"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.
Good morning baby,
Guess you wanna touch me now
You wanna put your hands on my face
Tell me you love me,
Tell me you need me,
Don't say that you love me
Don't say anything
'Cause I am not that kind of man,
I'm much less than you think I am...
So many people are just like Jesus,
They drag all this weight, you can't see anything better
Where they've been, or where they are
Well, tell me what the hell's the reason when we never get anywhere
But you want me to say, "Hey, it's okay..."
But I'm so dizzy baby, just get the hell away from me
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't even sleep when you're with me
I'm sick of summertime
I know, all the best things in life are unkind
To be everything I could be, anything
But all the time I'm thinking, "If I only had a pair of wings..."
You want to touch me, just get your hands off me
Don't touch me,
And baby, I can't see that you see...
How can you see?
How can you breathe?
I can't feel a thing when you're with me...
I can't take it this way,
I hope you understand,
Don't you fucking touch me
I can hardly stand to look at you,
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't even sleep when you're with me
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't feel...
I can't feel...
Can't feel a thing,
Can't feel a thing,
Can't feel a thing...
Guess you wanna touch me now
You wanna put your hands on my face
Tell me you love me,
Tell me you need me,
Don't say that you love me
Don't say anything
'Cause I am not that kind of man,
I'm much less than you think I am...
So many people are just like Jesus,
They drag all this weight, you can't see anything better
Where they've been, or where they are
Well, tell me what the hell's the reason when we never get anywhere
But you want me to say, "Hey, it's okay..."
But I'm so dizzy baby, just get the hell away from me
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't even sleep when you're with me
I'm sick of summertime
I know, all the best things in life are unkind
To be everything I could be, anything
But all the time I'm thinking, "If I only had a pair of wings..."
You want to touch me, just get your hands off me
Don't touch me,
And baby, I can't see that you see...
How can you see?
How can you breathe?
I can't feel a thing when you're with me...
I can't take it this way,
I hope you understand,
Don't you fucking touch me
I can hardly stand to look at you,
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't even sleep when you're with me
How can you breathe?
How can you see?
I can't feel...
I can't feel...
Can't feel a thing,
Can't feel a thing,
Can't feel a thing...
Lyrics submitted by ang
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
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.
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.
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.
This is a great breakup song