"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.
First thing we'd climb a tree
And maybe then we'd talk
Or sit silently
And listen to our thoughts
With illusions of someday
Cast in a golden light
No dress rehearsal
This is our life
And that's where the hornet stung me
And I had a feverish dream
With revenge and doubt
Tonight, we smoke them out
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
Stare in the morning shroud
And then the day began
I tilted your cloud
You tilted my hand
Rain falls in real time
And rain fell through the night
No dress rehearsal, this is our life
But that's when the hornet stung me
And I had a serious dream
With revenge and doubt
Tonight, we smoked them out
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
And disappointing you is gettin' me down
And maybe then we'd talk
Or sit silently
And listen to our thoughts
With illusions of someday
Cast in a golden light
No dress rehearsal
This is our life
And that's where the hornet stung me
And I had a feverish dream
With revenge and doubt
Tonight, we smoke them out
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
Stare in the morning shroud
And then the day began
I tilted your cloud
You tilted my hand
Rain falls in real time
And rain fell through the night
No dress rehearsal, this is our life
But that's when the hornet stung me
And I had a serious dream
With revenge and doubt
Tonight, we smoked them out
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
You are ahead by a century
And disappointing you is gettin' me down
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by bulldog728
Ahead By A Century Lyrics as written by Johnny Fay Gordon Downie
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
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i can relate to this song alot. my view would be that it is infact a story of love between this young boy and girl. their lives are chaotic and hard to deal with,most likely because of their parents as seen in the video.("no dress rehersal, this is our lives"). as in what they are experiencing is no act, it's harsh and real. their escape is to be with eachother, they can talk about anything..a way of healing and getting through. ("with illusions of someday casting a golden light")..this to me means that they one day dream to be someone, something successful and important..unlike all the shit they are witnessing in the present. and to be "ahead by a century" is they have learned from what they have seen, they are wise and ahead of there time. although, as they get older they slip unable to deal with the pain... turning to pot, with a sense of gulit.("with revenge and doubt tonight we smoke them out")..but i dont think it takes them under, only a temporary relief because talking just didnt do enough anymore.
hmm i was thinking that "tonight we smoke them out" reffered to the hornets<br /> because if you want to get rid of a hornet nest you can smoke them out.