"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.
Yeah, yeah
Can you give me a minute?
Yeah, real quick while I get me some M&M's from the 7-Eleven
I like it 'cause you know how I get down
And you know how I move in secret
And yeah, you might be the one I could tell everything to
You got me in your back pocket
You don't know it yet
I'll tell you when you're ready
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
Yeah, can you tell me why you still love me
And why I feel so deep
Like back at the altar
Oh, you're just feeling your way through me
I just wanna touch you so
I'll sing more and, baby, say less
Still on our honeymoon
You don't know it yet (now you know it)
I'll tell you when you're ready (yeah, I told ya)
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up (phone up)
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
You don't know it yet
I'll tell you when you're ready (ooh, ah)
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go, no
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
Can you give me a minute?
Yeah, real quick while I get me some M&M's from the 7-Eleven
I like it 'cause you know how I get down
And you know how I move in secret
And yeah, you might be the one I could tell everything to
You got me in your back pocket
You don't know it yet
I'll tell you when you're ready
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
Yeah, can you tell me why you still love me
And why I feel so deep
Like back at the altar
Oh, you're just feeling your way through me
I just wanna touch you so
I'll sing more and, baby, say less
Still on our honeymoon
You don't know it yet (now you know it)
I'll tell you when you're ready (yeah, I told ya)
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up (phone up)
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
You don't know it yet
I'll tell you when you're ready (ooh, ah)
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
How you do it like that?
Opposites attract
When you stare at me
I feel so beautiful
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go, no
Like there's no tomorrow
I'm gon' blow your phone up
In case there is no tomorrow
And I won't let you go
Like there's no tomorrow
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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.
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT