"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.
Love, you're in pieces
There's no one left to lay you down
Or say it's okay
On the worst night, of the worst year
Though we might fall, we'll go out punching
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
In the gutter
Where you're starless, and blind to dreams
We can dream each other
To a new day
Where the good guys always win
And heaven still means something
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Love, when you're in pieces
There's no one left to dry your eyes
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
Oh darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
Ooh darling I'll follow you down to the ground, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
There's no one left to lay you down
Or say it's okay
On the worst night, of the worst year
Though we might fall, we'll go out punching
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
In the gutter
Where you're starless, and blind to dreams
We can dream each other
To a new day
Where the good guys always win
And heaven still means something
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
And darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Love, when you're in pieces
There's no one left to dry your eyes
You hit me like a subway train
And I will never be the same
Oh darling I'll follow you down to the ground
Even when you fall apart, I'll pick up your bloodstained heart
Ooh darling I'll follow you down to the ground, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
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.
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.
This song is so cute and the video is amazin, and as darren said, this song means or the idea is that when u know someone is in pain and u´d like to take all the pain that he/she is suffering, something like that was what he said, thought.
I love this song, although I've listened to it only a couple of times. I love the Snow Patrol-y wibe and the perfect voice of Darren :) Lovely music :)