"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.
Staged Names
Wandering out the door like a man
Without any reason
Survey the lawn
see a patch that needs more water
It looks like a dead one
Start to dig down underneath
That dead patch of grass
You hit something hard
Looks like the grave has been emptied
The sprinklers are panning
Kneel to the ground
Feel down for the head
You hear a bone crush
Your hand is gone
Candyman is gone again
It looks like you missed him
Playing a tune
You penned before your death
Your death release date
Hear him singing
You were dead
For a while
Now you're born again
Like a certain Lady Luck
Coming out of a cave
I go out every night
I go all alone
If I hear your singing voice
I will take him home
When you have the man
That you were caught down in your basement
Chain him up
Make him sing all your old songs
Just so you can axe them
Then you take his
Jingle bread and dollar songs
And you crush them under your
Little broken thumb
And your name will be a new one
Give you a new one...
Wandering out the door like a man
Without any reason
Survey the lawn
see a patch that needs more water
It looks like a dead one
Start to dig down underneath
That dead patch of grass
You hit something hard
Looks like the grave has been emptied
The sprinklers are panning
Kneel to the ground
Feel down for the head
You hear a bone crush
Your hand is gone
Candyman is gone again
It looks like you missed him
Playing a tune
You penned before your death
Your death release date
Hear him singing
You were dead
For a while
Now you're born again
Like a certain Lady Luck
Coming out of a cave
I go out every night
I go all alone
If I hear your singing voice
I will take him home
When you have the man
That you were caught down in your basement
Chain him up
Make him sing all your old songs
Just so you can axe them
Then you take his
Jingle bread and dollar songs
And you crush them under your
Little broken thumb
And your name will be a new one
Give you a new one...
Lyrics submitted by jessluvzya
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
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,
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Ed Sheeran
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