"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.
(Excuse me)
Here we go
I've seen the world, been to many places
Made lots of friends, many different races
I've had such fun around the world it's true
African skies with a Nairobi mood, ooh
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
The one thing missing was you
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I woke up with an Australian breeze
And danced the dance with Aborigines
Oh, under the moon glow down in Mexico, I dreamed
One thing was missing that's you
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We'll sail the waters of many colors
Won't need a compass, love will guide our way
Don't need nobody long as we got each other
No need to hurry, we've got every day
I wanna share the world with you, you see
Springtime in Paris feels so good to me
Oh, this is for me a reality, so please
Make all my wishes come true
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
And I just know we'll have a good time, ooh (yeah, my love)
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, my love) oh, please come with me
(Yeah) and I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, my love) it'll be fun, walking in the rain in Spain
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah) ooh, didn't quite hit the note
(Yeah) that wasn't such a good time
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, yeah) don't think so? I do
And I just know we'll have a good time (yeah)
Here we go
I've seen the world, been to many places
Made lots of friends, many different races
I've had such fun around the world it's true
African skies with a Nairobi mood, ooh
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
The one thing missing was you
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I woke up with an Australian breeze
And danced the dance with Aborigines
Oh, under the moon glow down in Mexico, I dreamed
One thing was missing that's you
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We'll sail the waters of many colors
Won't need a compass, love will guide our way
Don't need nobody long as we got each other
No need to hurry, we've got every day
I wanna share the world with you, you see
Springtime in Paris feels so good to me
Oh, this is for me a reality, so please
Make all my wishes come true
Run away with me, my love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La-da-di-da-di-do-do
And I just know we'll have a good time, ooh (yeah, my love)
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, my love) oh, please come with me
(Yeah) and I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, my love) it'll be fun, walking in the rain in Spain
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah) ooh, didn't quite hit the note
(Yeah) that wasn't such a good time
And I just know we'll have a good time
(Yeah, yeah) don't think so? I do
And I just know we'll have a good time (yeah)
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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/
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
When I was 5 I saw the ad for Design of a Decade featuring this song on tv and I asked mother to buy it for me (to be my very first CD). That Christmas however, I received "janet." instead. I forgot all about it til recently, when I rediscovered this song and realised that janet. was probably the better album anyway.
My favourite Janet Jackson song.