"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.
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
This table has taken a turn for the worse
Rock bottom
And over the edge
Well
It's not like it hurts that much anyway
Upside down and inside out
When I leave here I'm going alone
Well it's not like it
Not like it hurts much anyway
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something
That'll never happen
Did you hear what I have to
This balance has weighed out our heart's desire
I'm trying to make it alone
Well it's not like it hurts that much anyway
Upside down and inside out
When I leave here I'm going alone
But I'm dying
I'm dying to touch
And it's not like it
Not like it hurts much anyway
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something, something, something
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something
That'll never happen
Did you hear what I have to say
Attention, attention
Upside down and inside out
Attention, attention
Upside down and inside out
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
This table has taken a turn for the worse
Rock bottom
And over the edge
Well
It's not like it hurts that much anyway
Upside down and inside out
When I leave here I'm going alone
Well it's not like it
Not like it hurts much anyway
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something
That'll never happen
Did you hear what I have to
This balance has weighed out our heart's desire
I'm trying to make it alone
Well it's not like it hurts that much anyway
Upside down and inside out
When I leave here I'm going alone
But I'm dying
I'm dying to touch
And it's not like it
Not like it hurts much anyway
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something, something, something
Attention, attention
May I have all your eyes and ears
To the front of the room
If only
If only for one second
Will you hear what I have to say?
Oh oh, did I mention when I see you it stings like hell
Due to the fact that we could have something
That'll never happen
Did you hear what I have to say
Attention, attention
Upside down and inside out
Attention, attention
Upside down and inside out
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Attention Lyrics as written by William Beckett Michael Carden
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
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The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
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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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
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“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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
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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.