"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.
Woah, man
Yeah (hey, what's up?)
Let's turn this house into a happy home
This for all the homeboys that couldn't get they happy home
Let's turn this house into a happy home
Long as one of us got it, some of us got it
Let's turn this house into a happy home
You know how that is, stay down for mine
Hold on, look
Now we've been kickin' it for quite some time
Remained beside me through my trials in this life of crime
We done fought so many times I forgot to count
I never hit you, not a coward, rather leave your house
Remember back in December when we was tight?
Sippin' Alize and Cristal, whylin' every night, in my bedroom
Promised that I commit to you soon
Tongue-kissed me every time you seen me step inside a room
Straight out the hood
We promised to be good to each other, plus I love you
So I know you gon' make a good mother
Just try to understand if I change in time
It's only 'cause I never owned anything that's mine
So I'm tryin you can stay with my momma but keep the drama to a low
Never call the police, I never call you bitch or ho'
We were all born hungry in this world alone
Finally moved out my mom's house, and got a happy home
Happy, home
(Let's turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
Born through hard times, ghetto child of mine
I wonder if you have to suffer for your father's crimes
To be honest it's a hard road
Just keep your faith in God, knowin' you'll get scarred though
Look at him walkin' and talkin', a lil' child with my eyes and mouth
Father watch over lil' seeds, help me guide them out
Had to change my whole lifestyle, married my baby's mama
Made her my wife now, I'm tryin' hard y'all
Maybe in time I'll be a better man
Watchin' the older couples, handle it like veterans
Show me the meanin' of forever and together we rise
If it would help our child grow, then together we die
Why question my love, it's so easy to see?
Without my family all I'm left with is a shadow of me
After all the arguments, and the nights alone
Now it's time to live the good life, inside a happy home
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Finally got to live the good life inside a happy home)
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Happy home)
All these problems got me goin'
We got a family, of our own
I just wanna happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
No man's made to stand alone
I promise I won't do you wrong
I just want a happy home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy home
(Finally got to live the good life inside a happy home)
Happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy home
Hey haha, turn this house into a happy home
Long as one of us got it, some of us got it
Turn this house into a happy home
Yeah (hey, what's up?)
Let's turn this house into a happy home
This for all the homeboys that couldn't get they happy home
Let's turn this house into a happy home
Long as one of us got it, some of us got it
Let's turn this house into a happy home
You know how that is, stay down for mine
Hold on, look
Now we've been kickin' it for quite some time
Remained beside me through my trials in this life of crime
We done fought so many times I forgot to count
I never hit you, not a coward, rather leave your house
Remember back in December when we was tight?
Sippin' Alize and Cristal, whylin' every night, in my bedroom
Promised that I commit to you soon
Tongue-kissed me every time you seen me step inside a room
Straight out the hood
We promised to be good to each other, plus I love you
So I know you gon' make a good mother
Just try to understand if I change in time
It's only 'cause I never owned anything that's mine
So I'm tryin you can stay with my momma but keep the drama to a low
Never call the police, I never call you bitch or ho'
We were all born hungry in this world alone
Finally moved out my mom's house, and got a happy home
Happy, home
(Let's turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
Born through hard times, ghetto child of mine
I wonder if you have to suffer for your father's crimes
To be honest it's a hard road
Just keep your faith in God, knowin' you'll get scarred though
Look at him walkin' and talkin', a lil' child with my eyes and mouth
Father watch over lil' seeds, help me guide them out
Had to change my whole lifestyle, married my baby's mama
Made her my wife now, I'm tryin' hard y'all
Maybe in time I'll be a better man
Watchin' the older couples, handle it like veterans
Show me the meanin' of forever and together we rise
If it would help our child grow, then together we die
Why question my love, it's so easy to see?
Without my family all I'm left with is a shadow of me
After all the arguments, and the nights alone
Now it's time to live the good life, inside a happy home
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Finally got to live the good life inside a happy home)
Happy, home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy, home
(Happy home)
All these problems got me goin'
We got a family, of our own
I just wanna happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
No man's made to stand alone
I promise I won't do you wrong
I just want a happy home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy home
(Finally got to live the good life inside a happy home)
Happy home
(Turn this house into a happy home)
Happy home
(Finally made it out my mom's house, got a happy home)
Happy home
Hey haha, turn this house into a happy home
Long as one of us got it, some of us got it
Turn this house into a happy home
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/