"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 says something about the sunrise.
Something about your eyes.
And the way that you dress.
Theres something about his smile that makes you wanna stay awhile.
But you know it's not for the best.
He knows that you're real shy.
What to say to keep you from crying.
You were a crocodile with blue eyes.
You're starting to have a good time.
You're sitting by the fire and you'll slowly start to unwind.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
You're a sucker for them older boys.
A whole box filled with hearts like yours.
Talk about your favorite books.
Tell him some of your weird jokes.
But you won't cause you know if you do he won't even look at you.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
He asks if you're alright.
You tell him that you feel fine when you really havea knot in your chest.
What he says sounds real wise.
But he's just looking for a good time I'm willing to bet.
He'll say something about the sunrise.
Something about your pretty eyes.
And the way you dress.
Tell him that you're worhwhile, what really makes you smile.
That you deserve the very best.
Cause you know you do.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Something about your eyes.
And the way that you dress.
Theres something about his smile that makes you wanna stay awhile.
But you know it's not for the best.
He knows that you're real shy.
What to say to keep you from crying.
You were a crocodile with blue eyes.
You're starting to have a good time.
You're sitting by the fire and you'll slowly start to unwind.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
You're a sucker for them older boys.
A whole box filled with hearts like yours.
Talk about your favorite books.
Tell him some of your weird jokes.
But you won't cause you know if you do he won't even look at you.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
He asks if you're alright.
You tell him that you feel fine when you really havea knot in your chest.
What he says sounds real wise.
But he's just looking for a good time I'm willing to bet.
He'll say something about the sunrise.
Something about your pretty eyes.
And the way you dress.
Tell him that you're worhwhile, what really makes you smile.
That you deserve the very best.
Cause you know you do.
But girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Girl, you don't have to take off your clothes.
To live inside my heart, to rest inside my bones.
Lyrics submitted by Biggerhearts
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.