"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.
He spends his time
Or maybe half of his time
Or part of the time wandering
'Round the creeks and cobble stones of hackney lanes
With a tear in his eye
As the children walk by, he's thinking of a song
Then stops to paint a picture of a frown
Walking around
Dan Treacy's smile
Leaves you trying to decide who's the victim, what's the crime?
No rest for the mind
That's seen it all before
And I don't know where he lives
But he's a myth of a man
And Texas Bob the cameraman
Is off to fix his seat before the show
Yeah, but where did he go?
To know when your time's up
You flip the glass and watch the hours quickening
Oh oh oh oh oh
In the back of the station
Fluorescent lights about to quit their flickering
Well he speaks his mind
He says "What is crime?"
Dan Treacy's eyes
In the middle of the park
When the underground is dark,
He's a poet he's a lark
He starts thinking about a place that no one knows
And when the creeks run dry
He stays frozen in time
Strange lights in the sky
Start blinking
I can see the car outside but he's listening
He's listening
And he's making up his mind
He made his mind up
To get things done and overcome
He made his mind up
Yeah he's gonna let it go
He made his mind up
In the park and at the station
He made his mind up
Yeah, he's gonna get it done
He made his mind up
Ooh yeah he's gonna get it done
He made his mind up
Yeah, he's gonna let it go
No matter the time
Oh oh
When the creeps run by
Oh no
He's making his mind up
Oh oh oh oh
Yeah he's gonna get it done whoa
Oh yeah, when the creeks run dry whoa oh
Yeah, he's gonna listen to his soul,
Yeah, when the creeps walk
"Come here boy, look me in the eye"
Bow to the heart, back to the beat of
Dan Treacy
Or maybe half of his time
Or part of the time wandering
'Round the creeks and cobble stones of hackney lanes
With a tear in his eye
As the children walk by, he's thinking of a song
Then stops to paint a picture of a frown
Walking around
Dan Treacy's smile
Leaves you trying to decide who's the victim, what's the crime?
No rest for the mind
That's seen it all before
And I don't know where he lives
But he's a myth of a man
And Texas Bob the cameraman
Is off to fix his seat before the show
Yeah, but where did he go?
To know when your time's up
You flip the glass and watch the hours quickening
Oh oh oh oh oh
In the back of the station
Fluorescent lights about to quit their flickering
Well he speaks his mind
He says "What is crime?"
Dan Treacy's eyes
In the middle of the park
When the underground is dark,
He's a poet he's a lark
He starts thinking about a place that no one knows
And when the creeks run dry
He stays frozen in time
Strange lights in the sky
Start blinking
I can see the car outside but he's listening
He's listening
And he's making up his mind
He made his mind up
To get things done and overcome
He made his mind up
Yeah he's gonna let it go
He made his mind up
In the park and at the station
He made his mind up
Yeah, he's gonna get it done
He made his mind up
Ooh yeah he's gonna get it done
He made his mind up
Yeah, he's gonna let it go
No matter the time
Oh oh
When the creeps run by
Oh no
He's making his mind up
Oh oh oh oh
Yeah he's gonna get it done whoa
Oh yeah, when the creeks run dry whoa oh
Yeah, he's gonna listen to his soul,
Yeah, when the creeps walk
"Come here boy, look me in the eye"
Bow to the heart, back to the beat of
Dan Treacy
Lyrics submitted by afternoontara
Song for Dan Treacy Lyrics as written by Benjamin Nicholas Huner Goldwasser Andrew Wells Vanwyngarden
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
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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.
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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Mountain Song
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"'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."
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Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Well, first, he's obviously deep in thought. Possibly depressive thought, from drawing frowns.
Then, it mentions his smile makes you wonder "who's the victim, what's the crime" This implies his smile has a faked, or evil quality to it, like he is ashamed or obtaining guilty pleasure, either one.
Then later, it implies that he is making a major change in his life. Perhaps giving up a life of crime. Perhaps seeking drug addiction recovery. Perhaps forgetting/emotionally detaching from a dark, unwanted memory. Perhaps moving on from a past way of life, in general?
Simply speculations.
This may be a literal or figurative reference to Dan Treacy himself. It could be in tribute to him, but based on the introspective nature of the song, that seems unlikely. Perhaps it is recounting treacy's struggles, or simply using him as a mysterious figurehead. If anyone had a definitive life history of treacy, that may be very helpful.