"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.
Time, he's waiting in the wings
He speaks of senseless things
His script is you and me, boy
Time, he flexes like a whore
Falls wanking to the floor
His trick is you and me, boy
Time, in quaaludes and red wine
Demanding Billy Dolls
And other friends of mine
Take your time
The sniper in the brain, regurgitating drain
Incestuous and vain
And many other last names
Oh, well, I look at my watch, it says nine twenty-five
And I think "Oh God, I'm still alive"
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
You are not a victim
You just scream with boredom
You are not evicting time
Chimes, goddamn, you're looking old
You'll freeze and catch a cold
'Cause you've left your coat behind
Take your time
Breaking up is hard, but keeping dark is hateful
I had so many dreams
I had so many breakthroughs
But you, my love, were kind, but love has left you dreamless
The door to dreams was closed
Your park was real dreamless
Perhaps you're smiling now
Smiling through this darkness
But all I had to give was guilt for dreaming
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, yeah, time!
He speaks of senseless things
His script is you and me, boy
Time, he flexes like a whore
Falls wanking to the floor
His trick is you and me, boy
Time, in quaaludes and red wine
Demanding Billy Dolls
And other friends of mine
Take your time
The sniper in the brain, regurgitating drain
Incestuous and vain
And many other last names
Oh, well, I look at my watch, it says nine twenty-five
And I think "Oh God, I'm still alive"
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
You are not a victim
You just scream with boredom
You are not evicting time
Chimes, goddamn, you're looking old
You'll freeze and catch a cold
'Cause you've left your coat behind
Take your time
Breaking up is hard, but keeping dark is hateful
I had so many dreams
I had so many breakthroughs
But you, my love, were kind, but love has left you dreamless
The door to dreams was closed
Your park was real dreamless
Perhaps you're smiling now
Smiling through this darkness
But all I had to give was guilt for dreaming
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
We should be on by now
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, yeah, time!
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
I think the two lines, "flexes like a whore" and "wanking to the floor" are supposed to be interpretations of what the hands of a clock looks like. Just check it out for yourself.
10:10 - "flexes like a whore" 09:00 - "falls wanking to the floor" (no legs) 09:25 - '"Oh God I'm still alive"' (hurdled over [drunk or in pain, maybe?])
This may not be what he meant, but what a wonderful interpretation!
Reminds me of the void between input and output. Everyone goes through it once. That's adolescence. Artists go in and out and in and out and in and out again. That's just being an artist. It's a depression and a numb sort of cowardice. You know you could be doing something productive with your time, learning how to play another instrument or helping someone with their chores. You just can't seem to escape the sludge of your own spirits, and no amount of rationalising or motivational speeches will force you into doing so. That's why I'm wasting my own precious time commenting on David Bowie's lyrics. Not that the aren't worth commenting on.
I believe this song is about nothing more than knowing that time ends all things. Time is compared to a predator(he's waiting in the wings), a director (his script is you and me), and a few other things. Bowie is just saying that any second now he expects time to come and get him (Oh God I'm still alive). Then towards the end of the song he changes it and says "take your time" but I do not think he means you have the time to take. Instead I think he means use the remainder of your time before it's too late. At the end I think it's about someone dying; "Perhaps you're smiling now, smiling through this darkness But all I had to give was the guilt for dreaming" That concludes my interpretation.
@BowieOwnsAll brilliant.<br />
This is one of the most underrated Bowie songs out there. What an amazing song!
@thinwhiteduchess agreed
This song is layered with meaning. An obvious one is the passing of time, not just the shortness of a lifetime, but the tendency for time to vary in it's pace, one moment it speeds by, the next it crawls in tedium, another interpretation of time 'flexing like a whore', not a physical flex, but a perception one, the juxtaposition between it's fleeting when youre enjoying yourself but showing no interest in passing when you're not. Touring is known for its long, dull, periods in between performances, travelling, sound checking, ect, often given as a reason for a lot of artist's drug taking, in this case quaaludes and red wine, and the generally missed double meaning of Billy Dolls (I'm looking at you, Wikipedia) not just a nod to the New York Dolls, but also amphetamine in capsule form (Billy Whizz, a character from the Beano comic, was a British slang term for speed, also known as just Billy or Whizz, 'dolls' is used as a term for capsule drugs in Jaqueline Susanne's cult 1966 novel Valley of the Dolls), 'other friends of mine' could well be referencing cocaine. A great song, RIP Mr Jones, I feel like I've lost a friend.
I agree with BowieOwnsAll (and oh he does!), however, Bowie himself, in an interview once said in regards to this song something like "Oh my god! I've written a GAY song!"
Funny he should choose this one to call gay. Read the lyrics to "Width Of A Circle"!
@QuietEarp I think the point is that Time wasn't meant to be "gay" but was perceived as such. I believe he knew very well how "gay" Width of a Circle is...lol
@IcarusIncarnate as a lyran, bowie would try anything,even gay sex, including addictions, Lyran starseed, he was a starman, still is but in higher dimensions now, but also giving advice in his lyrics(lyre the musical instrument and also lyrics, associated to the lyra consellation. Artistic genius. <br /> Listen to them all again with a new perspective, with your 6th sense. All of Bowies tunes, then tell me what you really see. <br /> PaulAT
I like the intro alot and then how the song just explodes. Very glam, this one.
I think this song would of had critical and popular success if he had omitted the lines about time flexing like a whore and wanking to the floor.
Those lines define this as a Ziggy/ Bowie bisexual song though. I love it.
The sniper in the brain, regurgitating drain Incestuous and vain, and many other last names I look at my watch it say 9:25 and I think "Oh God I'm still alive"
Fucking Genius.
I feel like the lyrics of this song describe the feeling of being a actor and waiting to go on stage, an the way time has a distorted feeling about it-"time is waiting in the wings", the opening line shows the impatience of waiting to perform, and how time is "waiting" could show how it is frozen in the moment before going on stage. Additionally, "the script is you and me", could capture the feeling of rehearsing what you are supposed to say in the wings, hence why he mentions a script. Then the last lines of the song,"We should be on by now" is showing his growing impatience after snapping back to reality after his perception of time has gone back fromm being all distorted " he flexes like a whore" shows how time has become twisted.