"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.
Johnny feel good, Johnny right on
Johnny miss you, Johnny light on
Johnny makes me feel strangely good about myself
Moderation is a memory
Dive right in and let him send me
I could take this in doses large enough to kill
And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got diamonds on the bed of his thumbnails and I
Never realized I was so dirty and dry
Till he knocked me down, started dragging me around
In the back of his convertible car
And I liked it
I liked it more and more
Crimson and clover, soon he's taken over all my senses now
And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got petals on the bed of his sweat sock drawer
And who the fuck am I to criticize him 'cause I really need him now
In fact I'm kinda freaking out
And I'm wondering where the hell you are
Johnny feel good, Johnny right on
Johnny miss you, Johnny light on
Johnny makes me feel strangely good about myself
And I've never met a man I was so crazy about
It kinda has become an obsession to me
I hate him all the time
But I still get up
When he knocks me down
And he orders me around
'Cause it loosens me up
And I can't get enough
And I'd pay to spend the night with him some more
And I liked it
Let me tell you I liked it more and more
I liked it
I liked it, yeah
I really liked it
I liked it
I really, really, really liked it
I really liked it
I can't believe it.
Johnny miss you, Johnny light on
Johnny makes me feel strangely good about myself
Moderation is a memory
Dive right in and let him send me
I could take this in doses large enough to kill
And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got diamonds on the bed of his thumbnails and I
Never realized I was so dirty and dry
Till he knocked me down, started dragging me around
In the back of his convertible car
And I liked it
I liked it more and more
Crimson and clover, soon he's taken over all my senses now
And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got petals on the bed of his sweat sock drawer
And who the fuck am I to criticize him 'cause I really need him now
In fact I'm kinda freaking out
And I'm wondering where the hell you are
Johnny feel good, Johnny right on
Johnny miss you, Johnny light on
Johnny makes me feel strangely good about myself
And I've never met a man I was so crazy about
It kinda has become an obsession to me
I hate him all the time
But I still get up
When he knocks me down
And he orders me around
'Cause it loosens me up
And I can't get enough
And I'd pay to spend the night with him some more
And I liked it
Let me tell you I liked it more and more
I liked it
I liked it, yeah
I really liked it
I liked it
I really, really, really liked it
I really liked it
I can't believe it.
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
This song is about a guy who is just amazing! I mean, he blows her away. He's the most beautiful person inside that she's ever seen, but also he has a down and dirty side. She just can't resist him.