"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.
How will this pan out?
Search and wish, so loud
Keep a candle burning
To each his own should learn
Before I turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
See how the colors run,
And feel your Sunday rest
Give me a name, bring it in, some change is for the best
I may not win the race
I may not reach the top
Or I may not live your way;
It doesn't mean I'm stuck here
We may not fit the mold
Kind of going off well,
The medicine inside takes a stronger hold
As we turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
Before I burn with envy, I learn through sorrow
I burn with envy and go, to the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
If turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
Search and wish, so loud
Keep a candle burning
To each his own should learn
Before I turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
See how the colors run,
And feel your Sunday rest
Give me a name, bring it in, some change is for the best
I may not win the race
I may not reach the top
Or I may not live your way;
It doesn't mean I'm stuck here
We may not fit the mold
Kind of going off well,
The medicine inside takes a stronger hold
As we turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
Before I burn with envy, I learn through sorrow
I burn with envy and go, to the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
To the wall
If turn in envy, I learn through sorrow
I turn in envy and go, to the wall
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
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.
"Due to copyright restrictions, we are not authorized to display these lyrics."
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? How are we supposed to easily try to interpret the lyrics without them?
Fine, here are the lyrics!
How will this pan out Search and wish so lout Keep a candle burning To each his own should live
Before I turn in envy I learn through sorrow I turn in envy And go to the wall
See how the colors run And feel your Sunday rest Give me a name Bring it in Some change is for the best I may not win the race I may not reach the top Or I may not live your way Doesn't mean I'm stuck here We may not fit the mold Kind of going off Well, the medicine inside Takes a stronger hold
As we Turn in envy I learn through sorrow I turn in envy And go to the wall Before I burn with envy I learn through sorrow I burn with envy And go to the wall To the wall To the wall
Before I turn in envy I learn through sorrow I burn with envy And go To the wall
sick song...moody,dark--chorus is unreal<br /> best song of new lp
There literally could not be a better theme song for John Snow.
envy involves jealousy and wanting to conform to some ideal or lifestyle. this leads to conflict with one's self. instead, accept who you are and just be. "to each his own should live"
Like most songs this one stems from relationships.
Turn in envy I learn through sorrow I turn in envy
After being jealous for being left for someone else, one has to go through sorrow to experience life, and then the way he drags out the word sorrow represents how he goes through sorrow for ever before knowing what to do envy and the endless cycle of it. Relative to banging your head against a brick wall.
@MachineFace what to do **"with envy".***<br /> <br />