"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.
Put on your blindfold and a dress that's tight
And come with me on a mystery night
Open your eyes
Follow our stars under a painted sky
We'll leave the world behind, we're learning to fly
We used to get by
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Forget the pictures on your TV screen
We'll steal the visions that you keep for your dreams
You can turn me on
I was blind, and I saw the light
My angel coming in a brilliant white
Shine for me
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
You've been hanging from a rope of mediocrity
Strung up by your insecurities
You can shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
Follow our stars under a painted sky
We'll leave the world behind, we're learning to fly
We used to get by
Forget the pictures on your TV screen
We'll steal the visions that you keep for your dreams
You can turn me on
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
You've been hanging from a rope of mediocrity
Strung up by your insecurities
You can shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
And come with me on a mystery night
Open your eyes
Follow our stars under a painted sky
We'll leave the world behind, we're learning to fly
We used to get by
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Forget the pictures on your TV screen
We'll steal the visions that you keep for your dreams
You can turn me on
I was blind, and I saw the light
My angel coming in a brilliant white
Shine for me
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
You've been hanging from a rope of mediocrity
Strung up by your insecurities
You can shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
Follow our stars under a painted sky
We'll leave the world behind, we're learning to fly
We used to get by
Forget the pictures on your TV screen
We'll steal the visions that you keep for your dreams
You can turn me on
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
You've been hanging from a rope of mediocrity
Strung up by your insecurities
You can shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
Somebody has to shine for me
It's difficult not to shine for me
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.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
When Dave is saying "Shine for me", I believe he wants someone to show their true self to them, not hide behind a veil. he wants someone thats true.
man cant belive no comments on tis song..well i tink tis song iz bout wa we all go through.....depression,envy bla bla bla...luv da line forget da pictures on yr tv screen...i tink dis says alot,tv iz lyka god in todays age,it sets our rulez,our frame ov mind n shit...so tis track iz bout a guy who wants to stripoff tis fake mask dat we see ppl caryyin around
Lovely words from our Metal Massiah here, but I think you sort of missed the point.
Now, this song was off Exciter, which was their first studio album since Ultra. And a lot of fans of DM know that Dave was doing this album after recovering from a vary serious herion and alcohol addiction... so I thought that this song was more of a shot back at the media. I mean, I have no real evedence by which I coudl back that up, but Dave's addiction got as much media attention in Europe as any star's would here in america. I could be wrong. But that's what I figgured. it to be.
This is definitely the best song on Exciter, easily.
I love that song!!
He's persuading this girl full of taboos and complex, so he's trying to make her leave those feelings by forgetting what TV shows (those hot and sexy girls...) and being her true self, 'cause that will turn him on...
Beautiful song. He wants the girl to let go of her insecurities and show her true self, shine for him. I love the lyrics..
That special someone that you discover the world with. He wants to see her shine (be her true self) with him so they can both discover the world. There is a sexual undertone in this song, so there can be something implied there.