"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.
Everybody in the mornin'
Should do a good turn all right
Everybody in the night time
Should have a good time all night
Now we got a movement
Don't shun it fun it
Can't you see now you're movin' free?
Get some fun join our dynasty
Can't you tell when we get it down?
You're the one you're the best in town
Hey everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
They say that movin' the body's right it's all right
That's the only one part of bein' alive all right all right
Groove on out groove on up OK
Do your thing do your thing your way
Get your kicks get you tricks with me
Get up and dance honey fun's for free
Hey everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Everybody gonna have a good time tonight time tonight
Time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
Should do a good turn all right
Everybody in the night time
Should have a good time all night
Now we got a movement
Don't shun it fun it
Can't you see now you're movin' free?
Get some fun join our dynasty
Can't you tell when we get it down?
You're the one you're the best in town
Hey everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
They say that movin' the body's right it's all right
That's the only one part of bein' alive all right all right
Groove on out groove on up OK
Do your thing do your thing your way
Get your kicks get you tricks with me
Get up and dance honey fun's for free
Hey everybody everybody gonna have a good time tonight
Just shakin' the soles of your feet
Everybody gonna have a good time tonight time tonight
Time tonight
That's the only soul you'll ever meet
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
Don't shun it fun it
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Well, you know what? You say black I say white... I love this song. Roger's songs generally suck, but I love this one. I love the drums, I love to make fun of Roger's vocals (even though the best song to do so is "I'm in love with my car" of course) and... it's appealing to me, I love the way Freddie sings it, like "Staying power", when he takes this sexy tone, almost whispering sometimes, I love it. And about the meaning well... yeah it's about partying... Roger always put lots of imagination into his lyrics. (Ok I like Radio Gaga, but it's not as deep as Brian or Freddie's texts, far from it.)