"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.
Yeah yeah yeah (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
(yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Scanning the scene
In the city tonight
We are looking for you
To start up a fight
There is an evil feeling
In our brains
But it is nothing new
You know it drives us insane
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Fucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy), yeah
There is no escape
And that is for sure
This is the end we won't take any more
Say goodbye to the world you live in
You have always been taking but now you're giving
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Fucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching, sing it
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Ok, you guys know Lars Ulrich don't ya? Hey baby
Our brains are on fire
With the feeling to kill
And it will not go away
'Til our dreams are fulfilled
There is only one thing on our minds
Don't try running away
'Cause you're the one we will find
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Motherfucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah yeah
Hey everybody, shut up
We're just jamming
You don't mind if we fuck around a little do you
That's Lars
Lars is going to get a little fancy for you here
Shit yeah baby
Slightly insane here man
What's the deal
Oh, exactly
Jason man, impress the fuck out of us now
I'm impressed
Yeah yeah
He's getting down for you man, look out
Look at those faces man
Role model for youth
Hey can you hear me out there
Can you fucking hear me?
Here's to you all for coming down here and making some big fat fucking
Noise with Metallica
Here's to you
You guys ain't thirsty are you
Pass it around my friends
I like the way you guys share here, Dicks!
Yeah
Well now that I'm drunk, and I got that guy drunk for free
We're going to have ourselves some fucking fun here whether you like it or not
So who's got the album kill em all
The first album kill em all, you got it? yeah yeah yeah
So you must know this fucking song
Even if you don't know it man you're going to learn it fucking right now
Very simple
It's got three words to it man
Seek and destroy
Now you guys know your lines man
Don't fuck up
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
That's kinda how it goes man
I start it, you fucking finish it
Give it to me here
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on man
You got some energy left
You better fucking spend it now man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Oh hey man. that might be alright for fucking Joe rock and roll band comes through town
But we ask a lot of out fucking fans here man
We know you can give it here now. give it to me now!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
I ain't convinced man
We been waiting a while.
And I know you fuckers have been waiting a long time to see Metallica in Mexico city
So now's your chance, show us what you got
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on, make us proud, more
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
That's what we want man
Now we're rocking
Fuck's going on over here
You guys got something for me
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on man do it again man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Fuck yeah, I'll take it
You guys know what the fucks going on here?
Give it to me fuck
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
No no, you better do it again man. here!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah yeah
We're feeling good now
Yeah what the fuck do you want?
You talking to me?
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Hit me right here man, come on
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Fuck yeah
Let's fucking get into this shit
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Hey you having fun man? cheer up fuck
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on give it to me you guys
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Why the fuck you huh?
You going to give it to me good here?
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
We need one more completely insane mother fucker
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy). yeah!
Searching
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah sure
Hey, we ain't fucking done yet
Since everyone is doing so fucking good
We got to do a couple more just for the fuck of it yeah
Warm up!
Yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
It's all yours man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on make us proud man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Last one, hurt yourself!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Oh my good!
Fuck yeah
Y0ou guys done good, we're going to give you a hand this time
(yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Scanning the scene
In the city tonight
We are looking for you
To start up a fight
There is an evil feeling
In our brains
But it is nothing new
You know it drives us insane
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Fucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy), yeah
There is no escape
And that is for sure
This is the end we won't take any more
Say goodbye to the world you live in
You have always been taking but now you're giving
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Fucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching, sing it
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Ok, you guys know Lars Ulrich don't ya? Hey baby
Our brains are on fire
With the feeling to kill
And it will not go away
'Til our dreams are fulfilled
There is only one thing on our minds
Don't try running away
'Cause you're the one we will find
Running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
One thousand deaths
Motherfucking running,
On our way
Hiding,
You will pay
Dying,
Searching,
Seek and Destroy
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah yeah
Hey everybody, shut up
We're just jamming
You don't mind if we fuck around a little do you
That's Lars
Lars is going to get a little fancy for you here
Shit yeah baby
Slightly insane here man
What's the deal
Oh, exactly
Jason man, impress the fuck out of us now
I'm impressed
Yeah yeah
He's getting down for you man, look out
Look at those faces man
Role model for youth
Hey can you hear me out there
Can you fucking hear me?
Here's to you all for coming down here and making some big fat fucking
Noise with Metallica
Here's to you
You guys ain't thirsty are you
Pass it around my friends
I like the way you guys share here, Dicks!
Yeah
Well now that I'm drunk, and I got that guy drunk for free
We're going to have ourselves some fucking fun here whether you like it or not
So who's got the album kill em all
The first album kill em all, you got it? yeah yeah yeah
So you must know this fucking song
Even if you don't know it man you're going to learn it fucking right now
Very simple
It's got three words to it man
Seek and destroy
Now you guys know your lines man
Don't fuck up
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
That's kinda how it goes man
I start it, you fucking finish it
Give it to me here
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on man
You got some energy left
You better fucking spend it now man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Oh hey man. that might be alright for fucking Joe rock and roll band comes through town
But we ask a lot of out fucking fans here man
We know you can give it here now. give it to me now!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
I ain't convinced man
We been waiting a while.
And I know you fuckers have been waiting a long time to see Metallica in Mexico city
So now's your chance, show us what you got
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on, make us proud, more
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
That's what we want man
Now we're rocking
Fuck's going on over here
You guys got something for me
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on man do it again man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Fuck yeah, I'll take it
You guys know what the fucks going on here?
Give it to me fuck
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
No no, you better do it again man. here!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah yeah
We're feeling good now
Yeah what the fuck do you want?
You talking to me?
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Hit me right here man, come on
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Fuck yeah
Let's fucking get into this shit
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Hey you having fun man? cheer up fuck
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on give it to me you guys
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Why the fuck you huh?
You going to give it to me good here?
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
We need one more completely insane mother fucker
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy). yeah!
Searching
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Yeah sure
Hey, we ain't fucking done yet
Since everyone is doing so fucking good
We got to do a couple more just for the fuck of it yeah
Warm up!
Yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah). yeah (yeah)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
It's all yours man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Come on make us proud man
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Last one, hurt yourself!
Searching,
(Seek and Destroy)
Oh my good!
Fuck yeah
Y0ou guys done good, we're going to give you a hand this time
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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 like the way it starts. ALRIGHT!