"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.
CHORUS:
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
Built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
Say you don't know me, or recognize my face
Say you don't care who goes to that kind of place
Knee deep in the hoopla, sinking in your fight
Too many runaways eating up the night
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
Someone's always playing corporation games
Who cares, they're always changing corporation names
We just want to dance here, someone stole the stage
They call us irresponsible, write us off the page
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
It's just another Sunday, in a tired old street
Police have got the chokehold, oh, then we just lost the beat
Who counts the money underneath the bar
Who writes the wrecking ball into our guitars
Don't tell us you need us, 'cause we're the ship of fools
Looking for America, coming through your schools
(I'm looking out over that Golden Gate bridge on another gorgeous sunny Saturday, not seein' that bumper-to-bumper traffic)
Don't you remember (remember)
(It's your favorite radio station, in your favorite radio city
The city by the bay, the city that rocks, the city that never sleeps)
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
CHORUS
(We built, we built this city) built this city
(we built, we built this city)...
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
Built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
Say you don't know me, or recognize my face
Say you don't care who goes to that kind of place
Knee deep in the hoopla, sinking in your fight
Too many runaways eating up the night
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
Someone's always playing corporation games
Who cares, they're always changing corporation names
We just want to dance here, someone stole the stage
They call us irresponsible, write us off the page
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
It's just another Sunday, in a tired old street
Police have got the chokehold, oh, then we just lost the beat
Who counts the money underneath the bar
Who writes the wrecking ball into our guitars
Don't tell us you need us, 'cause we're the ship of fools
Looking for America, coming through your schools
(I'm looking out over that Golden Gate bridge on another gorgeous sunny Saturday, not seein' that bumper-to-bumper traffic)
Don't you remember (remember)
(It's your favorite radio station, in your favorite radio city
The city by the bay, the city that rocks, the city that never sleeps)
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
CHORUS
CHORUS
(We built, we built this city) built this city
(we built, we built this city)...
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21, edited by Seokame
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OK, guys -- a little hint. Marconi invented wireless radio. Marconi is being used as a personification of radio. Does that help?
Not even a personification. Marconi established an incredibly successful business which manufactured wireless radio sets. So a Marconi is a brand of wireless radio set.
@grouping Marconi got the credit, but Tesla invented the radio. Tesla got screwed.
hey now..this is a great song! ok, the lyrics may not be the best, but hey can't beat the ...i dunno, i still like it though. And who comes on here to just say how much they hate the song.. so much anger..
Hey there, I'm a long time reader first time poster, so here's what I reckn. The way I see this song is it's about rock an' roll (and successive musical devlopments) combined with advances in technology that bring music to more people than ever before (radio) and how that inspired generations to push the limits in all sorts of ways whether it's a teenager challenging authority or building sky skrapers or going into space. Now I'm not implying that all the architects and engineers that were responsible for the last two examples listened to rock an' roll but what they all share is the spirit of endeavour and boldness that seems inextricably linked to the spirit and achievements of America, particularly post WWII America. Anyway that's the good thing about songs with elusive meanings, they give you more room to find your own meaning in it, just ask At The Drive In fans.
I actually enjoy this song.
"Who writes the wrecking ball in two wild guitars"??? Shouldn't it be, 'Who rides the wrecking ball into our guitars' ???
@TheLuckyChicken That's what I said when I read the lyrics here!
i rekon its about the growth of music radio (as opposed to boring talkback radio) and how it all began with rock and roll. "Who writes the wrecking ball in two wild guitars" - rock and roll dystroyed a lot of society's 'morals', 'values', and preconceptions of what "acceptable" music was. it was one of the biggest inspirations for the 1950-60's cultural revolution. so where we are today is all because of rock and roll, hence "we built this city on rock and roll"
oh my god....is "richie valens" no longer a household name? God you people are rediculous..marconi: laid the basis for the radio, in the song is just a general reference to the radio. La bamba, a FAMOUS song written by richie valens, who later tragically died in a plane crash, and was an icon for teenagers of the 50's. The song is basically about the lifestyle of rock n roll teenagers (and teenagers who become famous rock n roll stars) from running away, getting arrested, THE Man and his corporations etc etc.....wow im 16 and i know what la bamba is...pathetic what the youth of today is becoming: wiggers who listen to their jay z and britney spears and garbage, learn your roots you noobs
I agree, I am 18. Todays teens are dumb and main streamed to like stuff. Dumb.
Ha ha! This is funny and, given how old the comment is (8 years), I"m only taking the time to correct Shuke's comment for the sake of anyone who might read this. <br /> Shuke got the Marconi reference right, but that's about all he got right, LOL.<br /> <br /> Please note that none of what I write here is my opinion. These are facts that anyone who wishes to learn or look up can easily do so. Don't you love the Internet?<br /> <br /> Let's start with the "La Bamba" song just for the sake of knowledge. <br /> The song, "We Built this City," never mentions Richie Valens or his rendition of, "La Bamba." The song, "La Bamba," was not written by Richie Valens, though he did change enough to get partial songwriting credit when it became a hit. The song, "La Bamba," is a traditional Mexican folk song and it is about a Mexican dance. It is commonly sang and danced at Mexican weddings. Richie Valens and "La Bamba" have nothing to do with "We Built this City." Now that that's out of the way ...<br /> <br /> Shuke must have confused the lyrics, "Marconi plays the mamba," which makes absolutely no sense, for "Marconi plays 'La Bamba.'" Too funny. <br /> Anyway, a "mamba" is a big snake. So why would the father of radio, Marconi, be playing a snake? Most folks think that the writers meant to say "mambo," which is a style of music that originated in Cuba a long time ago. The primary lyricist, Bernie Taupin (famous for being the lyricist on nearly all of Elton John's songs) says he originally wrote it about Los Angeles, and it was somber, slower, song with with no happy "WE BUILT THIS CITY!" repetitions. Bernie says his demo is unrecognizable from the song as it was recorded by Starship. He also admitted that the song was probably deserved of the "worst song ever" label that it got from some critics, but he doesn't care because the profits from the hit song paid for his kids' college tuition. <br /> In regard to "Marconi plays the Mamba," he said that he meant "mambo," and it might have been an overlooked typo, but thinks that it's more likely that one of the people who changed his version of the song probably made the error when copying the lyrics. <br /> <br /> I hope that Shuke has taken his own advice and learned the roots and is no longer a "noob" himself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go listen to some Jay-Z.
We built this city on schlock & roll!
Yeah the lyrics are odd...but the awesome thing about music is that you can interpret any song into what you want it to mean, so just put your own interpretation to the words and you'll still be right!
PS, I like this song. Don't care what Blender or Rolling Stone say.
Dunno... I alway thought it was either "...in two fast guitars", or possibly "...and who parks the cars?"
Crap lyric whichever way.
@butterfingersbeck 'Who rides the wrecking ball into our guitars'