"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.
Let me remind you on how to unwind your body
So dance and shake and just keep in step
Understand, draw a clear picture
What I'm gonna hit you with is truly def
These are the words of a Queen of a Queendom
All competitors, I simply cream them
One by one, I dust a rush them all
If you have any more, bring them
To the front so they can sho me what they got
What they got, it better be hot
Cause if it's not, I'll simply knock them out the box
And they'll be put in a spot
The style I use will surely amuse
The party people to a state of gladness
What I mean is I'm on the scene
I'm the Queen of Royal Badness
Well it's the Lah, T-I-F-A-H
While I say my rhyme, Mark creates
The direct hi-tech sound of the dope noise
The bass will pound, I hope girls, I hope boys
Understand what I'm quoting, I'm not joking
Or freaking, this is a Queen speaking
Wis words, when I'm done I leave your eyes blurred
When you address me, address me as "Your Highness"
One of hip-hop's finest
You see, I can flow on tempo, off tempo
It makes me no difference
So play that beat, play it, kick it, watch me
Flip it, with dope lyrics, you want to hear it?
Observe my ways and actions, I grab the mic
And draw attractions
To the table, I'm a hit you at all angles
Those who think I caught a fit, I strangled them
The result with a pen and a pad
Gets mean, see I'm the Queen of Royal Badness
I can't wait until the party is jam-packed
When I start to drop it, the people say "Damn, black"
The queen is hyped up, awesome and deadly
If you don't dance, grab a chair and plex, be
Composure's kept, blows are thrown in death, hard as hell
Guard as well as you can or step
Off the premisis, in one minute it's
Going to explode in a style that's limitless
Make your first move, don't let it be your worst move
Cause if you do, you'll be a hurt fool
Keep your mouth shut to those that shout and cuss
It's no doubt that I got clout and I'll bust
Literature that flows like liquid
Some can't comprehend the way I kicked it
So don't say nothing
Just listen up, follow instructions
Rhyme, shake, slide, and dance like Lat said
When I'm on stage I sold rage and drop heads
Ambidextrous, skilled with both hands
Teaching a lesson, ready to throw jams
Latifah loves to rip up the scenery
It's nothing special, just a Queen to me
So do the knowledge, see if you can catch this
You know what I mean, it's the Queen of Royal Badness
So dance and shake and just keep in step
Understand, draw a clear picture
What I'm gonna hit you with is truly def
These are the words of a Queen of a Queendom
All competitors, I simply cream them
One by one, I dust a rush them all
If you have any more, bring them
To the front so they can sho me what they got
What they got, it better be hot
Cause if it's not, I'll simply knock them out the box
And they'll be put in a spot
The style I use will surely amuse
The party people to a state of gladness
What I mean is I'm on the scene
I'm the Queen of Royal Badness
Well it's the Lah, T-I-F-A-H
While I say my rhyme, Mark creates
The direct hi-tech sound of the dope noise
The bass will pound, I hope girls, I hope boys
Understand what I'm quoting, I'm not joking
Or freaking, this is a Queen speaking
Wis words, when I'm done I leave your eyes blurred
When you address me, address me as "Your Highness"
One of hip-hop's finest
You see, I can flow on tempo, off tempo
It makes me no difference
So play that beat, play it, kick it, watch me
Flip it, with dope lyrics, you want to hear it?
Observe my ways and actions, I grab the mic
And draw attractions
To the table, I'm a hit you at all angles
Those who think I caught a fit, I strangled them
The result with a pen and a pad
Gets mean, see I'm the Queen of Royal Badness
I can't wait until the party is jam-packed
When I start to drop it, the people say "Damn, black"
The queen is hyped up, awesome and deadly
If you don't dance, grab a chair and plex, be
Composure's kept, blows are thrown in death, hard as hell
Guard as well as you can or step
Off the premisis, in one minute it's
Going to explode in a style that's limitless
Make your first move, don't let it be your worst move
Cause if you do, you'll be a hurt fool
Keep your mouth shut to those that shout and cuss
It's no doubt that I got clout and I'll bust
Literature that flows like liquid
Some can't comprehend the way I kicked it
So don't say nothing
Just listen up, follow instructions
Rhyme, shake, slide, and dance like Lat said
When I'm on stage I sold rage and drop heads
Ambidextrous, skilled with both hands
Teaching a lesson, ready to throw jams
Latifah loves to rip up the scenery
It's nothing special, just a Queen to me
So do the knowledge, see if you can catch this
You know what I mean, it's the Queen of Royal Badness
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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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.