"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.
Oh baby it's cryin' time
Oh baby I got to fly
Got to try to find a way
Got to try to get away
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you babe
Oh baby the river's red, ah baby in my head
There's a funny feelin' goin' on
I don't think I can hold out long
And when the owls cry in the night
Oh baby, baby when the pines begin to cry
Baby, baby, baby how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Craze, baby, the rainbow's end, mmm, baby, it's just a den
For those who hide, who hide their love to depths of life
And ruin dreams that we all knew so, babe
And when the owls cry in the night
And baby when the pines begin to cry
Oh baby, baby, how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Baby how do you feel?
Ooh yeah, brave I endure
Ooh yeah, strong shields and lore
And they can't hold the wrath of those who walk
An' the boots of those who march
Baby, through the roads of time so long ago
Ooooh, yeah
Ooooh
Oooooh, yeah
Ahhh
Ahhh
Ahhh
Ahhh
Oooooh
Hooooh
Hooooh
Hooooh
Hahhhh
Hoooh hooh hoooh hah hahhh
Oh baby I got to fly
Got to try to find a way
Got to try to get away
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you babe
Oh baby the river's red, ah baby in my head
There's a funny feelin' goin' on
I don't think I can hold out long
And when the owls cry in the night
Oh baby, baby when the pines begin to cry
Baby, baby, baby how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Craze, baby, the rainbow's end, mmm, baby, it's just a den
For those who hide, who hide their love to depths of life
And ruin dreams that we all knew so, babe
And when the owls cry in the night
And baby when the pines begin to cry
Oh baby, baby, how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Baby how do you feel?
Ooh yeah, brave I endure
Ooh yeah, strong shields and lore
And they can't hold the wrath of those who walk
An' the boots of those who march
Baby, through the roads of time so long ago
Ooooh, yeah
Ooooh
Oooooh, yeah
Ahhh
Ahhh
Ahhh
Ahhh
Oooooh
Hooooh
Hooooh
Hooooh
Hahhhh
Hoooh hooh hoooh hah hahhh
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
this may not be the best zeppelin song but its lightyears ahead of half of the shit that people call music these days
I agree with that.