"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.
Sitting at the edge of the bed
One million thoughts as I reflect.
Tease me just a little I'm not hard to persuade
fully aware for this that I might pay.
Not too much that can be said
Thinking about the bad things in my head,
Always wondering if what they said was true
Now I'm in the bed with...
Even though she was no stranger,
Chose the one keep me out of danger.
No song and dance just jump right in.
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
Standing in the doorway of distress
Ask MD, for ways out of this mess,
A wave of panic every time I lose a hair
I believe I'm falling apart but not quite despair.
Turns into this one thing I just can't ignore
Don't know what I am feeling anymore
I guess it's time to end this affair
Like I don't care I don't care.
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
Even though she was no stranger
Chose the one keep me out of danger
No song and dance I took my chances with her
No time to waste.
Just jump right in I said to her
Stand in the doorway of distress
No time to waste just jump right in,
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
One million thoughts as I reflect.
Tease me just a little I'm not hard to persuade
fully aware for this that I might pay.
Not too much that can be said
Thinking about the bad things in my head,
Always wondering if what they said was true
Now I'm in the bed with...
Even though she was no stranger,
Chose the one keep me out of danger.
No song and dance just jump right in.
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
Standing in the doorway of distress
Ask MD, for ways out of this mess,
A wave of panic every time I lose a hair
I believe I'm falling apart but not quite despair.
Turns into this one thing I just can't ignore
Don't know what I am feeling anymore
I guess it's time to end this affair
Like I don't care I don't care.
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
Even though she was no stranger
Chose the one keep me out of danger
No song and dance I took my chances with her
No time to waste.
Just jump right in I said to her
Stand in the doorway of distress
No time to waste just jump right in,
Fought the urge to do it skin to skin
What the hell here I go jump right in
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
this song is actually about 'doin' the wild thing' without protection ('skin to skin') and then finding out that you had contracted HIV. (check the second verse)