"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.
And if I fall along the way
Pick me up and dust me off
And if I get too tired to make it
Be my breath so I can walk
And if I need some other love, then
You give me more than I can stand
And when my smile gets old and faded
Wait around, I'll smile again
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just hold me and then
Oh, just hold me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
And if I couldn't sleep could you sleep?
Could you paint me better off?
And could you sympathize with my needs?
I know you think I need a lot
I started out clean but I'm jaded
Just phoning it in
Oh, just breaking the skin
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
(How you and me)
Start bending me
It's never enough
'Til I feel all your pieces
Start bending me
Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just touch me and then
Oh, just touch me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me landing
Without understanding
Hell, I'd go there again
Can you help me, I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Yeah, you're breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
Pick me up and dust me off
And if I get too tired to make it
Be my breath so I can walk
And if I need some other love, then
You give me more than I can stand
And when my smile gets old and faded
Wait around, I'll smile again
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just hold me and then
Oh, just hold me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
And if I couldn't sleep could you sleep?
Could you paint me better off?
And could you sympathize with my needs?
I know you think I need a lot
I started out clean but I'm jaded
Just phoning it in
Oh, just breaking the skin
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
(How you and me)
Start bending me
It's never enough
'Til I feel all your pieces
Start bending me
Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just touch me and then
Oh, just touch me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me landing
Without understanding
Hell, I'd go there again
Can you help me, I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Yeah, you're breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal
Bent Lyrics as written by Robert Thomas Rob Thomas
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
Seems like most people see this as a love song, but I see it as a broken relationship, that's not gonna get any better.
He wants so much from her, but really it's not that much. He just wants her to love him for who he is. He knows he's screwed up, knows he is close to worthless. When he's upset, he just wants her to hold him - just holding him would help so much. But she DOESNT understand him. She can't see past her own self to help him get past all this, to help him piece himself back together.
If I fall along the way Pick me up and dust me off And if I get too tired to make it Be my breath so I can walk He wants her to love him and be his support!
If I need some other love Give me more than I can stand And when my smile gets old and faded Wait around I'll smile again If he's feeling unloved, he wants her to love him excessively. And, sometimes, life just sucks and it's pretty miserable - she can't just expect him to smile all the flipping time. It'll get better, but sometimes its too hard to smile.
Shouldn't be so complicated Just hold me and then Just hold me again He just wants her to hold him, and she doesn't even care enough to do that for him.
Can you help me I'm bent I'm so scared that I'll never Get put back together He needs her help so much, he's so screwed up he's terrified, and he doesn't think he'll ever be okay again.
You're breaking me in And this is how we will end With you and me bent He needs her help, and all she can do is tell him what's wrong, how there's so much he needs to fix (like he doesn't know that). And he tries and tries and she keeps bending him and bending him, never thinking to just hold him. It's not going to end pretty.
If I couldn't sleep could you sleep Could you paint me better off Could you sympathize with my needs I know you think I need a lot Have you ever been lying in bed with someone, and you're upset and can't sleep, but they just go to sleep anyways instead of caring? She thinks he'd be better somewhere else, but he just wants her. He wants her to care, but she just thinks he's too needy.
I started out clean but I'm jaded Just phoning it in Just breaking the skin He used to be such a great, put-together guy - now he's ruined.
Start bending me It's never enough I feel all your pieces Start bending me Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in He tries to get better, but it's not enough for her. Just keep going, keep criticizing and beating him down, until he's what you want him to be.
Sucks.