"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.
The shit that you promote
Fighting, fuckin'
Like you don't want to grow
Your talking so much sex
But you not tell the youth 'bout AIDS
You not tell them 'bout consequence, no
Your talking like you a G
But you are killer killing your own
Your just a racist man's pussy
Tell me who wants to know
What when who where
Or how you do your hoe's
Certainly not me
Certainly not me
'Cause baby personally
I like to be challenged mentally
I've heard it all before
Gangsta's pimps and whores
Quality is poor
A girl like me needs more
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
Now who gives a damn
About the ice on your hands?
If its not too complex
Tell me how many African's died
For the baguettes on your Rolex?
So what you pushing a nice car
Don't you know there's no such thing as superstar
We leave this world alone
So who gives a fuck about the things you own?
Certainly not me
Certainly not me
'Cause baby personally
I like to be challenged mentally
Your shit's insignificant
And it don't help to pay my rent
Its pure negativity
That you impose on me
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
Now I can sit
And chat shit about dicks and sex
But my business is my business I got self respect
I can talk 'bout how my press could pimp man's dough
Get the keys to his ride and his home
But I looked it up and that would make me a ho'
Little sisters now I really gotta let you know
Real woman ain't sexin' for no mans dough
Real woman work hard to make the dough
And we can all chat 'bout gats and blacks
On blacks and force the hypes and all the stereotypes
We're used to watching, but that ain't what I'm here for
Show them to think higher and aspire for more
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
Fighting, fuckin'
Like you don't want to grow
Your talking so much sex
But you not tell the youth 'bout AIDS
You not tell them 'bout consequence, no
Your talking like you a G
But you are killer killing your own
Your just a racist man's pussy
Tell me who wants to know
What when who where
Or how you do your hoe's
Certainly not me
Certainly not me
'Cause baby personally
I like to be challenged mentally
I've heard it all before
Gangsta's pimps and whores
Quality is poor
A girl like me needs more
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
Now who gives a damn
About the ice on your hands?
If its not too complex
Tell me how many African's died
For the baguettes on your Rolex?
So what you pushing a nice car
Don't you know there's no such thing as superstar
We leave this world alone
So who gives a fuck about the things you own?
Certainly not me
Certainly not me
'Cause baby personally
I like to be challenged mentally
Your shit's insignificant
And it don't help to pay my rent
Its pure negativity
That you impose on me
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
Now I can sit
And chat shit about dicks and sex
But my business is my business I got self respect
I can talk 'bout how my press could pimp man's dough
Get the keys to his ride and his home
But I looked it up and that would make me a ho'
Little sisters now I really gotta let you know
Real woman ain't sexin' for no mans dough
Real woman work hard to make the dough
And we can all chat 'bout gats and blacks
On blacks and force the hypes and all the stereotypes
We're used to watching, but that ain't what I'm here for
Show them to think higher and aspire for more
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
It takes more (takes more)
To amuse a girl like me
So much more (much more)
To confuse a girl like me
They've got you (got you)
'Cause while you braggin' 'bout your badness your just
Avoiding, adding
To the real shit thats happenin' to us
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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/
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
Miss dynamite is amazing. Got her album in 2002 and I still play it all the time. She is apparently bringing out a new album this year, in the U.K anyway. Can't wait!!!