"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.
She laughed in my face, told me goodbye
Said "Don't think about it, you can go crazy
Anything can happen, anything can end
Don't try to fight it, don't try to save me"
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to see
She's a woman in love, but it's not me
Well alright, do what you want
Don't try to talk, don't say nothin'
She used to be the kind of woman
You have and you hold
She could understand the problems
She let the little things go
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to know
She's a woman in love, she can't let go
Time after time, night after night
She would look up at me and say she was lonely
I don't understand the world today
I don't understand what she needed
I gave her everything, she threw it all away on nothin'
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to see
She's a woman in love, but it's not me
Said "Don't think about it, you can go crazy
Anything can happen, anything can end
Don't try to fight it, don't try to save me"
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to see
She's a woman in love, but it's not me
Well alright, do what you want
Don't try to talk, don't say nothin'
She used to be the kind of woman
You have and you hold
She could understand the problems
She let the little things go
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to know
She's a woman in love, she can't let go
Time after time, night after night
She would look up at me and say she was lonely
I don't understand the world today
I don't understand what she needed
I gave her everything, she threw it all away on nothin'
She's a woman in love
She's a woman in love
And he's gonna break her heart to pieces
She don't want to see
She's a woman in love, but it's not me
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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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
This song always held a special place in my heart. My perspective is he always knew he wasn't the one but he loved her anyway, as in the same way she loved another. She lost the love of her life long ago. She can't let go. No one can save her from the pain she can't see...she doesn't want to know. She was always going to be lonley no matter what he gave her, including his love. She's a woman in love. RIP TP. YOU WILL BE MISSED IMMENSELY