"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.
There are twelve commandments
There are twelve divisions
Twelve are the pagans who have mapped the sky
In the outer circle
To the inner sanctum
From the octave at the end of time
The fountain, the trinity
The pilgrim is searching for blood
To look for his own free will
The stone of infinity, washed in the flood
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
In the atom circle
Where we break the stars
Hammer into anvil, stuffing out the sun
Witness all the killing
See the birth of Mars
Our religion thrown into the fire
The fountain, the trinity
The pilgrim is searching for blood
To look for his own free will
The stone of infinity, washed in the flood
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The magician laughs
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the priestess kneels
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The priestess kneels to receive
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The magician laughs
There are twelve divisions
Twelve are the pagans who have mapped the sky
In the outer circle
To the inner sanctum
From the octave at the end of time
The fountain, the trinity
The pilgrim is searching for blood
To look for his own free will
The stone of infinity, washed in the flood
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
In the atom circle
Where we break the stars
Hammer into anvil, stuffing out the sun
Witness all the killing
See the birth of Mars
Our religion thrown into the fire
The fountain, the trinity
The pilgrim is searching for blood
To look for his own free will
The stone of infinity, washed in the flood
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The magician laughs
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the priestess kneels
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
And the hanged man smiles
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
Let the fool decide
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The priestess kneels to receive
Lovers in the tower
The moon and sun divided
The magician laughs
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
I love it.