"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.
Aight
Uh, yeah
Oh, yeah, that's right
Yeah
Yeah, that's the ticket
Come on, y'all, let's take a ride
Don't you say shit, just get inside
It's time to take your ass on another kind of trip
'Cause you can't have the hop if you don't have the hip
Grab your gat with the extra clip and
Close your eyes and hit the switch
We're going to a place where everybody kick it
Kick it, kick it, yeah, that's the ticket
Ain't no bloodin', ain't no crippin'
Ain't no punk-ass niggas set trippin'
Everybody got a stack and it ain't no crack
And it really don't matter if you're white or black, I
Want to take you there like the Staple Singers
Put something in the tank and I know that I can bring ya
If you can't take the heat, get your ass out the kitchen
We on a mission
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
I'm hittin' switches on the block in a '65
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
Ain't no valley low enough or mountain high
I'm tryin' to find a place where I can live my life and
Maybe eat some steak with my beans and rice
A place where my kids can play outside
Without livin' in fear of a drive-by
And even if I get away from them drive-by killers
I still got to worry about those snitch-ass niggas
I keep on searchin' and I keep on lookin'
But niggas are the same from Watts to Brooklyn
I try to keep my faith in my people
But sometimes my people be acting like they evil
You don't understand about runnin' with a gang
'Cause you don't gang bang, and
You don't have to stand on the corner and slang
'Cause you got your own thang
You can't help me if you can't help yourself
You better make a left
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
I do what I do just to survive
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
That's why I pack my .45
Life is a bitch and then you die
Still tryin' to get a peace of that apple pie
Every game ain't the same 'cause the game still remains
Don't it seem kinda strange? Ain't a damn thing change
If you don't work, then you don't eat
And only down-ass niggas can ride with me
Hop-hop-hop the five quickly down the block
Stay sucka-free and keep the busters off your jock
You gotta have heart, son, if you wanna go
Watch this sweet chariot swing low
Ain't nobody cryin', ain't nobody dyin'
Ain't nobody worryin', everybody's tryin'
Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'
If you want to have something, you better stop frontin'
What you gonna do when the five roll by
You better be ready, so you can ride
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
When you're livin' in the city, it's do or die
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
You better be ready when the five roll by
Just roll along (that's what you do)
Just roll along (that's right)
Just roll along (that's what you do)
Just roll along (that's right)
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
When you're livin' in the city, it's do or die
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
You better be ready when the five roll by
Uh, yeah
Oh, yeah, that's right
Yeah
Yeah, that's the ticket
Come on, y'all, let's take a ride
Don't you say shit, just get inside
It's time to take your ass on another kind of trip
'Cause you can't have the hop if you don't have the hip
Grab your gat with the extra clip and
Close your eyes and hit the switch
We're going to a place where everybody kick it
Kick it, kick it, yeah, that's the ticket
Ain't no bloodin', ain't no crippin'
Ain't no punk-ass niggas set trippin'
Everybody got a stack and it ain't no crack
And it really don't matter if you're white or black, I
Want to take you there like the Staple Singers
Put something in the tank and I know that I can bring ya
If you can't take the heat, get your ass out the kitchen
We on a mission
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
I'm hittin' switches on the block in a '65
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
Ain't no valley low enough or mountain high
I'm tryin' to find a place where I can live my life and
Maybe eat some steak with my beans and rice
A place where my kids can play outside
Without livin' in fear of a drive-by
And even if I get away from them drive-by killers
I still got to worry about those snitch-ass niggas
I keep on searchin' and I keep on lookin'
But niggas are the same from Watts to Brooklyn
I try to keep my faith in my people
But sometimes my people be acting like they evil
You don't understand about runnin' with a gang
'Cause you don't gang bang, and
You don't have to stand on the corner and slang
'Cause you got your own thang
You can't help me if you can't help yourself
You better make a left
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
I do what I do just to survive
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
That's why I pack my .45
Life is a bitch and then you die
Still tryin' to get a peace of that apple pie
Every game ain't the same 'cause the game still remains
Don't it seem kinda strange? Ain't a damn thing change
If you don't work, then you don't eat
And only down-ass niggas can ride with me
Hop-hop-hop the five quickly down the block
Stay sucka-free and keep the busters off your jock
You gotta have heart, son, if you wanna go
Watch this sweet chariot swing low
Ain't nobody cryin', ain't nobody dyin'
Ain't nobody worryin', everybody's tryin'
Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'
If you want to have something, you better stop frontin'
What you gonna do when the five roll by
You better be ready, so you can ride
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
When you're livin' in the city, it's do or die
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
You better be ready when the five roll by
Just roll along (that's what you do)
Just roll along (that's right)
Just roll along (that's what you do)
Just roll along (that's right)
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
To the hood of funk
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, slippity-slide
When you're livin' in the city, it's do or die
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
Slide, slide, hoo ride
You better be ready when the five roll by
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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.
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Well, I liked the video...