"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.
Guess that it was bound to happen
Was just a matter of time
But now I've come to my decision
And it's a-one of the painful kind
'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr
Just a regular guy wouldn't do
But baby I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
Yes, I really got to hand it to you
'Cause girl you really tried
But for ev'ry time that we spent laughin'
There were two times that I cried
And you were tryin' to make me your martyr
And that's the one thing I just couldn't do
'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
Was just a matter of time
But now I've come to my decision
And it's a-one of the painful kind
'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr
Just a regular guy wouldn't do
But baby I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
Yes, I really got to hand it to you
'Cause girl you really tried
But for ev'ry time that we spent laughin'
There were two times that I cried
And you were tryin' to make me your martyr
And that's the one thing I just couldn't do
'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
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.
I think this song is about someone who is in a relationship that was doomed from the beginning. He has finally reached the point where he just cannot bend any further. He has given and given and given but he just can't give any more. It is his turn to call the shots (tables are meant for turning) and he is calling it quits for good (bridges are meant for burning) because they don't have or never have had the same idea about what their relationship is (the people and memories they join aren't the same).
Awesome song, awesome artist. Such a loss.
An underrated song that receives little airplay from a great songwriter. I think it means more than a gf or spouse who tries to turn you into something you're not. I think he is referring to an emotionally abusive partner who wants to turn the relationship into a soap opera - a drama queen, for lack of a better term. This song is about reaching the point where you have the courage to respect yourself and end the relationship.
I dated a very religious (Christian) girl and this song pretty much describes our relationship–she was very self-righteous and probably needed someone who shared the very same beliefs. She also created crises in the relationship. I don't know if Croce was writing about a religious person, but the lyrics really fit.
I think if it is about a religious ex, then it makes some of the religious imagery a little more biting. Either way, it's a brilliant song that can be taken a few different ways.
I love this song, so sad but it happened to me once, my girlfriend was trying to make me something I wasnt and it broke our relationship up
i know exactly how it feels to have someone try to make you into something that you're not and they won't love you unless you become this shadow of who you REALLY are. if they can't love you for who you are then it's their loss. find someone you will. no one is worth crying for, but if you find someone who is then they won't make you cry at all.
Reginald, we must be twins or something. I went through the same experience with an old flame, and it was an emotional rollercoaster with her. Turned out she had become a two-faced, sanctimonious woman. I finally had to say goodbye to her.
I love Jim Croce's songs, especially this one. He had a way of appealing to universal emotions in his lyrics. They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Croce has always had a very lovely way with word. Like his song "One Less Set of Footsteps" this song has experiences that we all know worded so differently that you normally hear it. You can hear it in his music, it all comes from his heart.
Back to this song specifically, not too difficult to understand the meaning, but damn it is audible chocolate. It's amazing how calm the lyrics are, it's kind of like the calm after the storm. After all these days, weeks, heck months of fighting he has finally become so tired of it that he isn't even angry at her for wanting to change him, he's just done with her. He even says:
"Still I hope you can find another who can take what I could not."
He's clearly moved on, and only wants what's best for her. Adding to this theory is how sweet and harmonious the melody is. Not that that's unusual for Croce songs, but it isn't sad really, despite the fact that it's a tad on the slow side. The song is full of chords that you've probably heard in happier songs, and I think that's symbolic of Croce's optimism for the future, for both him and his ex lover. When he says "bridges are meant for burning." I'm reminded of the quote "May the bridges I burn light the way."
Eh, just some personal connections I've made. If you're reading this, I'm glad you enjoy this song as much as I do.
I am really surprised by the lask of responses to this song. What a wonderful song, and so true too. Everyone's been there.
Nicely said LittleFreakThing a great song.. i love jim croce!!
Very pretty song... my gf keeps thinking about breaking up and has so much fear... it hurts so bad that she won't trust me and she can't take me for who I am... i'm not sure what kind of "super-god" it will take to win her, but i'm beginning to really doubt its me... ouch.