"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.
Been working so hard
I'm punching my card
Eight hours for what?
Oh, tell me what I got
I've got this feeling
That time's just holding me down
I'll hit the ceiling
Or else I'll tear up this town
So now I gotta cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
You're playing so cool, obeying every rule
Deep way down in your heart
You're burning, yearning for the some, somebody to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
You'll get by if you'd only cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Ooh-wee, Marie, shake it, shake it for me
Woah, Milo come on, come on, let's go
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
Yeah, ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
Ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
Yeah, ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
(Ooh)
(First) you got to turn me around
(Second) and put your feet on the ground
(Third) gotta take the hold of all
I'm turning loose, footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues (blues, yeah), everybody cut footloose
Footloose, footloose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes (c'mon, girl)
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees (ohh)
Jack, get back, come on before we crack (c'mon, whoa, now)
Lose your blues, everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody, everybody cut footloose
I'm punching my card
Eight hours for what?
Oh, tell me what I got
I've got this feeling
That time's just holding me down
I'll hit the ceiling
Or else I'll tear up this town
So now I gotta cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
You're playing so cool, obeying every rule
Deep way down in your heart
You're burning, yearning for the some, somebody to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
You'll get by if you'd only cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Ooh-wee, Marie, shake it, shake it for me
Woah, Milo come on, come on, let's go
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
Yeah, ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
Ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
Yeah, ooh-oh-oh
(Cut footloose)
(Ooh)
(First) you got to turn me around
(Second) and put your feet on the ground
(Third) gotta take the hold of all
I'm turning loose, footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues (blues, yeah), everybody cut footloose
Footloose, footloose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes (c'mon, girl)
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees (ohh)
Jack, get back, come on before we crack (c'mon, whoa, now)
Lose your blues, everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody, everybody cut footloose
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
this song means alot to me, you know, because it really helped me through the tough times. it has a deeper meaning then what most people see. "sunday shoes" is obviously a metaphore for drugs, and you gotta loose your blues and come clean, and you can be footloose.