"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.
What’s the problem with the human race?
No matter where I turn I can’t escape the double face
Don’t want to listen to the radio
Or stick around just to hear "I told you so"
How could we make it without you?
I should've known better to doubt you
I thought I heard the end of it
And now I know how far you'd go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I’d never heard your name
Tomorrow could be just another day
A misdemeanor or a felony, that's ok
Don't wanna wait for a second chance
It’s your turn for the spotlight, the big dance
How could we make it without you?
I should've known better to doubt you
I thought I heard the end of it
And now I know how far you'd go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I’d never heard your name
And they all wanna know
But I already know
What am I supposed to do
When you know that it’s all true
That you stole, that you lied, that you knew
Primadonna, self absorbed
Wide awake and never bored
Party, binge and purge, and see
Results of plastic surgery
Spotted at the hottest shows
Interview on Charlie Rose
They all want a piece of you
And now I know how far you;d go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I never heard your name
And they all wanna know
How far you had to go
And I already know
How far you had to go!
No matter where I turn I can’t escape the double face
Don’t want to listen to the radio
Or stick around just to hear "I told you so"
How could we make it without you?
I should've known better to doubt you
I thought I heard the end of it
And now I know how far you'd go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I’d never heard your name
Tomorrow could be just another day
A misdemeanor or a felony, that's ok
Don't wanna wait for a second chance
It’s your turn for the spotlight, the big dance
How could we make it without you?
I should've known better to doubt you
I thought I heard the end of it
And now I know how far you'd go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I’d never heard your name
And they all wanna know
But I already know
What am I supposed to do
When you know that it’s all true
That you stole, that you lied, that you knew
Primadonna, self absorbed
Wide awake and never bored
Party, binge and purge, and see
Results of plastic surgery
Spotted at the hottest shows
Interview on Charlie Rose
They all want a piece of you
And now I know how far you;d go
To be the next freak show
American Psycho
Cover of the magazines, patron saint to troubled teens
Wish I never heard your name
And they all wanna know
How far you had to go
And I already know
How far you had to go!
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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.
I LOVE THIS SONG! "Now I know how far you go To be the next freak show American Psycho Cover of the magazines, patron saint for troubled teens Wish I’d never heard your name" I LOVE IT TOO THE MOON AND BACK.