"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.
an old lady helps me as I'm crossing the road
she sees the direction and the weight of my load
she points to a man taking peace to the poor
and a record is broken by the arm of the law
and you and I as we skate, pitch or ride
we seek our adventures in the places we hide
the pendulum dances, opinion poles swing
not to mention the meaning of contemporary things
we're chasing the feeling that our money can't buy
our pocket books empty but we're ready to try
on strange days everything is stranger
and don't I know nothing comes without danger
on strange days everything is stranger
don't I know nothing comes without danger
drowning not waving in a film title end
our mothers and fathers have postcards to send
we calculate the loss and unfortunate things
and the healthy economy that good warfare brings
we're chasing the feeling that our money can't buy
our pocket books empty but we're ready to try
on strange days everything is stranger
and don't I know nothing comes without danger
on strange days everything is stranger
don't I know nothing comes without danger
she sees the direction and the weight of my load
she points to a man taking peace to the poor
and a record is broken by the arm of the law
and you and I as we skate, pitch or ride
we seek our adventures in the places we hide
the pendulum dances, opinion poles swing
not to mention the meaning of contemporary things
we're chasing the feeling that our money can't buy
our pocket books empty but we're ready to try
on strange days everything is stranger
and don't I know nothing comes without danger
on strange days everything is stranger
don't I know nothing comes without danger
drowning not waving in a film title end
our mothers and fathers have postcards to send
we calculate the loss and unfortunate things
and the healthy economy that good warfare brings
we're chasing the feeling that our money can't buy
our pocket books empty but we're ready to try
on strange days everything is stranger
and don't I know nothing comes without danger
on strange days everything is stranger
don't I know nothing comes without danger
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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”
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,
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.
yay! i'm the first person to comment on this song. i'm not entirely sure what the song means but i just love the lines "we're chasing the feeling that our money can't buy our pocket books empty but we're ready to try" it sounds just like me and my friends