"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.
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
I live a bachelors life
I never thought of getting a wife
Until I met this girl
That treat me so nice
I chose the one I need
I met the one who had the key
And unlocked my bachelors privacy
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
I thought that I was smart
And showed everything I got
And finally discovered
Loving do not cover
Insurance on my car
Insurance on my home
When it comes to love
You're on your own
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Had a small collision
Because I didn't see the sign
You'd never know what happened
In this highway to love of mine
I met a lot of pretty women
I met a lot of pretty girl
And every one I met
Tried to change my world
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
You so doggone fine
I can't keep you off my mind
I should have known
That was a collision sign
Too many accidents
I saw you everywhere I went
Falling in love
Just could not be prevent
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Accidentally fell in love with you
I live a bachelors life
I never thought of getting a wife
Until I met this girl
That treat me so nice
I chose the one I need
I met the one who had the key
And unlocked my bachelors privacy
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
I thought that I was smart
And showed everything I got
And finally discovered
Loving do not cover
Insurance on my car
Insurance on my home
When it comes to love
You're on your own
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Had a small collision
Because I didn't see the sign
You'd never know what happened
In this highway to love of mine
I met a lot of pretty women
I met a lot of pretty girl
And every one I met
Tried to change my world
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
You so doggone fine
I can't keep you off my mind
I should have known
That was a collision sign
Too many accidents
I saw you everywhere I went
Falling in love
Just could not be prevent
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Accident, just an accident
Accidentally fell in love with you
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Accident Lyrics as written by T Giblin Lee Baker
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.