"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.
Night falls, with gravity
The Earth turns, from sanity
Taking my only friend I know
He leaves a lot, his name is Hope
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
The horrors of the night melt away
Under the warm glow of survival of the day
Then we move on
My shadow grows taller along with my fears
And my friends shrink smaller as night grows near
When the sun is climbing window sills
And the silver lining rides the hills
I will be saved for one whole day
Until the sun make the hills its grave
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside my mind
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
By the time the night wears off, the dust is down
And shadows burn
I will rise and stand my ground
Waiting for the night's return
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside my mind
The Earth turns, from sanity
Taking my only friend I know
He leaves a lot, his name is Hope
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
The horrors of the night melt away
Under the warm glow of survival of the day
Then we move on
My shadow grows taller along with my fears
And my friends shrink smaller as night grows near
When the sun is climbing window sills
And the silver lining rides the hills
I will be saved for one whole day
Until the sun make the hills its grave
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside my mind
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
I'm semi-automatic
My prayer's schizophrenic
But I'll live on, yeah, I'll live on
By the time the night wears off, the dust is down
And shadows burn
I will rise and stand my ground
Waiting for the night's return
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside
I'm never what I like
I'm double-sided
And I just can't hide
I kinda like it
When I make you cry
'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside my mind
Lyrics submitted by Ragefreak, edited by braddiiii, thaumaturgebaby, brenden100, DarkSidePoet, KatharineAlice, maddi11259, Phantrash2003, Trash666, ginkgogiloba, z1z123
Semi-Automatic Lyrics as written by Tyler Joseph
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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.
I have always thought this song was about going though your day without even thinking about it. Your life just becomes routine and when you do think about it, its terrible and depressing. lines 3/4, "Taking my only friend I know, / He lives a lie, his name is Hope." His life is nothing except the idea that it will be in the future, and he feels like that's a lie now too. The chorus "I'm never what I like / I'm double-sided." He has two sides the side he shows everyone is the one he doesn't think about, the conformist who does what fits in, not what is right. then there is the real him, the person he wants to be. It me a while to decide what "I kinda like it/ When I make you cry/ 'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside." I believe it means He likes it when he disappoints people because he is doing what he wants, not what they want. And the paradox of his emotions vs. his actions twists him. And the the next verse about the horrors of the night, survival of the day, friends shrink as his fears grow. It goes with the verse after it about relief for the day coming but he knows it will go away at night again. So even though he doesn't like the way he is living his life at least trying to get through the day will distract him from all his scary and depressing thoughts he has at night. Thoughts that make him question his life and his friends. Then after the chorus repeats twice, As far as I can tell, he prays and decides he will "live on" and then he is ready to "stand [his] ground/ Waiting for the night's return." He will fight off his fears. I don't know if it is what Twenty One Pilots had in mind when they wrote it. Its what I got out of it though.
wow. great interpretation. I think it's spot on...I can definitely relate.
@Keepthepeace16 wow I think this is spot on ! Good job :)
So I'm not too sure about anything but, "I'm semi-automatic, My prayers schizophrenic But I'll live on, yeah I'll live on, yeah I'll live on" Basically I think, that he doesn't think what he is doing first. He is so used to what the world tells him to do that he doesn't even give it a second though. Schizophrenia means "split from reality", it is a mental illness where patience experience social isolation. Although the most well know symptom is hearing voices, sometimes to the point of not knowing the difference between real voices and the voices inside the patience's head.
So either Tyler is hearing voices during and after his prayers, or that he is isolated from God during his prayers. I personally think the second one. The struggle to connect with God is a common theme for TØP songs. However, hearing voices is also mentioned sometimes. I still think that isolation better fits this songs context.
Despite the no-questions-asked conforming to society and the isolation from God experienced, Tyler goes with it.
To me, this song represents what someone with depression/anxiety feels about the night. At least for me, the night can be dangerous. I start thinking in circle and becoming anxious. In the night, there is no one to talk to except for myself, and sometimes I don't really trust myself. "The horrors of the night melt away under the warm glow of survival of the day.Then we move on, my shadow grows taller along with my fears and my friends shrink smaller as night grows near." When the day comes around, our character in the song feels safe, he survived the night, he is going to be safe for this whole day. "I'm never what I like I'm double-sided. And I just can't hide I kinda like it When I make you cry" 'Cause I'm twisted up, I'm twisted up, inside."
When the night comes around again, the other side of him takes over and he snaps. He may hurt those around him because he can't control his emotions. He says things that hurt those he loves, but it makes him feel better, because he was able to release that blind fury that builds up from the internal struggles that become hard to fight when the night comes around.
I think that this is one of their more overlooked songs-but it's not a meaningless, empty, one only meant to be catchy. The name is what throws people off the most, you would assume it's about self harm like "Guns for Hands," but it's more about personality. "I'm double sided/ and I just can't hide/ I kinda like it" Is one of the stanzas that repeats constantly, which I think means two personalities- One at night, and one during the day. During the day, you're happy, cheery, etc, but at night, when you are alone in the dark, you begin to worry and overthink and drive yourself crazy. Another thing that points to this is the " I will be saved/ for one whole day,", meaning you will be saved from worrying for another day. When the light comes, " I will rise and stand my ground/ waiting for night's return" meaning you will stop overthinking. I'm the type of person who overthinks and goes a little crazy at night, freaking OUT about everything, making promises to myself or goals, hence the "My prayer's schizophrenic," . I think it means that your judgement or thoughts are so clouded by overthinking that you are praying to, or thinking about, problems that are nonexistent. Overall, I think this song is about how night is not a time for partying, like so much social media tries to tell us- it's also a hard time for many people, the ones who overthink and worry.
Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
This is exactly what I think the song is trying to say.
Now, in the beginning, where it says "Taking the only friend I know, he lives a lie, his name is hope", are you sure it's not "Taking the only friend I know, he leaves a lot, his name is hope"? That's what I've always thought it was, and it still makes sense so I was just wondering. (:
I'm pretty sure that's what it's supposed to be too lol
i think that he is saying (second verse) that he is perfectly fine in the day but then when he has to resort to solitude at night, that is when his thoughts take over
alright so i don't know the song meaning BUT I think the song could take place in the perspective of someone that is either mentally ill, insane, or a schizophrenic.
When I go over the lyrics, I can clearly see how he associates the 'dark' with depression like in the lines; "I will be saved for one whole day Until the Sun makes the hills it's grave" It's easy to think that maybe he means that the dark brings with it suicidal thoughts, and he is safe as long as the sun is shining, but when I read the lyrics again and again, I began to wonder whether the song has anything to do with the 'physical' night and day at all. My interpretation of this song is how he is trying to be at peace with himself, because we aren't 'what we like' we're 'double sided', we're just two-faced humans, with the night and day just the different sides of us. I was also dwelling on the lines - 'My prayers schizophrenic' because i couldn't make out whether he was actually talking about actual 'prayer' per se, because sometimes lyrics are like codes, you have to decipher them, they are not always what they seem, but I think it's just about the formality of a prayer, about how we are 'semi automatic' without actually praying because of our belief, but rather because it makes us feel better about ourselves. The part which made me tear up though, was the part about his friend-'hope' Who 'leaves a lot' I guess it's just how we cling to hope, because it's our only way to make it out of this vicious cycle of depression alive, but he goes away, too often and we're just left alone, in the 'darkness'.
I hope this makes sense to whoever reads this, this is purely MY interpretation and i don't want to offend anybody who thinks otherwise.
I think it's "He leaves a lot, his name is hope" because he could be talking about losing hope alot