"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.
Hey look yonder
What's that I see
Well that old bogus, honey
Comin' after me
I goin' told you
Was out of town
I wonder how she knowed
I was hangin' around
Say, listen babe
Don't go wastin' your time
You keep comin' 'round
You'll hear the same old line
You got a thousand boys
You say you need 'em
You take what's good for you
And I'll take my freedom
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
(Heh, heh, heh)
I thought I knew her
My cagey lady
How come my sunshine
Was so damn shady
She'll say she love to talk
A conversation
But I'm the one
Who makes my situation
This one way city
That I thought I knew
It's such a pity, honey
That's it for you
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
There's nothing over here
I never showed you
I made it pretty clear
I'm glad to know you
You know your brother Spike
He's on the level
But you always lookin'
Like you're mad at the devil
Don't say I cop a 'tude
It's all forgotten
It's just you're much too rude
Your fruits are rotten
You know I work so hard to keep it alive
Now all I hear from you
Is nothing but jive
Lately it's been so hard
Now to make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I'm goin' on the other way
Yes I do!
And lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I really been feelin'
Like I could be movin' on
You're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me...
You got to get yourself back on your feet
What's that I see
Well that old bogus, honey
Comin' after me
I goin' told you
Was out of town
I wonder how she knowed
I was hangin' around
Say, listen babe
Don't go wastin' your time
You keep comin' 'round
You'll hear the same old line
You got a thousand boys
You say you need 'em
You take what's good for you
And I'll take my freedom
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
(Heh, heh, heh)
I thought I knew her
My cagey lady
How come my sunshine
Was so damn shady
She'll say she love to talk
A conversation
But I'm the one
Who makes my situation
This one way city
That I thought I knew
It's such a pity, honey
That's it for you
'Cause lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I gotta go the other way
There's nothing over here
I never showed you
I made it pretty clear
I'm glad to know you
You know your brother Spike
He's on the level
But you always lookin'
Like you're mad at the devil
Don't say I cop a 'tude
It's all forgotten
It's just you're much too rude
Your fruits are rotten
You know I work so hard to keep it alive
Now all I hear from you
Is nothing but jive
Lately it's been so hard
Now to make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I'm goin' on the other way
Yes I do!
And lately it's been so hard
To make ends meet
And honey, you're headin' down a
One way street
And I really been feelin'
Like I could be movin' on
You're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody you meet
I said, you're headin' down a one way street
You're foolin' everybody but me...
You got to get yourself back on your feet
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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.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
The meaning's already been explained. For me, this is one of their greatest ever songs, along with Seasons of wither, Walk this way, Sweet emotion, Joanie's butterfly, Dream on, Back in the saddle, Nobody's fault...
... ... ...
:)