"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.
What do you mean? Oh, oh
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
You're so indecisive, what I'm saying
Tryna catch the beat, make up your heart
Don't know if you're happy or complaining
Don't want for us to end, where do I start?
First you wanna go to the left then you wanna turn right
Wanna argue all day, makin' love all night
First you're up, then you're down and then between
Oh, I really want to know
What do you mean? Oh, oh
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
You're overprotective when I'm leaving
Trying to compromise but I can't win
You want to make a point, but you keep preaching
You had me from the start, won't let this end
First you wanna go to the left then you wanna turn right
Wanna argue all day, makin' love all night
First you're up, then you're down and then between
Oh, I really want to know
What do you mean? Oh, oh
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
(I wanna know)
Oh, what do you mean? (Ooh)
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
(Oh, baby)
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
Oh, oh (this is ours baby, yeah)
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey yeah (you're so confusing baby)
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean? (Be more straight forward)
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
You're so indecisive, what I'm saying
Tryna catch the beat, make up your heart
Don't know if you're happy or complaining
Don't want for us to end, where do I start?
First you wanna go to the left then you wanna turn right
Wanna argue all day, makin' love all night
First you're up, then you're down and then between
Oh, I really want to know
What do you mean? Oh, oh
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
You're overprotective when I'm leaving
Trying to compromise but I can't win
You want to make a point, but you keep preaching
You had me from the start, won't let this end
First you wanna go to the left then you wanna turn right
Wanna argue all day, makin' love all night
First you're up, then you're down and then between
Oh, I really want to know
What do you mean? Oh, oh
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey, yeah
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean?
(I wanna know)
Oh, what do you mean? (Ooh)
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
(Oh, baby)
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
Oh, oh (this is ours baby, yeah)
When you nod your head yes
But you wanna say no
What do you mean? Hey yeah (you're so confusing baby)
When you don't want me to move
But you tell me to go
What do you mean? (Be more straight forward)
Oh, what do you mean?
Said you're running out of time, what do you mean?
Oh, oh, oh, what do you mean?
Better make up your mind
What do you mean?
Lyrics submitted by Paul123456
What Do You Mean? Lyrics as written by Mason David Levy Justin Drew Bieber
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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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