"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.
Not long ago in my high school days
I watched a girl from so far away
But every time she passed me by
I turned my head away and quietly sighed
And when she walked by
Her hair would dance a secret tango
That only I could understand
And if she asked me for the time of day
I'd look her in the eyes and quietly say
Ooh Kristina, Kristina
Do you have any clue who I am?
(Hell no)
So listen up because I'll tell you once
And I'll explain myself the best that I can
Ooh Kristina, Kristina
You don't know me so I'll have to persist
I'm kind of shy so don't wonder why
Kristina she don't know I exist
From class to class I followed her
But I swore I'd leave her undisturbed
And if she ever stopped and turned around
I got so nervous and I stared at the ground
And then one day in photography
I found a contact print that I could not believe
And there she was staring back at me
So I took her home so quietly
1.17.98 it's been a day that I've come to hate
As I walked into the video store
There she stood as my jaw fell to the floor
Tapping her toe waiting in line
With a movie and another guy
Why did I bother?
Why did I care about this girl named Kristina Behr?
Kristina, Kristina
You'll never get to know who I am
This is goodbye so please don't cry
And I'll let you down as softly as I can
Kristina, Kristina
Another name to cross off my list
In another life it could have been nice
But Kristina she won't know what she missed
I watched a girl from so far away
But every time she passed me by
I turned my head away and quietly sighed
And when she walked by
Her hair would dance a secret tango
That only I could understand
And if she asked me for the time of day
I'd look her in the eyes and quietly say
Ooh Kristina, Kristina
Do you have any clue who I am?
(Hell no)
So listen up because I'll tell you once
And I'll explain myself the best that I can
Ooh Kristina, Kristina
You don't know me so I'll have to persist
I'm kind of shy so don't wonder why
Kristina she don't know I exist
From class to class I followed her
But I swore I'd leave her undisturbed
And if she ever stopped and turned around
I got so nervous and I stared at the ground
And then one day in photography
I found a contact print that I could not believe
And there she was staring back at me
So I took her home so quietly
1.17.98 it's been a day that I've come to hate
As I walked into the video store
There she stood as my jaw fell to the floor
Tapping her toe waiting in line
With a movie and another guy
Why did I bother?
Why did I care about this girl named Kristina Behr?
Kristina, Kristina
You'll never get to know who I am
This is goodbye so please don't cry
And I'll let you down as softly as I can
Kristina, Kristina
Another name to cross off my list
In another life it could have been nice
But Kristina she won't know what she missed
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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.
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No Surprises
Radiohead
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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
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Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
yah this song has a freally good trumpet and flute solo i love this song its awesome