"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.
The muscle and bone - they encase my heart but never touch my soul.
I'll save that for the water and its shore, fear makes friends with joy.
And I'll march slowly and I'll never forget
How the music stopped or the feel of your breath. (four times)
The flesh and the blood - they keep my body warm but still my mind is cold.
To know what's fair is not always fair, but what proves real will never flee.
And I'll march slowly and I'll never forget
How that black dress fell upon your white neck.
Grand Isle rests quiet this time of year
And I know you will be leaving soon my dear
I'll save that for the water and its shore, fear makes friends with joy.
And I'll march slowly and I'll never forget
How the music stopped or the feel of your breath. (four times)
The flesh and the blood - they keep my body warm but still my mind is cold.
To know what's fair is not always fair, but what proves real will never flee.
And I'll march slowly and I'll never forget
How that black dress fell upon your white neck.
Grand Isle rests quiet this time of year
And I know you will be leaving soon my dear
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
you really have to read the book to understand the song... i don't really think that a description of the book could do much, but you can go ahead and try.