"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.
I was thirteen
Met you at a party
But it was just my family and yours
Dancing in the daylight
Three years is a long time
We couldn't stay together we were too scared of forever
We were second guessing
If there something better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
You were walking
I thought maybe you saw me
I wish you would have stopped and said hello
I know that it's been ages
And we don't have to rush this
I was thinking maybe we could catch up over coffee
Now we're here and
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
Ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
Nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
Yeah we go around and round
Till we reach the end of ourselves
Now I think it's time to admit
There's nothing much better than this
Yeah we go around and round
Till we reach the end of ourselves
Now I think it's time to admit
There's nothing much better
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
Cuz even on a Sunday morning
Even when it doesn't come easy
I'm not giving up like the first time
I'm not giving up like the last time
Even on a Sunday morning
Even when it doesn't come easy
I'm not giving up like the first time
I'm not giving up like the last time
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
Met you at a party
But it was just my family and yours
Dancing in the daylight
Three years is a long time
We couldn't stay together we were too scared of forever
We were second guessing
If there something better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
You were walking
I thought maybe you saw me
I wish you would have stopped and said hello
I know that it's been ages
And we don't have to rush this
I was thinking maybe we could catch up over coffee
Now we're here and
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
Ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
Nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
Yeah we go around and round
Till we reach the end of ourselves
Now I think it's time to admit
There's nothing much better than this
Yeah we go around and round
Till we reach the end of ourselves
Now I think it's time to admit
There's nothing much better
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
Cuz even on a Sunday morning
Even when it doesn't come easy
I'm not giving up like the first time
I'm not giving up like the last time
Even on a Sunday morning
Even when it doesn't come easy
I'm not giving up like the first time
I'm not giving up like the last time
There's nothing much better than this
I don't wanna say it for you
But ever since we were kids
I knew I would always love you
There's nothing much better than this
Holding on to second chances
Decided we would try it again
And we're better for it
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
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.
He meant you, not me. ;p Great song