"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.
Live, with your back to the wall
The bigger they come, the harder they fall
Live, with a heart made of stone
Slings and arrows and broken bones
One by one by one by one
Kings rise and fall
One by one by one by one
Heavy lies this crown of bones
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Live, with the eyes of the beast
Never the prey, the weak or the sheep
Live, with the strength to believe
Dead to the world, but we'll haunt their dreams
One by one by one by one
Kings rise and fall
One by one by one by one
Heavy lies this crown of bones, yeah
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it all to ashes
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
The bigger they come, the harder they fall
Live, with a heart made of stone
Slings and arrows and broken bones
One by one by one by one
Kings rise and fall
One by one by one by one
Heavy lies this crown of bones
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Live, with the eyes of the beast
Never the prey, the weak or the sheep
Live, with the strength to believe
Dead to the world, but we'll haunt their dreams
One by one by one by one
Kings rise and fall
One by one by one by one
Heavy lies this crown of bones, yeah
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it, burn it all, burn it all to ash
Burn it all to ashes
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
Yeah, darkness behold
Yeah, this hell we call home
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.