"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.
Share the time again
I spend with you
A friend is always good to have
But a lover's kiss is better than angels raining down at me
I dream of you at times when your by my side
Dream you're not just like you are
So troubled and doubling my pain
Just one more tear
You shed for me
I wish that I could climb inside your mind
And spend some time and hug and hold you
And mold you into what i'd like
But no i can't do this
Just a kiss to spend a while by you
And your familiar smile and voice
I lay awake
Then you lean back and smiling
On you
Most everything you do for me, I say
And the while let's make our way
And feel warm
In the middle of this storm with you
Like an angel
Oh, what the friends say is good is right
I say
When you were again
And you were my friend
Before the lie
This one
Say yes I do
And with you
Sometimes
But while i do my best
With all the rest i leave to you
Can't wait for the hour
And when two things become this
All this trouble from a kiss from you, i'll do it
And then you come up smiling
And I'm thrown
Into I get a little storm with you, I'll do it
Always
Lover, line up and yeah
The road to you is long and I've been on it for a while
And a need a warm embrace
I'll take a break
And say I want to leave you awake
Always
I feel tired...
I spend with you
A friend is always good to have
But a lover's kiss is better than angels raining down at me
I dream of you at times when your by my side
Dream you're not just like you are
So troubled and doubling my pain
Just one more tear
You shed for me
I wish that I could climb inside your mind
And spend some time and hug and hold you
And mold you into what i'd like
But no i can't do this
Just a kiss to spend a while by you
And your familiar smile and voice
I lay awake
Then you lean back and smiling
On you
Most everything you do for me, I say
And the while let's make our way
And feel warm
In the middle of this storm with you
Like an angel
Oh, what the friends say is good is right
I say
When you were again
And you were my friend
Before the lie
This one
Say yes I do
And with you
Sometimes
But while i do my best
With all the rest i leave to you
Can't wait for the hour
And when two things become this
All this trouble from a kiss from you, i'll do it
And then you come up smiling
And I'm thrown
Into I get a little storm with you, I'll do it
Always
Lover, line up and yeah
The road to you is long and I've been on it for a while
And a need a warm embrace
I'll take a break
And say I want to leave you awake
Always
I feel tired...
Lyrics submitted by Michael
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
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
this is also one of my favorites. when i heard it me and my then gf at the time agreed that it would kind of be our song. whenever i would tell her that i loved her i would say always #40 as kind of a joke. i still love this song and it reminds me of her and the fun we have. always #40 meg.
that is sweet! this was me and my ex boyfriend andrew's "song" also...this is my all time favorite song.<br /> <br /> extremely beautiful.<br /> i hate how dave never plays (this version) in concert though!<br /> <br />
this song is beautiful...my favorite line is: a friend is good to have but a lover's kiss is better than angels raining down on me. it's soo sweet and i can relate to it, i want something more than my friendship with him, but i love our friendship and i don't want to ever lose it
the first time i heard this song it made me want to cry...it is the most amazing piece of music lyrically i have heard, because everyone can relate to it on some level. definetly one of daves best.
"#40" is one of Matthews' more saturated love songs. This song's premise, which is that of true love, is fairly simple.
This is by far one of my most favourite DMB songs. IT is so simple yet it weaves such an intricate story. I love it.
This is one of my favorite DMB song, its just so beautiful i cant describe it.
This is probably one of the very few Dave Matthews songs that can create a swell of mixed emotions. The song is... well... perfect. As sevenfooter50 said, it relates to everyone on some deep level. The lyrics (after numerous changes) should have been kept in this beautiful format. Dave is truly a poet in his own right. This song is one that reminds me of someone special... and what could have been. It is almost eloquently haunting in it's sheer beauty... Dave is the man!
i cant describe the deep emotion i feel while listening to this song. it englufs everything that i think and feel into a 5 minute free for all of everything that is me. as CNuTT put it so beautifully so- dave is truly a poet in his own right. Lie In our Graves is amazing also
This and #41 are amazing songs. My most favorite line of this song is a friend is good to have but a lover's kiss is better than angels raining down on me. because it is all so true
This is the best version of the song. I love the lyric "A friend is always good to have But a lover's kiss is better than angels raining down at me". That is my favorite!