"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.
[Intro:]
Uh, uh, come on
Yeah, yeah, Come on
Yeah, here we go
[Verse 1:]
They tried to bet it in my brain, and said it never change
Either win it in the anthem, they gon' say the name
Weren't the bentley or the phantom, you ain't said a thing man
It ain't wordy, plus it ain't dirty
Full time, Millionare, and ain't thirty
Anything out there, smooth and basic
Tennin' up, came from the school of mason
You know what's up, even my jewels await this
You would be a fool, to hate this
So came from the pool, of make this it's still the same floor
Wrist looking like a rainbow, and I know
It's better now, when you get rich, you want to settle down
Full speed ahead, we on the petal now
When it came man, you know I was never around
When the arm came, you know I was never found
What if I go, as you call, I can let 'em
[Chorus 2x:]
I know, I don't really do the weed, in high dro
I don't really do the freaks, as I hold
I know, I owe
[Verse 2:]
I want to coach like new rap, pull out the plays
Like X's and O's, Crow 2's, protech my flows
I deal with versions, like escomeoes
Ya'll seen me high, ya'll seen me low
Ya'll seen me fly, and ya'll seen me broked
Ya'll heard the beat, but I caught the flow
I seen the goal, when nobody want to know
You married now, what'chu mean, ooh ma ma
Really in mind I'm like, ooh nah nah
I got Millions, watchin' I can't go left
Cause if I do, then they go death
You know your man tyson, ain't been the same, since Indiana
Then coal being been the same, since Colorado
Aaliyah, Left Eye, they brought lots of sorrow
Me Myself from my heart, act to follow
I know you fat, You gonna stop tomorrow, uhh
[Chorus 2x:]
[Verse 3:]
Change the scenery, ya'll ain't seen the enemy
No dro and Hennessey, I don't need the energy
Save this energy, fo real the intitty
Back in the industry, just to let this enessy
Mean in me, and they treat me like an enemy
Yes ya'll remember me, but now it's like tenemy
They clone me, it's like everybody owe me
Who had try to phone, but God already warm me
Feel alone, I feel like a old lead
All eyes on him, to tell me why they own me
I gotta eat, I gotta live, I gotta ride
I gotta teach, I gotta preach, I gotta tie
So I need my money, right, right now
The real thing in the world, is in my life right now
I had to switch it up, kick it up, like, like, like now
I get the word, I put this mic right now, you wright that down
[Chorus 3x:]
Uh, uh, come on
Yeah, yeah, Come on
Yeah, here we go
[Verse 1:]
They tried to bet it in my brain, and said it never change
Either win it in the anthem, they gon' say the name
Weren't the bentley or the phantom, you ain't said a thing man
It ain't wordy, plus it ain't dirty
Full time, Millionare, and ain't thirty
Anything out there, smooth and basic
Tennin' up, came from the school of mason
You know what's up, even my jewels await this
You would be a fool, to hate this
So came from the pool, of make this it's still the same floor
Wrist looking like a rainbow, and I know
It's better now, when you get rich, you want to settle down
Full speed ahead, we on the petal now
When it came man, you know I was never around
When the arm came, you know I was never found
What if I go, as you call, I can let 'em
[Chorus 2x:]
I know, I don't really do the weed, in high dro
I don't really do the freaks, as I hold
I know, I owe
[Verse 2:]
I want to coach like new rap, pull out the plays
Like X's and O's, Crow 2's, protech my flows
I deal with versions, like escomeoes
Ya'll seen me high, ya'll seen me low
Ya'll seen me fly, and ya'll seen me broked
Ya'll heard the beat, but I caught the flow
I seen the goal, when nobody want to know
You married now, what'chu mean, ooh ma ma
Really in mind I'm like, ooh nah nah
I got Millions, watchin' I can't go left
Cause if I do, then they go death
You know your man tyson, ain't been the same, since Indiana
Then coal being been the same, since Colorado
Aaliyah, Left Eye, they brought lots of sorrow
Me Myself from my heart, act to follow
I know you fat, You gonna stop tomorrow, uhh
[Chorus 2x:]
[Verse 3:]
Change the scenery, ya'll ain't seen the enemy
No dro and Hennessey, I don't need the energy
Save this energy, fo real the intitty
Back in the industry, just to let this enessy
Mean in me, and they treat me like an enemy
Yes ya'll remember me, but now it's like tenemy
They clone me, it's like everybody owe me
Who had try to phone, but God already warm me
Feel alone, I feel like a old lead
All eyes on him, to tell me why they own me
I gotta eat, I gotta live, I gotta ride
I gotta teach, I gotta preach, I gotta tie
So I need my money, right, right now
The real thing in the world, is in my life right now
I had to switch it up, kick it up, like, like, like now
I get the word, I put this mic right now, you wright that down
[Chorus 3x:]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
I Owe Lyrics as written by Ricardo Thomas Mason Betha
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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."
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.