"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.
Drink the water drink it down
This time I know I'm bound
To spit it back up
I didn't want this
Salty substitute, just not going to do
I need some air, if I'm going to live through
This experience reminds me of a clock
That just won't tick
I want to wake up
From this concussion
But my dream is just not done
I'm late again,
It's just one of those
Bad days look outside and
Be careful what you ride
You just might find
That you're out of time
To swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
He's got delusions between his ears
Man it takes up too much space
And all that tension between his gears man
He'll never ever leave this place
He's got stones instead of bones
And everybody knows
Ah, man, that can make you real real slow
And if heaven was below
He'd know just where to go
Dive in the ocean
And he'd sink like a stone
And he'd say
It's time to swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
Hold on if you can
You're gonna sink faster
Than you can imagine so hold
Hold on if you can
You're gonna sink faster
Than you can imagine so hold
It's just time to swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
This time I know I'm bound
To spit it back up
I didn't want this
Salty substitute, just not going to do
I need some air, if I'm going to live through
This experience reminds me of a clock
That just won't tick
I want to wake up
From this concussion
But my dream is just not done
I'm late again,
It's just one of those
Bad days look outside and
Be careful what you ride
You just might find
That you're out of time
To swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
He's got delusions between his ears
Man it takes up too much space
And all that tension between his gears man
He'll never ever leave this place
He's got stones instead of bones
And everybody knows
Ah, man, that can make you real real slow
And if heaven was below
He'd know just where to go
Dive in the ocean
And he'd sink like a stone
And he'd say
It's time to swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
Hold on if you can
You're gonna sink faster
Than you can imagine so hold
Hold on if you can
You're gonna sink faster
Than you can imagine so hold
It's just time to swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I'll be home
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
i love this song. jack is brillant.
Um... well he was an amazing pro surfer at a young age, i think... youngest to be invited to the pipemasters, was it? And then he had a terrible accident where he hit an underwater reef on a fall and cut his head wide open and nearly got killed..... so I'm thinkin' that might have something to do with what this song is about.... at least what inspired it...... anyway, yes, he is brilliant
JW11... Yeah, that would be the basic gist of this whole song.
This is my favorite Jack Johnson song.
JW this song is written for that reason, i dont know where the accident occured but its all about how one day during big surf he wiped out and nearly drowned. "Drink the water drink it down This time I know I'm bound To spit it back up I didn't want this Salty substitute".....Jack and Harper are awesome cant wait till June 21st when they play in Philly!!!
jack johnson is brilliant...this song among many many others....i just cant even explain, i have never related so well to any other artists music so much, just all of his views on politics and the media and environment and everything relates to me. plus his voice is just so great and kind of puts me a peace, it's so mellow and amazing...
I agree with you all. He was definitely referring to the accident. He also seemed to talk about the danger of letting fear set in while surfing. You have to believe that you can do it or else, no matter how talented you are, you will fail. For example, in the lyrics "He's got stones instead of bones And everybody knows That can make you real real slow" . Fear immobilizes you. It's like a mind over matter thing.
its so metaphorical, hes drifting towards home as in a house, in from the ocean, but hes also drifting in unconsisness/death, "going home"
this song sounds like a hangover if iver ever heard of one. but thats just me
this song is very likely as stated by jdub. however it's so well written lyricly that you could adapt it to many meanings. this song is very inspiring to me. when i listen to it the funk kicks my ass into gear. to me its truly an atheist's hymn, uplifting and inspiring. plus its great to play and sing on the guitar to get a positive reaction. jack is well deserving of his fame in a world of contrived pop bands and 'american idols'! and thanks for 'the news' too jack!