"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.
Free like a bird as it flies,
Free like an old man that dies,
Just like a stream or a rose growing wild,
Somewhere there's someone walkin' the road
Somewhere someone who carries a load,
Don't look too far to see somewhere there's a man.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
God, why don't you let them go?
Why? That's what I want to know.
Pray to the Lord, give thanks that you're free.
Somewhere there's a magical sun,
Somewhere and no evil is done,
Where there's a devil wind, therein a man
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Free like an old man that dies,
Just like a stream or a rose growing wild,
Somewhere there's someone walkin' the road
Somewhere someone who carries a load,
Don't look too far to see somewhere there's a man.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
God, why don't you let them go?
Why? That's what I want to know.
Pray to the Lord, give thanks that you're free.
Somewhere there's a magical sun,
Somewhere and no evil is done,
Where there's a devil wind, therein a man
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Chained Lyrics as written by R. Ballard
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.