"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.
Gets dark around here early
Sometimes the moon it follows you in the middle of the day
Waiting to be found, we're just standin' around
There's nothin' really much to say
I didn't know any better
You didn't think that we should
So we're gonna burn down the night
I wanna be misunderstood
All four wheels across the pavement
We used to live in black and white
I only think about tomorrow
So it'll get me through tonight.
And I aint laughing
And I aint joking anymore
I keep my footsteps near the ground
I keep my eyes glued to the floor
And somewhere in between
Only the slightest dream on this side of midnight
And maybe we're just crazy
Maybe we're better off dead
Maybe things'll never change
Maybe you got it backwards in your head
The last of the ghetto astronauts won't be ignored
Said I'm gonna go where, no one has gone before
Said I'm gonna go where, no one has gone before
Gets dark around here early
Sometimes there is more to the moon than
just one man can see
The voice without a name cries
"Sounded just the same, just the same way"
If I didn't know any better
I'd say that maybe we all should
When the mornin' comes around
Don't wanna be misunderstood
We're sleepin' on the pavement thinkin' everythin's alright
Waitin' for tomorrow to get us through tonight
And I aint laughing
And I aint joking anymore
I keep my footsteps near the ground
I keep my eyes glued to the floor
And somewhere in between
Only the slightest dream on this side of midnight
Been walkin' here with the giants
Sleepin' in a town without a name
Been holdin' on to your arms and legs
(Your arms and legs)
Cause nobody here wants to put you back together again
(Together again, together again, together again)
Maybe we're just crazy
Maybe we're better off dead
Maybe things'll never change
Maybe you got it backwards in your head
The last of the ghetto astronauts won't be ignored
Said I'm gonna go where no one has gone before
Said I'm gonna go where no one has gone before
No one
No one
Sometimes the moon it follows you in the middle of the day
Waiting to be found, we're just standin' around
There's nothin' really much to say
I didn't know any better
You didn't think that we should
So we're gonna burn down the night
I wanna be misunderstood
All four wheels across the pavement
We used to live in black and white
I only think about tomorrow
So it'll get me through tonight.
And I aint laughing
And I aint joking anymore
I keep my footsteps near the ground
I keep my eyes glued to the floor
And somewhere in between
Only the slightest dream on this side of midnight
And maybe we're just crazy
Maybe we're better off dead
Maybe things'll never change
Maybe you got it backwards in your head
The last of the ghetto astronauts won't be ignored
Said I'm gonna go where, no one has gone before
Said I'm gonna go where, no one has gone before
Gets dark around here early
Sometimes there is more to the moon than
just one man can see
The voice without a name cries
"Sounded just the same, just the same way"
If I didn't know any better
I'd say that maybe we all should
When the mornin' comes around
Don't wanna be misunderstood
We're sleepin' on the pavement thinkin' everythin's alright
Waitin' for tomorrow to get us through tonight
And I aint laughing
And I aint joking anymore
I keep my footsteps near the ground
I keep my eyes glued to the floor
And somewhere in between
Only the slightest dream on this side of midnight
Been walkin' here with the giants
Sleepin' in a town without a name
Been holdin' on to your arms and legs
(Your arms and legs)
Cause nobody here wants to put you back together again
(Together again, together again, together again)
Maybe we're just crazy
Maybe we're better off dead
Maybe things'll never change
Maybe you got it backwards in your head
The last of the ghetto astronauts won't be ignored
Said I'm gonna go where no one has gone before
Said I'm gonna go where no one has gone before
No one
No one
Lyrics submitted by NtoTheDrk
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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”
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.
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.
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.
if you go to the site mgb.imgarbage.com/ and you can find the track lists of the 4 unreleased albums and they should be easy to find on kazaa.