"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.
If you want to find yourself by traveling out west
Or if you want to find somebody else that's better
Go ahead
If you want to buy a brand new fancy automobile
Or if you want to build a place up in Coldwater Canyon
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
If you want to hold your own hand going up that cliff
Or if you want to just hold back cause you ain't up to it
Go ahead
Be my guest
Go ahead
If you want to hold on to the first girl that you meet
Or if you want to settle down and plant roses at my feet
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
If you want to have your cake and eat it too
Or if you want to have other people watch you while you eat it
Go ahead
If you want better things, I want you to have them
If you want better things, I want you to have them
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
Or if you want to find somebody else that's better
Go ahead
If you want to buy a brand new fancy automobile
Or if you want to build a place up in Coldwater Canyon
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
If you want to hold your own hand going up that cliff
Or if you want to just hold back cause you ain't up to it
Go ahead
Be my guest
Go ahead
If you want to hold on to the first girl that you meet
Or if you want to settle down and plant roses at my feet
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
If you want to have your cake and eat it too
Or if you want to have other people watch you while you eat it
Go ahead
If you want better things, I want you to have them
If you want better things, I want you to have them
Go ahead
I wish you would
Go ahead
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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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced 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.
This song is about being yourself and creating your own path. This may include defying conventional wisdom i.e. can’t have your cake and eat it too (great lyric by the way, really defines the overall meaning of the song). Notice how the guitar emphasizes this line more than any others? Also, if you feel the need to prove yourself, heck, have people watch you eat that darn cake. If not, that’s fine too. Anyhow, live your life the way you see fit. Do not get lost within the mold of others. If you are eager for adventure, be adventurous. If you prefer serenity, create it for yourself. Why would anyone else be better at making decisions about you than yourself? She then analyzes a relationship through this lens of thinking. A perfect relationship is with someone whom you can truly be yourself with. The unselfish plea to go find it with someone else if it isn’t achieved with me shows that her actions mimic her beliefs at her most vulnerable moment. The grand idea promoted within this song is simple and logical but not applied nearly enough within many people’s lives.