"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.
Show me to the end of the night
Show me to the end of the day
Show me to the end of tomorrow, tomorrow
Show to me the path I should take
Show to me the choice I should make
Show me direction, direction
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me today
And if I ever lose my way
And if I ever go astray
Show me direction, direction
Take me to the darkest hour
Show to me the strength and power
Give me the key
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Hey, ay, ay
Hey, ay, ay
Hey, ay, ay
Show me the way
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Show me the way (Hey, ay, ay)
Ey, ay, ay
Ey, ay, ay
Ey, ay, ay
Show me to the end of the day
Show me to the end of tomorrow, tomorrow
Show to me the path I should take
Show to me the choice I should make
Show me direction, direction
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me today
And if I ever lose my way
And if I ever go astray
Show me direction, direction
Take me to the darkest hour
Show to me the strength and power
Give me the key
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Show me the way
Hey, ay, ay
Hey, ay, ay
Hey, ay, ay
Show me the way
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Today (Hey, ay, ay)
Show me the way (Hey, ay, ay)
Ey, ay, ay
Ey, ay, ay
Ey, ay, ay
Lyrics submitted by Emzee4life
Show Me Lyrics as written by Dolores O'riordan
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
The songs had been written from the point of view of a person completely lost in their life.
"Show me to the end of the night Show me to the end of the day Show me to the end of tomorrow, tomorrow"
Night, day, tomorrow - are not places. They exist in 4th dimension: time. Show me to next day and to next to the next - tell me, how to live my life.
"Show to me the path I should take Show to me the choice I should make Show me direction, direction (...) And if I ever lose my way And if I ever go astray Show me direction, direction"
I don't know what to do next, I lost my sense of direction. What to choose? Where to go? What's my next step? Im confused. But on the first place: who's being asked of it? A friend? A lover? A family? All the people? Therapist or personal advisor? We don't know yet - but the requests itselves sound dramatic.
"Show me the way Show me today"
I can't wait no longer for an answer. Give mi the answer today. Like Gwen in "28 Days", asking with her head up: "I need help. Now!" BTW: so sad, that it doesn't work in reality the same way like in the movie - but the association itself can be meaningful.
"Take me to the darkest hour"
Why to the darkest hour? Why not to the brightest one? "Psalm 23" says: "If I even walked through the dark valley (other translations say: valley of death), I will not fear of evil, because You are with me". So this song could be a prayer; kinda continuation of "Electric Blue". "You can take me even to the darkest hour, 'cause I won't fear of anything - with You".
"Show to me the strength and power"
Give me more strenght to go on with my life.
"Give me the key"
The line sounds ambiguous. Give me the key opening the door to my future, if I'm to have one at all. But "the key" means also: "the code". Explain me, how it all works, for I don't understand neither the life, nor the world. If I understood, maybe I would find my way. But I don't understand. Everything looks like a chaos to me. Teach me how to find a way, then I hope I'll never lose it.
"Show me the way"
For the last time they ask for a guidance. Help me, 'cause I'm stuck. I may never go forward anymore, if you don't show me the way.
It could be a song about the Dolores' feelings during hard time. Especially as the entire "Roses" album is full of confusion. Many lyrics sound like confessions of a woman who feels she lost not only her man's love, but also entire sense of diection. But this particular lyrics are also very universal. The simple words, which could be said by anyone of us, any man or vwoman - sometimes at least. There are moments, when I feel I could pray with this song.