"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.
Feeling my way through the darkness
Guided by a beating heart
I can't tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start
They tell me I'm too young to understand
They say I'm caught up in a dream
Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes
Well that's fine by me
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
I tried carrying the weight of the world
But I only have two hands
Hope I get the chance to travel the world
But I don't have any plans
Wish that I could stay forever this young
Not afraid to close my eyes
Life's a game made for everyone
And love is a prize
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know
Guided by a beating heart
I can't tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start
They tell me I'm too young to understand
They say I'm caught up in a dream
Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes
Well that's fine by me
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
I tried carrying the weight of the world
But I only have two hands
Hope I get the chance to travel the world
But I don't have any plans
Wish that I could stay forever this young
Not afraid to close my eyes
Life's a game made for everyone
And love is a prize
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
Didn't know I was lost
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself, and I
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know I was lost
I didn't know
Lyrics submitted by missANGIE, edited by linkingjack
Wake Me Up Lyrics as written by Michael Aaron Einziger Tim Bergling
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
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I think this song is about going through life as a young inexperienced individual.
"Feeling my way through the darkness Guided by a beating heart I can't tell where the journey will end But I know where to start" -- The inexperienced person is going though life and knows that what is ahead is unknown. He is guided by his spirit. He doesn't know where he will end up, but he knows where he can start now.
They tell me I'm too young to understand They say I'm caught up in a dream Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes Well that's fine by me -- I think by "they" he means the older generation, those who have been through some of life's experiences and are well into their journey. They see the care free nature of someone so young and naive about life and basically are telling him that he is living life like it's a dream (he has yet to really experience or understand it). They warn that if he does not open his eyes and take it all seriously and stop living guided by his spirit, it is all just going to pass him by, and he will look back and wonder where the time went. However, he is loving the way he is living and if that is what happens, he is fine with it.
"So wake me up when it's all over When I'm wiser and I'm older All this time I was finding myself, and I Didn't know I was lost" -- He is living life and enjoying it. "They" are telling him he is living in a dream. It is a dream/life he loves, therefore he is asking to be woken up from it when everything is over, when he is older, or when he is now the "they" generation he is referring to. He knows that "they" probably associate his life style with a person that is just finding themselves, but according to him, he never even knew he was lost.
"I tried carrying the weight of the world But I only have two hands." -- I love this line. He tried worrying about all of life's troubles just like everyone else does. However, he stopped b/c there was no point in it, so he stopped worrying.
"Hope I get the chance to travel the world But I don't have any plans" -- He does have wishes to do some things, but at the moment he is care free and has no plans to do so.
"Wish that I could stay forever this young Not afraid to close my eyes Life's a game made for everyone And love is a prize" -- He is wishing to live young and free forever. He enjoys how he lives his life. He is not afraid to close his eyes and as mentioned above get "caught up in a dream". He sees life as a game, something fun and something that can be played, enjoyed and won. Love, be it love for someone else, love for one self, love of life, etc is one of the prizes.