"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.
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
So, stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees the trees would be falling
Listen to reason
Season is calling
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
If wishes were trees the trees would be falling
Listen to reason
Reason is calling
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
So stand (stand)
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand (stand)
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
Stand in the place where you are (now face north)
Stand in the place where you are (now face west)
Your feet are going to be on the ground (stand in the place where you are)
Your head is there to move you around, so stand
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
So, stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees the trees would be falling
Listen to reason
Season is calling
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
If wishes were trees the trees would be falling
Listen to reason
Reason is calling
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
So stand (stand)
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand (stand)
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west, think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before
Stand in the place where you are (now face north)
Stand in the place where you are (now face west)
Your feet are going to be on the ground (stand in the place where you are)
Your head is there to move you around, so stand
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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/
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.
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.
Long time listener, first time caller here...
For those of you who think the song lacks meaning, I suggest you work on your imagination. Go outside of your house. Face north (or maybe you don´t really know which way north is- use a compass if you need some help). Look at the big picture... Where are you in relationship to the big picture? Stand in the place where you work (now face west- you know which way that is, right??). If youŕe confused, check with the sun (rises in the east and sets in the west, we all know that, right?). Think about the impact of our existence as humans. I wish global warming would go away. If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling... Your feet are going to be on the ground (nobody can miss that, kinda tough to deny gravity) your head is there to move you around (are you using your brain to interact with this environment in an intelligent/ respectable manner?-not sure everybody´s doing this). The people who feel it as a call to action are right. The albumś called Green. Look at your home planet and take a look at how you are helping/ hurting/ impacting the situation. Are you too busy? Too lazy? Have you been sitting on your a$$ for too long? Most of us have. Don´t think about what you´ll do one day... You can make a difference right now if you care. Stand in the place where you are!
Spot on. Go to the top of the class.
The song is about getting out and voting. I think I heard it was released on election day in 1988 and the purpose was to get people to think about who and what they were voting for. And to stand up and get to the polls. "Think about direction" means to think about who your elected leaders are.
GET A LIFE
Why do people hate this song? It rules. I used to rock out to this when I was a little kid.
"call to action"? I'm a big REM fan, but the only action this song ever called me to was to reach for the remote.
This is a typical REM song about privilege. The northern hemisphere of the world is much, much more affluent than the south. The western world is more developed than the east. In fact, when an eastern nation becomes developed they are said to have become "westernized."
The point of the song, however, isn't just that some people are better off than others. It's about how people born to affluent societies take their privilege for granted. REM is asking their listeners to appreciate why they have what they have, and to do something about it.
The irony is that despite this high mindedness, Michael Stipe was recently identified by a waitress at Babbo as a terrible tipper.
those song give me a strange urge to go out and mow the lawn
this has gotta have a deep meaning...wat it is, i don't know...
Don't knock yourself out. REM considers this the worst song they've ever recorded.
@olddude Nope. That title belongs to ‘Shiny Happy People’. And that’s because Michael said that nobody got it. It’s one of the most sarcastic songs ever and most people missed it.
They said it's the "stupidest" song (meaning stupid meaning-wise) not the worst. That's from the In Time insert. You can have a good song without deep meaning. The tune here is decent, but not amazing or anything.
althought they say theres no meaning, i think it obviously has 1. its about figuring out what to do with your life. you can jsut stand around and no nothing or you can try to make something out of your life.