"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.
Chorus:
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
Tonight, as you stare at the ceiling again
With you lover turning away
Disappointment closing in like the walls
And you try, you try to talk about love
And they put their arms around you
But still you feel all alone - wonder why
Chorus:
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
And it doesn't have to be this way
I know you try to do the things they say
Just because you don't know what it is that you feel
Doesn't mean you can hide it away
Well you try to be less than you are but they know
Yes they know - and silence is a dangerous game
And words are dangerous too
And you've spoken the best that you can
Chorus:
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
And it doesn't have to be this way
I know you've tried to do everything that they say . . .
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
Tonight, as you stare at the ceiling again
With you lover turning away
Disappointment closing in like the walls
And you try, you try to talk about love
And they put their arms around you
But still you feel all alone - wonder why
Chorus:
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
And it doesn't have to be this way
I know you try to do the things they say
Just because you don't know what it is that you feel
Doesn't mean you can hide it away
Well you try to be less than you are but they know
Yes they know - and silence is a dangerous game
And words are dangerous too
And you've spoken the best that you can
Chorus:
They don't understand you
None of them understand you
And it doesn't have to be this way
I know you've tried to do everything that they say . . .
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
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.
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”
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
The frustration of not being able to explain how you feel, despite everyone's attempts to understand.