"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.
You and me
Always you held my head above the waves
Paddling around pretending that it was not
Too cold, it was but not when you were there
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
You and me
Always
Always
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
Always you held my head above the waves
Paddling around pretending that it was not
Too cold, it was but not when you were there
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
You and me
Always
Always
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
Lyrics submitted by RicePaperPrincess, edited by Padilla
Christopher's River Lyrics as written by Simon Neil
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
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.
For me, this is the best song for relaxing in summer.
"Our shadows softly on the grass, day would break we'd have out laughs, Our shirt tails in the wind..."
quite sunny day real estate.
when i listen to this i feel like im suffocating. cause i cant work out what it ,means. but i love it!
I saw them play it on an acoustic set in a Virgin store, 'twas rather good.
I love this song it's one of my favourite Biffy songs. I can;t figure out what it means though but it sounds as if it could be about him growing apart from someone or something like that.
Amazing song - it's my current choice to be played at my funeral. Hope that doesn't sound morbid, just something I've thought about.
This song makes me think of a father/son relationship. The singer is the son, and is dependant on the father to hold his 'head above the waves'.
'our shadows softly on the grass day would break we'd have our laughs our shirt-tails in the wind seems like yesterday my friend' This could be the son's fond memories of spending time with his father. The father is gone, perhaps passed away, and the son is feeling a great sense of loss- 'wish the sky would fall on me'.
Anyways, its a great song :o)
i think its about a friendship thats fallen apart as they have grown older and now in a difficult time in his life he wishes he still had his friend to help him through it, the memeries of his friend are of an easier time in his life, his childhood
umm what album is this from? i love biffy!
It's from "blackened sky". I agree with Gela, the whole friendship thing. He's remembering all the fun he had in the summer playing with his friends and now he's lost touch.