"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.
We didn't make it
We did not pull through
You shouldn't blame me
I don't blame you
Now what else did you think
That I would do?
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
I'm so tired of waking up
Feeling bad
You haven't been the kind of place I have
Could it hurt you now
To let this pass?
Oooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
You want to make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
The way you make me feel
I could collapse
An epidemic I cannot outlast
How could you feel used
When I feel trapped?
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
And just as my conscience
Starts to clear
I drag the river and you're still there
The way I bring you down
Could not compare
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
You want to make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
But some flowers just bloom dead
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
The way I sleep
This bed just can't be made
I pull the covers up around my head
Now when I think of me
I think of somebody else instead
As if it wasn't hard enough
You're gonna make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers they just bloom dead
We did not pull through
You shouldn't blame me
I don't blame you
Now what else did you think
That I would do?
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
I'm so tired of waking up
Feeling bad
You haven't been the kind of place I have
Could it hurt you now
To let this pass?
Oooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
You want to make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
The way you make me feel
I could collapse
An epidemic I cannot outlast
How could you feel used
When I feel trapped?
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
And just as my conscience
Starts to clear
I drag the river and you're still there
The way I bring you down
Could not compare
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough
You want to make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
But some flowers just bloom dead
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
The way I sleep
This bed just can't be made
I pull the covers up around my head
Now when I think of me
I think of somebody else instead
As if it wasn't hard enough
You're gonna make it so much harder
Now in another world
I could learn to forget
But 'til then I'm here
Making room for new regrets
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers just bloom dead
Now some flowers they never bloom
And some flowers they just bloom dead
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Now some flowers they never bloom /And some flowers just bloom dead. man i love that line. too think that a flower or their love would just end up dead right from the start is pretty depressing.
You want to make it so much harder Now in another world I could learn to forget But 'til then I'm here making room for new regrets Now some flowers they never bloom And some flowers just bloom dead
That's a great chorus. I love it.
Listening to this song makes me wonder why the Wallflowers aren't more successful they are total genius. Probably because it's Bob Dylan's kid. And this song is not a traditional break-up song. The Wallflowers destroy anything conventional to me.
This song was really the only one that I liked off of 'Breach.' It's really pretty, though. I was a bit shocked by it when I first heard it for some reason... but, yeah, it's a nice song.
The way I sleep this bed just can't be made I pull the covers up around my head Now when I think of me I think of somebody else instead
To me this means that his bed was made for 2. This song is about a relationship that never "bloomed" but looking back on it he realized that it was never meant to be from the start.
is it saying some people are just ugly? Actually like people saying its a fantastic break up song...I think
The verses in this song are so ingeniously written. It all feels so real when I think back to the aftermath of failed relationships. As has been said above, this is the archetypal breakup song.
Some Flowers Bloom Dead is brilliant in so many ways, a crown jewel of a great album.
Breach gets bashed a lot, but I really feel that it was a trulygreat work.
In Hand Me Down, Jakob finally writes about his father. Sleepwalker is possibly my favorite Wallflowers song of all. I've Been Delivered is also very well written. Great song about a touchy subject. The album closes with the transition from the angst of Murder 101 to the calming, sentimental Birdcage/Babybird.
I think Breach is sickeningly underrated
yep, I've been playing it in the last few days and was a bit surprised about how many good songs are in there... "Witness" is also great, with the horns that reminds me of those on Women+Country, or I should say the other way around :)
back to the song, I really like the line "making room for new regrets," which reminds me of how difficult it is not to make the same mistakes again and again... I prefer the acoustic version, though (the one played live for Radio Alice)