"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.
There was a light, but I don't care
We both know that it's foolish
And what's become of it is in my heart
Oh, but it's a big part
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
Oh and I won't waste any more time
I don't know myself
Oh, but I know you
How can you be so callous?
Oh don't ever say that I was not being fair
Oh that you don't rely on me when no one else is there
Anymore
Oh why can't we both talk, I must have taught myself
That it's a lie on both sides of you
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
Oh and I won't waste any more time
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
Give me pain
And pains I've lived too
When you're miserable
Living eyes can...
To the bottom of the dock
When you're miserable
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
Oh I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
There was a light, but I don't care
We both know that it's foolish
We both know that it's foolish
Oh don't rely on me
Oh don't, don't rely on me
I don't know myself
Oh but I know you, how can you be so callous
How can you be so callous
We both know that it's foolish
And what's become of it is in my heart
Oh, but it's a big part
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
Oh and I won't waste any more time
I don't know myself
Oh, but I know you
How can you be so callous?
Oh don't ever say that I was not being fair
Oh that you don't rely on me when no one else is there
Anymore
Oh why can't we both talk, I must have taught myself
That it's a lie on both sides of you
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
Oh and I won't waste any more time
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
Give me pain
And pains I've lived too
When you're miserable
Living eyes can...
To the bottom of the dock
When you're miserable
Oh and I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
Oh I won't waste any more of your time
And oh I won't waste any more time
There was a light, but I don't care
We both know that it's foolish
We both know that it's foolish
Oh don't rely on me
Oh don't, don't rely on me
I don't know myself
Oh but I know you, how can you be so callous
How can you be so callous
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I love this song, especially when he sings the "I don't know myself, Oh, But I know you" Breaks my heart.
They both know it's over, but it's still so hard to let go. When you're with someone for a long time it's like you become one person so when you have to let them go it's almost like you have to remind yourself who you are again.