"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.
It's ideal (oh)
You need someone to tell you how to feel
And you think your happiness is real
There's so much more the world has to reveal
But you choose to be concealed
So you're somebody now
But what's a somebody in a nobody town
I don't think you even know it
So you're somebody now
But what's a somebody in a nobody town
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
You made enough to quit a couple years ago
But it consumed you
It's everywhere you go
And just the thought alone
Got you trippin', got you losing your mind
And I don't blame you
It's everything you know
But I owned this time
This ain't new
Now I decide
When we're through
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional at lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'(we're prof-)
What does it mean, oh
When your heart's already numb
You're professional
Won't treat it like it's personal
No, 'cause it's just love
It always makes its way back around
It's dispensable
To fall is unacceptable
'Cause everything you've been through made you stronger
And every day you learn about yourself
And nothing really played out how it's supposed to
Depending on somebody else's wealth
But now you know the value of a dollar
And girl I make enough of it to spend
I love the way you've put yourself together
I love the way you make that body bend
For me again, oh yeah
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
All of those nights you were up early holding your own
Girl, you've got it made
Had you blaming yourself all when life did you wrong
Now, you've got it made
Getting rich to the drums of your favorite song
Girl, you've got it made
'Cause your freedom was here in this cage all along
Oh, how did you drain all the soul from your eyes?
How did you teach, teach yourself, how to smile?
In a world (in a world)
Where your dreams (where your dreams)
Can't be real, no
Every touch
That you sell
Is a lie (oh)
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional at lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional
You need someone to tell you how to feel
And you think your happiness is real
There's so much more the world has to reveal
But you choose to be concealed
So you're somebody now
But what's a somebody in a nobody town
I don't think you even know it
So you're somebody now
But what's a somebody in a nobody town
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
You made enough to quit a couple years ago
But it consumed you
It's everywhere you go
And just the thought alone
Got you trippin', got you losing your mind
And I don't blame you
It's everything you know
But I owned this time
This ain't new
Now I decide
When we're through
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional at lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'(we're prof-)
What does it mean, oh
When your heart's already numb
You're professional
Won't treat it like it's personal
No, 'cause it's just love
It always makes its way back around
It's dispensable
To fall is unacceptable
'Cause everything you've been through made you stronger
And every day you learn about yourself
And nothing really played out how it's supposed to
Depending on somebody else's wealth
But now you know the value of a dollar
And girl I make enough of it to spend
I love the way you've put yourself together
I love the way you make that body bend
For me again, oh yeah
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
All of those nights you were up early holding your own
Girl, you've got it made
Had you blaming yourself all when life did you wrong
Now, you've got it made
Getting rich to the drums of your favorite song
Girl, you've got it made
'Cause your freedom was here in this cage all along
Oh, how did you drain all the soul from your eyes?
How did you teach, teach yourself, how to smile?
In a world (in a world)
Where your dreams (where your dreams)
Can't be real, no
Every touch
That you sell
Is a lie (oh)
I love
You love
This love
We're professional
I know
You know
We're sophisticated
At lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional at lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
Lovin', lovin', lovin', lovin'
We're professional
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
I think it's about a stripper.
Just because of the lines "now you know the value of a dollar" "getting rich to the drums of your favorite song"
I think she's dancing to music, but maybe because he's a special, talented singer she fucks him.
But honestly, The Weeknd's too talented to be singing for 6 minutes about simple shit like this.
Sounds like it's about a prostitute.