"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.
Hollow this and maybe you can
Swallow this I don't know
I guess it always seems
That something else in this life is diseased
But guess what now
Here's something that you can't devour
It's something moving with the tide
And now it's ripping you up from inside
Follow me into the abyss of the windfall
That's tearing you down
It's okay to believe
That there's something in nothing now
I'm at the end of my rope
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble again
Please rewind, retrace your life
And then you'll find
That everything you learned in this
Is just a pile of worthlessness
So suffocate
And maybe you can separate
And in the end, it's no surprise
That only in death will you realize
I'm at the end of my rope
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble down again
If it's true, it's just to pass the time
Just to pacify my will to bind
You can't drive when you're blind
And it burns your eyes
That you can't hold me to a place in time
Where I'm stuck behind
You can't climb out of the flood, the sign
Listen to the lies that cut you up inside
And the blood will stain our lives
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble
I'll bet
I would play dead
If I could live
I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
Swallow this I don't know
I guess it always seems
That something else in this life is diseased
But guess what now
Here's something that you can't devour
It's something moving with the tide
And now it's ripping you up from inside
Follow me into the abyss of the windfall
That's tearing you down
It's okay to believe
That there's something in nothing now
I'm at the end of my rope
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble again
Please rewind, retrace your life
And then you'll find
That everything you learned in this
Is just a pile of worthlessness
So suffocate
And maybe you can separate
And in the end, it's no surprise
That only in death will you realize
I'm at the end of my rope
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble down again
If it's true, it's just to pass the time
Just to pacify my will to bind
You can't drive when you're blind
And it burns your eyes
That you can't hold me to a place in time
Where I'm stuck behind
You can't climb out of the flood, the sign
Listen to the lies that cut you up inside
And the blood will stain our lives
If I could give
I'll bet I would play dead
If I could live, I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
I'd crumble
I'll bet
I would play dead
If I could live
I'd fall apart again
If I could fly
Away from all this pain
If I could run
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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.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
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.
its about pain and how i wish i could get rid o it
I agree, it has suicidal connatations. Yet its more about the self-destructive pattern leading up the thoughts of suicide.
I get the impression that he's saying "Right, theres nothing to live for. Life is hollow and empty, and everything that to which I attached meaning is 'just a pile of worthlessness' when you look more closely'. So I might as well just kill myself and take you with me".
Sounds like what an angsty teenager would be thinking before he shoots up hip school.
Cheer up emo kids. :D
killer song, its hard but it has some melody just how it should be.
i agree with both
think its a bit suicidal
ummm no you definitely dont have a point there so what.. seriously its a good song
Great song..........
Definatly a suicidal song, The title "Rope" clears that up. But by saying "I'm at the end of my rope" to me means hes on the verge of snaping (if he hasnt already) and Kicking out the chair from beneath him if you will.
"So suffocate and maybe you can separate And in the end it's no surprise that only in death will you realize" This only backs up the suicidal image of this song
Personally, I don't think it necessarily has to be suicidal. You especially can't say that just based on the title.
In being at the end of his rope, Max has exausted all efforts in whatever situation he was facing. It's not so much him saying "I want to kill myelf and kill you" as much as it is him saying he doesn't know what to do. He's spent. He's tired. He's broken and blinded. Everything's unraveled.
this song is great!
i agree with noone.
pessimistic nihilism
@psychojet1 and drugs