"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.
Who dat, who dat?
Who dat, who dat?
Who dat, who dat?
Hey, who dat, who dat? That nigga you been waitin' for
I mean the shit was all bad just a week ago
Rappers was bullshitting, fuck it I ain't hating though
'Cause now a nigga hot enough to fuck with one of Satan' hoes
And she can't tell the difference, I been through hell conditions
Wishing for air conditioning, feeling God was never listening
Now I'm on television, and did I fail to mention?
Your bitch is tired of missionary, boy you failed the mission
Speaking of positions just witness how I elevate it
Real niggas celebrate it, finger fuck whoever hate it
My life accelerated, but had to wait my turn
Then I redecorated, that mean my tables turned
Life live, might as well, only way to learn
Is try and fail, clientele the only way to earn
So if you're selling crack, or if you're selling rap
Make sure it's mean so them fiends keep on coming back
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat?
Hey, the mind state of a winner
When you thinking about summertime I'm thinking about the winter
When you thinking about breakfast I'm heating up my dinner
I was plotting this moment back when y'all was riding spinners
Yeah I'm a menace, God as my witness, with this pen I'm insane, yup
Hungry like the nigga who ain't got the taste of fame yet
Clown told me, "Ain't you Roc? But where the fuck your chain at?"
Guess it's something like your girl, nigga it ain't came yet
The man make the chain, chain don't make the man
How many niggas do we know with hella ice but yet they lame?
The cloth from which we came me and them is not the same
It's like we all headed to Spain they took the boat I took the plane, damn
That boy's sick now hoes on his joystick
Heating up like May weather, dog I'm on that Floyd shit
Boy stick to your day job, said you was hot? Well, they lied
Is that your girl? Well, I just G'd her, no A-Rod
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat?
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? Cole World
(Now who else want to fuck with Hollywood Cole?)
The little engine that could, this little nigga is good
Rappers claiming they sick, I heal niggas for good
A couple of y'all ain't took a field trip to the hood
And me? I'm fresh prince, I'm Will Smith to the hood
Baby, ain't saying names but we not the same
All the money and the fame don't change the fact that you lame
Might want to grab you a chain, want to tip up your hat
Might want to purchase some game, homey your shit is so wack
I got my finger on the trigger, tell that nigga, "hold that"
Want picture perfect baby you can check the Kodak
Hey, so anything you can do I can do better
And any chick you can screw I can get wetter
I'm young, black, gifted, live my life on the run
Bet your bottom dollar before I'm done
They say that I'm the one, ya nigga I'm the one
I got them saying
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? J. Cole
Who dat, who dat? Cole World nigga
Cole World nigga
Dreamville, Cole World nigga
J. Cole
Who dat, who dat?
Who dat, who dat?
Hey, who dat, who dat? That nigga you been waitin' for
I mean the shit was all bad just a week ago
Rappers was bullshitting, fuck it I ain't hating though
'Cause now a nigga hot enough to fuck with one of Satan' hoes
And she can't tell the difference, I been through hell conditions
Wishing for air conditioning, feeling God was never listening
Now I'm on television, and did I fail to mention?
Your bitch is tired of missionary, boy you failed the mission
Speaking of positions just witness how I elevate it
Real niggas celebrate it, finger fuck whoever hate it
My life accelerated, but had to wait my turn
Then I redecorated, that mean my tables turned
Life live, might as well, only way to learn
Is try and fail, clientele the only way to earn
So if you're selling crack, or if you're selling rap
Make sure it's mean so them fiends keep on coming back
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat?
Hey, the mind state of a winner
When you thinking about summertime I'm thinking about the winter
When you thinking about breakfast I'm heating up my dinner
I was plotting this moment back when y'all was riding spinners
Yeah I'm a menace, God as my witness, with this pen I'm insane, yup
Hungry like the nigga who ain't got the taste of fame yet
Clown told me, "Ain't you Roc? But where the fuck your chain at?"
Guess it's something like your girl, nigga it ain't came yet
The man make the chain, chain don't make the man
How many niggas do we know with hella ice but yet they lame?
The cloth from which we came me and them is not the same
It's like we all headed to Spain they took the boat I took the plane, damn
That boy's sick now hoes on his joystick
Heating up like May weather, dog I'm on that Floyd shit
Boy stick to your day job, said you was hot? Well, they lied
Is that your girl? Well, I just G'd her, no A-Rod
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat?
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? Cole World
(Now who else want to fuck with Hollywood Cole?)
The little engine that could, this little nigga is good
Rappers claiming they sick, I heal niggas for good
A couple of y'all ain't took a field trip to the hood
And me? I'm fresh prince, I'm Will Smith to the hood
Baby, ain't saying names but we not the same
All the money and the fame don't change the fact that you lame
Might want to grab you a chain, want to tip up your hat
Might want to purchase some game, homey your shit is so wack
I got my finger on the trigger, tell that nigga, "hold that"
Want picture perfect baby you can check the Kodak
Hey, so anything you can do I can do better
And any chick you can screw I can get wetter
I'm young, black, gifted, live my life on the run
Bet your bottom dollar before I'm done
They say that I'm the one, ya nigga I'm the one
I got them saying
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
Who dat, who dat? Bitch I got that flame
So don't worry about my motherfucking name
I got them saying who dat, who dat? Cole World
Who dat, who dat? I got them sayin'
Who dat, who dat? J. Cole
Who dat, who dat? Cole World nigga
Cole World nigga
Dreamville, Cole World nigga
J. Cole
Lyrics submitted by Keykeykinszx3
Who Dat [Bonus Track] Lyrics as written by Patrick Brown Jermaine L. Cole
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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.
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.
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.