"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.
dead from the waist up, constant coma keeps us all corrupt yeah
weighed down with our eyes shut, no wonder that we feel so fucked up
condemned to a blank mind, a waste product of the production line
new designs to assure that we are doing fine while we spend our time spending time
born straight into boredom, this freedom works only if we can afford it
bedrooms plastered with guitars and haircuts while this flow of nothing keeps us fucked up
get to love the new flavors where cops and talkshows are the real saviors
choice implies a different taste and i'm sure that we haven't learned anything
spend hours flipping, listening to songs about nothing
spend life traumatized paralyzed baby with tv-eyes
break the attention span, 10 seconds too much and i can't comprehend
fast moving fast talking no thinking plan needs to tell me how free i am
cultural structure set to simplify, brought up with empty minds and empty lives
new designs assure that we are doing fine while we spend our time spending time
get to love the new flavors where cops and talkshows are the real saviors
choice implies a different taste and i'm sure that we haven't learned anything
spend hours flipping, listening to songs about nothing
spend life paralyzed traumatized baby with tv-eyes
my hands are shaking, how could it be yeah, another shot of this poverty
we understand nothing, nothing is what we are supposed to understand
weighed down with our eyes shut, no wonder that we feel so fucked up
condemned to a blank mind, a waste product of the production line
new designs to assure that we are doing fine while we spend our time spending time
born straight into boredom, this freedom works only if we can afford it
bedrooms plastered with guitars and haircuts while this flow of nothing keeps us fucked up
get to love the new flavors where cops and talkshows are the real saviors
choice implies a different taste and i'm sure that we haven't learned anything
spend hours flipping, listening to songs about nothing
spend life traumatized paralyzed baby with tv-eyes
break the attention span, 10 seconds too much and i can't comprehend
fast moving fast talking no thinking plan needs to tell me how free i am
cultural structure set to simplify, brought up with empty minds and empty lives
new designs assure that we are doing fine while we spend our time spending time
get to love the new flavors where cops and talkshows are the real saviors
choice implies a different taste and i'm sure that we haven't learned anything
spend hours flipping, listening to songs about nothing
spend life paralyzed traumatized baby with tv-eyes
my hands are shaking, how could it be yeah, another shot of this poverty
we understand nothing, nothing is what we are supposed to understand
Lyrics submitted by x_melancholy_x
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
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/
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.
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.