"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's beer in coffee mugs, water bottles and soda cups
And it's clear as the windows I came through
That you are in one of those moods and I am in one of them, too
And it's hard to communicate anything
And I will remember that summer
As the summer I was taking steroids
Because you like a man with muscles
And I like you.
It's the cops are coming in type of sobering up
It's a girl who never learned that I could not give a fuck
My friends are happy, I am happy, I have learned to adapt
It's a darker kind of humor and I can still hear 'em laugh
And there's beer in coffee mugs, water bottles and soda cups
And it's clear as the windows I came through
And I will remember that summer
As the summer I was taking steroids
Because you like a man with muscles
And I like you.
But it's an aerial view from your house to my room
Yeah, it's an aerial view from your house to my room
Look in your windows, and I am trying not to stare
Hold on to hope I'm sure was never even there
'Cause it's an aerial view from your house to my room
As the summer I was taking steroids
As the summer I was taking steroids
As the summer I was taking steroids
And it's clear as the windows I came through
That you are in one of those moods and I am in one of them, too
And it's hard to communicate anything
And I will remember that summer
As the summer I was taking steroids
Because you like a man with muscles
And I like you.
It's the cops are coming in type of sobering up
It's a girl who never learned that I could not give a fuck
My friends are happy, I am happy, I have learned to adapt
It's a darker kind of humor and I can still hear 'em laugh
And there's beer in coffee mugs, water bottles and soda cups
And it's clear as the windows I came through
And I will remember that summer
As the summer I was taking steroids
Because you like a man with muscles
And I like you.
But it's an aerial view from your house to my room
Yeah, it's an aerial view from your house to my room
Look in your windows, and I am trying not to stare
Hold on to hope I'm sure was never even there
'Cause it's an aerial view from your house to my room
As the summer I was taking steroids
As the summer I was taking steroids
As the summer I was taking steroids
Lyrics submitted by sshaannon
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Such a fun song.
I believe this is about pretending to be someone you're not to impress someone else.
As well as setting a scene for the listener, the beer "in coffee mugs, water bottles and soda cups" is a metaphor for Brian adapting to what his friends and the girl he's interested in like. There's beer taking the form of every kind of container other than its natural one.
Just like the beer, Brian tries to act like others to fit in. His prospective lover is in "one of those moods", so therefore he puts himself in that mood himself. His friends are happy, so he is happy. He will learn to adapt to the darker sense of humor they have.
The most dramatic example of this is Brian taking steroids to impress his lady friend. This is less subtle and also drives home the point that all of this pretending isn't harmless.
I'm not so sure about the "aerial view" part. Maybe by doing these things, he is implying that he is not good enough for these people in his natural state. So, by pretending to be what they like, he is essentially placing them above him and giving them an opportunity to look down on the real him.
Maybe her superiority? She's in the sky and he's on the ground sort of thing. And also "house" compared to "room" is superior
I believe this is about pretending to be someone you're not to impress someone else.
As well as setting a scene for the listener, the beer "in coffee mugs, water bottles and soda cups" is a metaphor for Brian adapting to what his friends and the girl he's interested in like. There's beer taking the form of every kind of container other than its natural one.
Just like the beer, Brian tries to act like others to fit in. His prospective lover is in "one of those moods", so therefore he puts himself in that mood himself. His friends are happy, so he is happy. He will learn to adapt to the darker sense of humor they have.
The most dramatic example of this is Brian taking steroids to impress his lady friend. This is less subtle and also drives home the point that all of this pretending isn't harmless.
I'm not so sure about the "aerial view" part. Maybe by doing these things, he is implying that he is not good enough for these people in his natural state. So, by pretending to be what they like, he is essentially placing them above him and giving them an opportunity to look down on the real him.
It's about lying about who you are, and sometimes it's completely obvious that you're lying, like when you see teenagers being really interested in their coffee mug or water bottle, you know what's in there isn't what is supposed to be. It's lying in attempts to make people around you and in turn yourself more comfortable.