"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.
Lover, will you look at me now?
I'm already dead to you
But I'm inclined to explain
To you what I could not before
Whatever you didn't do, what you couldn't say
I am sorry that the worst has arrived
For I deserve more.
For at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye
Tell me, do you think of me now
As I think of you?
For I could not have shaken the touch of your breath on my arm
For it has stayed in me as an epithet
I am sorry the worst has arrived
For I'm on the floor
In the room where we made it our last touch of the night
I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love
Lover, will you look from me now
I'm already dead
But I've come to explain
Why I left such a mess on the floor
For when you went away
I went crazy. I was wild with the breast of a dog
I ran through the night
With the knife in my chest
With the lust of your loveless life
I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I'm already dead to you
But I'm inclined to explain
To you what I could not before
Whatever you didn't do, what you couldn't say
I am sorry that the worst has arrived
For I deserve more.
For at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye
Tell me, do you think of me now
As I think of you?
For I could not have shaken the touch of your breath on my arm
For it has stayed in me as an epithet
I am sorry the worst has arrived
For I'm on the floor
In the room where we made it our last touch of the night
I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love
Lover, will you look from me now
I'm already dead
But I've come to explain
Why I left such a mess on the floor
For when you went away
I went crazy. I was wild with the breast of a dog
I ran through the night
With the knife in my chest
With the lust of your loveless life
I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
Lyrics submitted by MisterHand
I Walked Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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
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,
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.
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.
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.
It seems like the references to Royal are definitely on the surface of this song, especially considering his dedication to Royal while playing this song in concert. But underneath that, I think that this album and song undoubtedly depict Sufjan's loss of faith in the term "love" as it is so often thrown around. "Sensation to what you said", I believe, indicates the manner in which the narrator reacts so strongly in a physical, sensation-based manner to everything the lost love says, and as a result, he is now "lost." The narrator indicates that this is his own fault, presumably for putting so much faith in his ex-lover's words. He goes so crazy (for lack of a better term) after their separation, that he leaves a mess worthy of apologizing over and runs like a wild dog through the night with the wound still deep in his heart. Yet putting so much emphasis on her words and actions will get him nowhere, as when he walks because she walks, he "won't probably get very far."
The song also reflects the importance we attach to emotions like love. Having nothing left to love, the narrator is lost--dead.