"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.
Well, I just stopped in this evening
To get myself a little taste
The music is nice and swinging
And of course, I really dig the place
Course, I haven't
Had much sleep lately
I feel sorta down and out
Yeah, but look over there
In the corner, man
Oh, yeah, there's something
To shout about
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go nowhere
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go nowhere
Cause as soon as I pay the bartender
Girl, I'll be right there
She looked up and blushed and smiled
And my heart skipped a beat
Mmm, she's stacked from
Her head down to her feet
Hey, barkeep
You better come here and get your bread
This little girl's getting ready to split
And I'm about to go out of my head
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go out that door
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go out that door
I'm afraid if I lose sight of you
I just might not see you no more
She slowed up just a little bit
And turned her head and smiled
She was 34-24-38
And dressed in the latest style
I finally caught up
With the pretty little thing
Before she got out on the street
And she told she was
Waiting on her old man
Who was a policeman on the beat
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, I'll see you another time
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, I'll see you another time
If you're a policeman's woman
Lyrics courtesy Top40db.
Just talking to you is a crime
(That's right, bud, let's go)
Oh, no
To get myself a little taste
The music is nice and swinging
And of course, I really dig the place
Course, I haven't
Had much sleep lately
I feel sorta down and out
Yeah, but look over there
In the corner, man
Oh, yeah, there's something
To shout about
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go nowhere
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go nowhere
Cause as soon as I pay the bartender
Girl, I'll be right there
She looked up and blushed and smiled
And my heart skipped a beat
Mmm, she's stacked from
Her head down to her feet
Hey, barkeep
You better come here and get your bread
This little girl's getting ready to split
And I'm about to go out of my head
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go out that door
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, don't you go out that door
I'm afraid if I lose sight of you
I just might not see you no more
She slowed up just a little bit
And turned her head and smiled
She was 34-24-38
And dressed in the latest style
I finally caught up
With the pretty little thing
Before she got out on the street
And she told she was
Waiting on her old man
Who was a policeman on the beat
Hey, hey, pretty baby
Girl, I'll see you another time
(Are you talking to me)
I'm talking to you, pretty baby
Girl, I'll see you another time
If you're a policeman's woman
Lyrics courtesy Top40db.
Just talking to you is a crime
(That's right, bud, let's go)
Oh, no
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
At the Club Lyrics as written by Percy Mayfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, THE RAY CHARLES FOUNDATION DBA TANGERINE MUSIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.