"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.
Hope when you take that jump
You don't fear the fall
Hope when the water rises
You built a wall
Hope when the crowd screams out
It's screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay
I hope that you fall in love
And it hurts so bad, yeah
The only way you can know
You give it all you have
And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain
Hope when the moment comes
You'll say
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
Hope that you spend your days
But they all add up
Mm, and when that sun goes down
Hope you raise your cup, oh
I wish that I could witness
All your joy and all your pain
But until my moment comes
I'll say
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
(With every broken bone)
I swear I lived
(With every broken bone)
I swear I
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
I swear I lived
You don't fear the fall
Hope when the water rises
You built a wall
Hope when the crowd screams out
It's screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay
I hope that you fall in love
And it hurts so bad, yeah
The only way you can know
You give it all you have
And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain
Hope when the moment comes
You'll say
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
Hope that you spend your days
But they all add up
Mm, and when that sun goes down
Hope you raise your cup, oh
I wish that I could witness
All your joy and all your pain
But until my moment comes
I'll say
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
(With every broken bone)
I swear I lived
(With every broken bone)
I swear I
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
I swear I lived
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by zackfairthepuppy
I Lived Lyrics as written by Ryan B. Tedder Noel Patrick Zancanella
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I may be taking this too seriously, but to me it sounds like going through life's ups and downs, and surviving it through every broken bone. If you stay your whole life sheltered, you won't be able to do it all, but to go out there you need to prepare yourself for the pain and heartbreak, but also the joys. "Hope that you fall in love And it hurts so bad The only way you can know Is give it all you have And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain" This means that you need to be prepared to lose the love of your life, or something/someone very important. If you can't survive through the downs of life, then you won't be able to say: "I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second That this world could give I saw so many places The things that I did With every broken bone I swear I lived"
This song has gotten me through a lot, I want to be able to say "I lived."
@Julia200012 Very true. Definitely an inspirational song for the hard times in life.