"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.
I've been losing myself in anger, so much broken by the rage
Nothing could take my mind off how to make them pay
Killing myself for nothing and the pain won't go away
Losing myself to madness and the game's been played
If I could turn the hands of time, I would
But here I am
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
I'm too tired to keep on trying,
But I'm spellbound till the end.
Knowing that there's no closure
For my wars inside.
I've buried the good and evil,
Only memories left behind
I am the one still standing
I will live to tell
If I could turn the hands of time, I would
But here I am, here I am
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
Tell me why I'm wasting away
Tell me how to break my own chains
'Cause I'm losing after all
How can I escape this grim fate
Tell me how to face one more day
'Cause I'm wasting away
It's all gone silent
I'm searching for fire
Nothing to fight for
Alone
Tell me why am I still here when it's all gone
Whoa, living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday (yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone, yesterday)
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
Nothing could take my mind off how to make them pay
Killing myself for nothing and the pain won't go away
Losing myself to madness and the game's been played
If I could turn the hands of time, I would
But here I am
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
I'm too tired to keep on trying,
But I'm spellbound till the end.
Knowing that there's no closure
For my wars inside.
I've buried the good and evil,
Only memories left behind
I am the one still standing
I will live to tell
If I could turn the hands of time, I would
But here I am, here I am
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
Tell me why I'm wasting away
Tell me how to break my own chains
'Cause I'm losing after all
How can I escape this grim fate
Tell me how to face one more day
'Cause I'm wasting away
It's all gone silent
I'm searching for fire
Nothing to fight for
Alone
Tell me why am I still here when it's all gone
Whoa, living with the ghosts of yesterday
Tell me, why am I still here when it's all gone
I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday (yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone, yesterday)
Tell me why am I still trying to hold on
I've got to tear it down, to let it go
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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.
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.
epic intro into the concept album