"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.
Oh, when you were young and your excitement showed
But as time goes by is it outgrown?
Is that the way things go? Forever reaching for the gold
Forever fading black and comes up cold
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
When you were young, you never knew which way you'd go
What once was grace now undertows
Well everyday do what you can, and if you let them turn you 'round
Whatever goes up must come down
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
But as time goes by is it outgrown?
Is that the way things go? Forever reaching for the gold
Forever fading black and comes up cold
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
When you were young, you never knew which way you'd go
What once was grace now undertows
Well everyday do what you can, and if you let them turn you 'round
Whatever goes up must come down
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
Walking free, oh, come with me, oh
Far away, oh, everyday, oh
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
Some interesting interpretations above, but again, this song is all about the jam at the end. The music trumps any lyrics.