"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.
Close your eyes, little girl
You're a princess now, you own this world
Twirling in your twirly dress
You're the loveliest, far above the rest
You build your castles in the skies
Stars reflecting off your eyes
And angels sing on silver clouds
And no one cries, screams or shouts
Ooh, set apart this dream
Oh, set apart this dream for me
Set apart this dream for me
Close your eyes, pretty girl
'Cause it's easier when you brace yourself
Set your thoughts on a world far off
Where we only cry from joy
Ooh, set apart this dream
Oh, set apart this dream for me
Set apart this dream for me
Oh lovely and beautiful, precious and priceless
You're so much more than you know
Heart of the purest gold
Pure clean and white as snow
Clothed in such splendor
Oh, what a beauty for me
Set apart this dream
Set apart this dream
Ooh, set apart this dream
(Set apart this dream)
Oh, set apart this dream for me
(Set apart this dream)
Set apart this dream for me
You're a princess now, you own this world
Twirling in your twirly dress
You're the loveliest, far above the rest
You build your castles in the skies
Stars reflecting off your eyes
And angels sing on silver clouds
And no one cries, screams or shouts
Ooh, set apart this dream
Oh, set apart this dream for me
Set apart this dream for me
Close your eyes, pretty girl
'Cause it's easier when you brace yourself
Set your thoughts on a world far off
Where we only cry from joy
Ooh, set apart this dream
Oh, set apart this dream for me
Set apart this dream for me
Oh lovely and beautiful, precious and priceless
You're so much more than you know
Heart of the purest gold
Pure clean and white as snow
Clothed in such splendor
Oh, what a beauty for me
Set apart this dream
Set apart this dream
Ooh, set apart this dream
(Set apart this dream)
Oh, set apart this dream for me
(Set apart this dream)
Set apart this dream for me
Lyrics submitted by onthefinishline
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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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
This is such a beautiful song! I have a slightly different interpretation, though...last night I was listening to the song with my eyes closed...just listening...and a beautiful image began to play in my head.
"Close your eyes, little girl You're a princess now, you own this world Twirling in your twirly dress You're the loveliest, far above the rest"
This first stanza is a perfect description of every little girl's dream. Ah, to be a princess...to be beautiful and wonderful and adored and perfect...what every little girl dreams of. She does a beautiful job of portraying this fantasy in a mere four lines.
"You build your castles in the skies Stars reflecting off your eyes And angels sing on silver clouds And no one cries, screams or shouts"
This second stanza is a beautiful description of Heaven. Castles in the sky...angels singing...no one crying...isn't that what the Bible describes when speaking of Heaven? There will be streets made of gold and angels worshipping Him and He will wipe away every tear from every eye and we will all be sons and daughters of Christ...Princes and Princesses of Christ.
The way I see it, she is comparing these two scenes, a little girl's fairy tales and the paradise that is Heaven. Notice how similar they are? I don't believe that's just a coincidence. It seems to me like she is telling this little girl that her fantasy is going to come true...someday, if she is saved, she WILL be a princess with castles in the sky, owning the world and twirling in her twirly dress. And the chorus is wistful, hoping...
"Ooh, set apart this dream Oh, set apart this dream for me Set apart this dream for me"
She knows the dream of this child and she wants it too. She longs for nothing more than what this little girl wants. She's begging to have the dream set apart for her, too. She wants to experience this love and power and beauty that this little girl is fantasizing and God is talking about, because in reality, these two are one and the same.
"Close your eyes, pretty girl 'Cause it's easier when you brace yourself Set your thoughts on a world far off Where we only cry from joy"
Here, she is giving a bit of advice. Close your eyes and brace yourself. No, your fantasy isn't going to be here on Earth. You're going to run into hard times, and to get through them, you must set your thoughts on things above, on your fantasy, on the reality that is eternity in Heaven, your eternal reward. Heaven, a place where we only cry from joy. This is how you make it through this life...the people that don't have this assurance of salvation, this knowledge and hope in what is to come, they aren't happy, they don't have anything or anyone to look to.
This is such a beautiful song! I have a slightly different interpretation, though...last night I was listening to the song with my eyes closed...just listening...and a beautiful image began to play in my head.
"Close your eyes, little girl You're a princess now, you own this world Twirling in your twirly dress You're the loveliest, far above the rest"
This first stanza is a perfect description of every little girl's dream. Ah, to be a princess...to be beautiful and wonderful and adored and perfect...what every little girl dreams of. She does a beautiful job of portraying this fantasy in a mere four lines.
"You build your castles in the skies Stars reflecting off your eyes And angels sing on silver clouds And no one cries, screams or shouts"
This second stanza is a beautiful description of Heaven. Castles in the sky...angels singing...no one crying...isn't that what the Bible describes when speaking of Heaven? There will be streets made of gold and angels worshipping Him and He will wipe away every tear from every eye and we will all be sons and daughters of Christ...Princes and Princesses of Christ.
The way I see it, she is comparing these two scenes, a little girl's fairy tales and the paradise that is Heaven. Notice how similar they are? I don't believe that's just a coincidence. It seems to me like she is telling this little girl that her fantasy is going to come true...someday, if she is saved, she WILL be a princess with castles in the sky, owning the world and twirling in her twirly dress. And the chorus is wistful, hoping...
"Ooh, set apart this dream Oh, set apart this dream for me Set apart this dream for me"
She knows the dream of this child and she wants it too. She longs for nothing more than what this little girl wants. She's begging to have the dream set apart for her, too. She wants to experience this love and power and beauty that this little girl is fantasizing and God is talking about, because in reality, these two are one and the same.
"Close your eyes, pretty girl 'Cause it's easier when you brace yourself Set your thoughts on a world far off Where we only cry from joy"
Here, she is giving a bit of advice. Close your eyes and brace yourself. No, your fantasy isn't going to be here on Earth. You're going to run into hard times, and to get through them, you must set your thoughts on things above, on your fantasy, on the reality that is eternity in Heaven, your eternal reward. Heaven, a place where we only cry from joy. This is how you make it through this life...the people that don't have this assurance of salvation, this knowledge and hope in what is to come, they aren't happy, they don't have anything or anyone to look to.
Finally, the bridge is so lovely and encouraging it nearly takes my breath away.
"Oh lovely and beautiful, precious and priceless You're so much more than you know Heart of the purest gold Pure clean and white as snow Clothed in such splendor Oh, what a beauty for me"
Here she is talking about how God sees this little girl and also about how she will be when she does get to Heaven someday. I believe the former is the most prominent, however, because we are getting a glimpse of how God views us once we are saved…he doesn’t see us masked and marked by our sins, but he sees us as beautiful, precious, and priceless…an amazing image, don’t you think?
Of course, as it is with any song, poem, or story, there are multiple interpretations and each one can take from it what they will. But this is really how I see this song and how it spoke to me last night as I closed my eyes and remember what it was like to dream about being a princess…and the jarring but sweet realization that I am one…and someday I will be with my King in His kingdom.
THANK YOU.
your totally right and its strictly logical the why your thinking about this song..but i dont think she wants the dream for her<br /> <br /> i think its more like shes singing to this little girl as if she were God singing...im not saying your way is wrong im just saying that it made sense becuase she says to the little girl <br /> <br /> "set apart this dream for me" <br /> Me as in God
@Emachinescat
I think that your interpretation of the song was EXACTLY how you put it! I dedicated this song to my 9 yr old daughter and was trying to find the interpretation that I could explain to her to give her an idea exactly what I felt the words meant. That was perfect... I will explain yours:-) thank you so much! @Emachinescat