"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.
Doesn't anybody know how to walk anymore?
Doesn't anybody know what a radio is for?
Doesn't anybody wear their hair down low?
Doesn't anybody know? doesn't anybody know?
Doesn't anybody hate it when the street light turns red?
Doesn't anybody want five more minutes in bed?
Doesn't anybody, doesn't anybody have a letter to send?
Doesn't anybody wish they had just one more friend?
'Cause everybody wants, and everybody needs
Everybody asks for one more piece
Everybody wants to hear someone say please
and everybody takes, and everybody steals
Everybody cries when something feels
Everybody's looking for the drug that heals
Doesn't anybody wanna take another shot at me?
Go ahead the gun is loaded and the bullets are for free
Doesn't everybody spray perfume to cover up a smell?
Doesn't anybody know where to go to get some help?
'Cause everybody wants, and everybody needs
Everybody begs for self esteem
Why don't you get your mind out of the past
And everybody takes and everybody steals
Everybody's been kicked by other heels
Please raise your hands up in the air
Oh, in the air in the air why don't you raise your hands up in the air
Why don't you raise your raise your raise your hands in the air
Why don't raise your hands up in the air
'Cause everybody wants
Doesn't anybody know how to walk anymore?
Doesn't anybody know what a radio is for?
Doesn't anybody wear their hair down low?
Doesn't anybody know? Doesn't anybody know?
'Cause everybody wants
Doesn't anybody know what a radio is for?
Doesn't anybody wear their hair down low?
Doesn't anybody know? doesn't anybody know?
Doesn't anybody hate it when the street light turns red?
Doesn't anybody want five more minutes in bed?
Doesn't anybody, doesn't anybody have a letter to send?
Doesn't anybody wish they had just one more friend?
'Cause everybody wants, and everybody needs
Everybody asks for one more piece
Everybody wants to hear someone say please
and everybody takes, and everybody steals
Everybody cries when something feels
Everybody's looking for the drug that heals
Doesn't anybody wanna take another shot at me?
Go ahead the gun is loaded and the bullets are for free
Doesn't everybody spray perfume to cover up a smell?
Doesn't anybody know where to go to get some help?
'Cause everybody wants, and everybody needs
Everybody begs for self esteem
Why don't you get your mind out of the past
And everybody takes and everybody steals
Everybody's been kicked by other heels
Please raise your hands up in the air
Oh, in the air in the air why don't you raise your hands up in the air
Why don't you raise your raise your raise your hands in the air
Why don't raise your hands up in the air
'Cause everybody wants
Doesn't anybody know how to walk anymore?
Doesn't anybody know what a radio is for?
Doesn't anybody wear their hair down low?
Doesn't anybody know? Doesn't anybody know?
'Cause everybody wants
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
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.
Fuckin amazing song... I'll try and get the lyrics for some more of their tunez cuz they are good