"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.
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Hannah you're with me in spirit wherever I go
To the ends of the earth and all points between high and low
Each night by the stage you appear as you are
The ever intangible child, ageless and timeless as Dorian Grey
Oh Hannah I know that it's you and you're leading me on
Hannah you're my inspiration, my fountain of youth
And as your surrogate leader I'm bound in your search for the truth
And yes how the truth rushes out, when it's become honestly clear
I see your anxious and curious eyes
But Hannah I need you as much as you think you need me
Come to your window tonight and we'll fly to your dreams
And we'll
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Hannah don't fail me I need you like never before
Father time's at my back, on my heels, behind every door
He says "Son when the youth has but gone from your face
Will she let you grow older with grace?
Will she give you up for one younger than you?"
Oh Hannah please tell me the things that he says aren't true
Hannah I'm honestly hoping you'll always be there
And we'll
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Hannah you're with me in spirit wherever I go
To the ends of the earth and all points between high and low
Each night by the stage you appear as you are
The ever intangible child, ageless and timeless as Dorian Grey
Oh Hannah I know that it's you and you're leading me on
Hannah you're my inspiration, my fountain of youth
And as your surrogate leader I'm bound in your search for the truth
And yes how the truth rushes out, when it's become honestly clear
I see your anxious and curious eyes
But Hannah I need you as much as you think you need me
Come to your window tonight and we'll fly to your dreams
And we'll
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Hannah don't fail me I need you like never before
Father time's at my back, on my heels, behind every door
He says "Son when the youth has but gone from your face
Will she let you grow older with grace?
Will she give you up for one younger than you?"
Oh Hannah please tell me the things that he says aren't true
Hannah I'm honestly hoping you'll always be there
And we'll
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
Sing for the day
Sing for the moment
Sing for the time of your life
Come for an hour
Stay for a moment
Stay for the rest of your life
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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
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/
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.
Tommy Shaw wrote this in 1978 as an ode to his young fans at the time. He was emerging as a "teen idol" (and I was one of the many who had his face hanging on my bedroom wall), and "Hannah" is the generic name he came up with to represent all those fans. Later, in 1987, he gave his daughter this name.