"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.
High and dry well, I'm up here with no warning
High and dry well, I couldn't get a word in
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
A minute I was up there standing by her side
The next I was down there, well, left out of the ride and
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
Anythin' I wished for I only had to ask her (yep)
I think she found out it was money I was after
High and dry oh, what a weird letdown
She left me standing here just high and dry
Alright, whoo
Well, it's lucky that I didn't have any love towards her
Next time I'll make sure that the girl'll be much poorer
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
High and dry well, I'm up here with no warnin'
Yep
High and dry well, I couldn't get a word in
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standin' here just high and dry
Well, she left me standin' here just high and dry
Well, she left me standin' here just high and dry, hey
High and dry well, I couldn't get a word in
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
A minute I was up there standing by her side
The next I was down there, well, left out of the ride and
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
Anythin' I wished for I only had to ask her (yep)
I think she found out it was money I was after
High and dry oh, what a weird letdown
She left me standing here just high and dry
Alright, whoo
Well, it's lucky that I didn't have any love towards her
Next time I'll make sure that the girl'll be much poorer
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standing here just high and dry
High and dry well, I'm up here with no warnin'
Yep
High and dry well, I couldn't get a word in
High and dry oh, what a way to go
She left me standin' here just high and dry
Well, she left me standin' here just high and dry
Well, she left me standin' here just high and dry, hey
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
High and Dry Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Abkco Music Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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@[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.
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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,
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I like how you got the little "Yep" in the second verse in the lyrics, nice.
I think we can all say that we have been left High and Dry from someone else before.
damn
She says ask her again