"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.
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm banging on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm banging on the radio
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Suki suki
I'm comin' in the Cherokee
Gasoline
There's steam on the window screen
Take it, take it
World's bouncin' like a trampoline
When I get to where I'm goin', gonna have you tremblin'
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Yeah, back it, back it
Yeah, pull up to the bumper game
Read the signal
Cover me, 'cause I'm changin' lanes
Had a handle on it
My life, I-I broke it
When I get to where I'm goin', gonna have you sayin' it
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin'
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Goin' nought to bitch, I'll see four million
Accelerating fast I can do this in a second
Lookin' in the rearview, swaggin' goin' swell
Leavin' boys behind 'cause it's legal just to kill
Shift gear, automatic, damned if I do
Who's gonna stop me when I'm comin' through?
What we got left is just me and you
But if I go to bed, baby, can I take you?
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin'
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm banging on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm banging on the radio
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Suki suki
I'm comin' in the Cherokee
Gasoline
There's steam on the window screen
Take it, take it
World's bouncin' like a trampoline
When I get to where I'm goin', gonna have you tremblin'
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Yeah, back it, back it
Yeah, pull up to the bumper game
Read the signal
Cover me, 'cause I'm changin' lanes
Had a handle on it
My life, I-I broke it
When I get to where I'm goin', gonna have you sayin' it
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin'
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Goin' nought to bitch, I'll see four million
Accelerating fast I can do this in a second
Lookin' in the rearview, swaggin' goin' swell
Leavin' boys behind 'cause it's legal just to kill
Shift gear, automatic, damned if I do
Who's gonna stop me when I'm comin' through?
What we got left is just me and you
But if I go to bed, baby, can I take you?
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
Hands up, hands tied
Don't go screamin' if I blow you with a bang
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Live fast, die young
Bad girls do it well
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the radio
Chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin' on the dashboard
My chain hits my chest
When I'm bangin'
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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,
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.
wow. I don't know where to start. I'm into music like Marilyn Manson