"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.
She was screaming bloody murder and I'll never forget
How look of her eyes or the taste of her sweat said
Boy you gotta get away, get away while you can
They've been hiding in the darkness and on every road
And there is nothing you can do that might save your soul
And they're hiding in the shadows and they're here to control
Cause you can't control yourself
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
And superficial cigarette burns a storm in the gate
Leaving lovely little letters telling me how to taste
And you can hear him singing chorus after chorus, your fate
Is going to take us to the top
She's got the ashes on her wrist you watch her move her to the beat
And every eerie of the new with everybody she needs
She knows the riddle of the city she can feel it in the streets
She would rather feel a change
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
Why do we have to fight fair
This doesn't have to be our hour
We lose ours
And take my hand here
It shouldn't be that hard to be
Just her and me
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
How look of her eyes or the taste of her sweat said
Boy you gotta get away, get away while you can
They've been hiding in the darkness and on every road
And there is nothing you can do that might save your soul
And they're hiding in the shadows and they're here to control
Cause you can't control yourself
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
And superficial cigarette burns a storm in the gate
Leaving lovely little letters telling me how to taste
And you can hear him singing chorus after chorus, your fate
Is going to take us to the top
She's got the ashes on her wrist you watch her move her to the beat
And every eerie of the new with everybody she needs
She knows the riddle of the city she can feel it in the streets
She would rather feel a change
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
Why do we have to fight fair
This doesn't have to be our hour
We lose ours
And take my hand here
It shouldn't be that hard to be
Just her and me
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh
So whoa-oh-oh-oh
This is the way it goes
Cause you find me bound and chainless in another's arms
And go-oh-oh-oh
I'm singing it straight to you
Cause I'm leaving you honest
I'm done with the promise
We can't all be caught in
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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.
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."
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
They're relationship was on the rocks. She catches him with another girl and he's admits "I'm singing it straight to you oh oh oh Cause I'm leaving you honest And sealed with a promise"
If there's going to be a fight he's asking her to be honest about her argument because they could both feel it ending. He's saying it doesn't have to be a big deal, they both knew they were in the final stages of their relationship, so it doesn't need to be drawn out "This doesn't have to be our hour, we lose hours".
Admitting that what he did was was wrong, but he isn't perfect because "We can't all be god's and superstars"