"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.
Oh Daddy
You know you make me cry
How can you love me
I don't understand why
Oh Daddy
If I can make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to be me
Oh Daddy
You soothe me with your smile
You're letting me know
You're the best thing in my life
Oh Daddy
If I could make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to me
Why are you right when I'm so wrong
I'm so weak but you're so strong
Everything you do is just alright
And I can't walk away from you
Baby, if I tried
Why are you right when I'm so wrong
I'm so weak but you're so strong
Everything you do is just alright
And I can't walk away from you
Baby, if I tried
Oh Daddy
You soothe me with your smile
You're letting me know
You're the best thing in my life
Oh Daddy
If I could make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to me
Yes, it's got to me
Yes, it's got to me
You know you make me cry
How can you love me
I don't understand why
Oh Daddy
If I can make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to be me
Oh Daddy
You soothe me with your smile
You're letting me know
You're the best thing in my life
Oh Daddy
If I could make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to me
Why are you right when I'm so wrong
I'm so weak but you're so strong
Everything you do is just alright
And I can't walk away from you
Baby, if I tried
Why are you right when I'm so wrong
I'm so weak but you're so strong
Everything you do is just alright
And I can't walk away from you
Baby, if I tried
Oh Daddy
You soothe me with your smile
You're letting me know
You're the best thing in my life
Oh Daddy
If I could make you see
If there's been a fool around
It's got to be me
Yes, it's got to me
Yes, it's got to me
Yes, it's got to me
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
This song has an unreliable narrator. I think that the narrator of the piece has a abusive father, rather mentally or physically, to the point where his father has made him feel incompetent, unworthy, and guilty for illogical reasons. "You soothe me with your smile. You're letting me know, you're the best thing in my life." This shows the great intimidation the child feels from his father; it's as if the son needs the cue of the father's smile in order to know "he's the best thing in his life." "Why are you right when I'm so wrong." We all know that everyone is wrong once in awhile. This line shows the authoritarian dominance of the father, making his child feel as if, "it's my way or the highway" regardless of if the father is actually correct. I love this song, but it can be easily misinterpreted.
@SCayce I've had this same interpretation at times too.