"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.
Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man and
Now I am so poor
But never in my sweet short life
Have I felt like this before
You heart is like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
You pack my peace of mind
Our love was like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love is like our music
It's here, and then it's gone
So take me to the airport
And put me on a plane
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man and
Now I am so poor
But never in my sweet short life
Have I felt like this before
You heart is like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
You pack my peace of mind
Our love was like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love is like our music
It's here, and then it's gone
So take me to the airport
And put me on a plane
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
No Expectations Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Abkco Music Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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this song is so soulful and blues-y...it means quite a bit to me. its about having someone you love leave you; it hurts. to try and be devoid of emotion and walk away from it, knowing it'll never be the same away is deeply sad. you can go anywhere and be nowhere at all once you see that the one place you truly want to be, you can't. love can be so so sweet, to see someone else's pure thoughts and soul is precious, this song is also about having seen that once. ouch ouch :-(
best song off beggars banquet
yo whys it just one entry this song is fuckin tight yeah i agree too mighty, and you sound like your boy just dumped you although it was like 9 months ago.. alright but the slide guitar on this song is off the hook
I think the slide on this track was the last thing brian jones ever played on a stones record.
This was one of those songs back in the 70's early 80's, when it came on the radio, I always felt like I was getting a treat.
You're right. willia05 on 02-12-2005 @ 02:37:23 AM
Surely it's "peace of mind", not "piece".
That seems to make more sense...
I've loved this song since it soothed me on my first acid trip in some nasty old trailer full of strange young things in the 80s. "No expectations" to me suggests total acceptance and release. I love the way the piano trills off at the end like a bird flying away. The lyrics are full of gems - "as I watch you leaving me, you pack my piece of mind" - just phenomenal. Like this atrocity is occuring, but, fuck it, basically.