego has to find a way to come to terms with these two conflicting feelings.
I hate badly organized lyrics!
This life starts with a hearbeat Is it beat, beat, beat, beat, beating me down? Like the loser I am, I can't help but to see that success scares the living shit out of me Like the loser I am
Every time I walk away, every word I never say
(Chorus) Restless, chasing shadows Choices, facing gallows pole Are you hanging by a thread or swinging from the rope? Don't think we don't see your scars Are you afraid of who you are? Are you afraid of who you are?
Denial a subtle burn Is it burn, burn, burn, burn, burning me out? For feeding the flame Spread out the ash, pretend to see that you still can find some value in me I just feed the flames
Every time I walk away, every word I never say
(Chorus) Restless, chasing shadows Choices, facing gallows pole Are you hanging by a thread or swinging from the rope? Don't think we don't see your scars Are you afraid of who you are? Are you afraid of who you are?
Oh my God, what am I afraid of? Success or not having what it takes? Oh my God, are you afraid of me and everything that brings?
(Chorus) Restless, chasing shadows Choices, facing gallows pole Are you hanging by a thread or swinging from the rope? Don't think we don't see your scars Are you afraid of who you are? Are you afraid of who you are?