"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.
Jerry Jovel: Hello?
Reciever: Yes?
JJ: Hello, how you doin?
R: Alright, who's this?
JJ: Um, my name is Jerry Jovel. Lemme ask you something. I got a motherfuckin RCA VCR recorder, ah, VCR? aah..
R: Yes?
JJ: And uh, I was wondering. I put the motherfuckin tape inside the goddamn um, whater it is that you call that thing you put the tape in.
R: Yah?
JJ: And the motherfucker won't run. And I pushed down play and record.
R: Ummhmm.
JJ: Now, what the fuck am I doing all wrong? I I I swear ta god, I read the motherfucking manual 4 motherfucking times, and I can't figure out what the motherfuck is wrong with what I'm doing.
R: Was it working all along up until now?
JJ: The motherfucker was working fine.
R: Yea?
JJ: I put the mother fucker in ther about 4 motherfucking times, and the motherfucker did not at all skip at all. HOWEVER, when I put my motherfucking tape in the motherfucking, the machine, the motherfucker did not work one motherfucking time. Now, there's a part, I I know it's on page five on my manual. That talks about a motherfucking clip, or some motherfucking tab on back of the motherfucking tape. That...
R: Wait wait wait wait.
JJ: Hello?
R: You just wanna play and not record right, just play?
JJ: The motherfucker will play every motherfucking time. But I noticed that (pst) on page five umm..
R: Forget about page five.
JJ: Hallo?
R: Just, right now if you put a tape in your machine right?
JJ: Aha, ummhmm..
R: Will it play?
JJ: Yeah!, the tape motherfucking plays every motherfucking time. But..
R: Alright, now what are you trying to do, back up a little bit.
JJ: Uh huh...
R: Back up a little bit.
JJ: Shure..ummhmm.
R: What do you wanna do now, do you wanna record?
JJ: I wanna motherfucking record...
R: You wanna record, is that it?..
JJ: Umhmm ummhmm, every..every motherfucking time I put the motherfucking tape inside the motherfucking player.
R: You wannd record not..
JJ: Dat's right, dat's right
R: You're trying to record stuff.
JJ: Dat's right! Dat's right! Right! now..
R: Are these brand new tapes?
JJ: I got a new motherfucking tape, however, my motherfucking son. I say.. there's a little motherfucking tab (R: Don't take the tab..) on back of the (R: Don't take..) on the back of the motherfucking tape.
R: Dont take the tab out! You take the tab out..
JJ: Lemme ask...lemme ask you a question...
R: Wait, lemme finish you're asking...
JJ: Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry go ahead.
R: I followed and I wanna answer.
JJ: So..ummhmm..
R: You take the tab out..you take the tab out you cannot record!
JJ: Riiighht..I I
R: You gotta leave the tape in there.
JJ: UmmHmmmmm... I motherfucking see.
R: You take it out, you cannot record alright?
JJ: I...so if take the motherfucking tape..the tab out..out of the motherfucking tape (R: Leave it alone, don't touch it.) You can't motherfucking record the motherfucking tape at the motherfucking time.
R: "MF" Stop it.
JJ: Uhhuh
R: Excuse me sir.
JJ: I thank you. I rea..you...
R: You're cursing all the time, It don't do no.. you know, It doesn't help
JJ: Huh?
R: You know the MF, that don't..that don't mean nuthin' you know that.
JJ: What are you talking about?
R: The cursing you're doing now on the phone, that's that's childish.
JJ: I ain't motherfucking cursing any motherfucking time.
R: MF! You know..
JJ: I'm worried about the motherfucking tape.
R: Don't use the word MF. ok?
JJ: I never said "MF" one motherfucking time, I said the goddamn motherfucking tape.
R: Alright goodbye sir.
JJ: But I wanna thank you, hello?
R: You're welcome sir buhbye.
JJ: Hello?
R: Take it easy.
JJ: Hello?
R: I gotta go, I got people here now.
JJ: No No No. But I appreciate what you done for me!
R: Alright sir, byebye.
JJ: I swear all the motherfucking time, I swear to god.
R: Alright, byebye.
JJ: I thank you one motherfucking time...
(hangs up)
JJ: Ummhmm....
Reciever: Yes?
JJ: Hello, how you doin?
R: Alright, who's this?
JJ: Um, my name is Jerry Jovel. Lemme ask you something. I got a motherfuckin RCA VCR recorder, ah, VCR? aah..
R: Yes?
JJ: And uh, I was wondering. I put the motherfuckin tape inside the goddamn um, whater it is that you call that thing you put the tape in.
R: Yah?
JJ: And the motherfucker won't run. And I pushed down play and record.
R: Ummhmm.
JJ: Now, what the fuck am I doing all wrong? I I I swear ta god, I read the motherfucking manual 4 motherfucking times, and I can't figure out what the motherfuck is wrong with what I'm doing.
R: Was it working all along up until now?
JJ: The motherfucker was working fine.
R: Yea?
JJ: I put the mother fucker in ther about 4 motherfucking times, and the motherfucker did not at all skip at all. HOWEVER, when I put my motherfucking tape in the motherfucking, the machine, the motherfucker did not work one motherfucking time. Now, there's a part, I I know it's on page five on my manual. That talks about a motherfucking clip, or some motherfucking tab on back of the motherfucking tape. That...
R: Wait wait wait wait.
JJ: Hello?
R: You just wanna play and not record right, just play?
JJ: The motherfucker will play every motherfucking time. But I noticed that (pst) on page five umm..
R: Forget about page five.
JJ: Hallo?
R: Just, right now if you put a tape in your machine right?
JJ: Aha, ummhmm..
R: Will it play?
JJ: Yeah!, the tape motherfucking plays every motherfucking time. But..
R: Alright, now what are you trying to do, back up a little bit.
JJ: Uh huh...
R: Back up a little bit.
JJ: Shure..ummhmm.
R: What do you wanna do now, do you wanna record?
JJ: I wanna motherfucking record...
R: You wanna record, is that it?..
JJ: Umhmm ummhmm, every..every motherfucking time I put the motherfucking tape inside the motherfucking player.
R: You wannd record not..
JJ: Dat's right, dat's right
R: You're trying to record stuff.
JJ: Dat's right! Dat's right! Right! now..
R: Are these brand new tapes?
JJ: I got a new motherfucking tape, however, my motherfucking son. I say.. there's a little motherfucking tab (R: Don't take the tab..) on back of the (R: Don't take..) on the back of the motherfucking tape.
R: Dont take the tab out! You take the tab out..
JJ: Lemme ask...lemme ask you a question...
R: Wait, lemme finish you're asking...
JJ: Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry go ahead.
R: I followed and I wanna answer.
JJ: So..ummhmm..
R: You take the tab out..you take the tab out you cannot record!
JJ: Riiighht..I I
R: You gotta leave the tape in there.
JJ: UmmHmmmmm... I motherfucking see.
R: You take it out, you cannot record alright?
JJ: I...so if take the motherfucking tape..the tab out..out of the motherfucking tape (R: Leave it alone, don't touch it.) You can't motherfucking record the motherfucking tape at the motherfucking time.
R: "MF" Stop it.
JJ: Uhhuh
R: Excuse me sir.
JJ: I thank you. I rea..you...
R: You're cursing all the time, It don't do no.. you know, It doesn't help
JJ: Huh?
R: You know the MF, that don't..that don't mean nuthin' you know that.
JJ: What are you talking about?
R: The cursing you're doing now on the phone, that's that's childish.
JJ: I ain't motherfucking cursing any motherfucking time.
R: MF! You know..
JJ: I'm worried about the motherfucking tape.
R: Don't use the word MF. ok?
JJ: I never said "MF" one motherfucking time, I said the goddamn motherfucking tape.
R: Alright goodbye sir.
JJ: But I wanna thank you, hello?
R: You're welcome sir buhbye.
JJ: Hello?
R: Take it easy.
JJ: Hello?
R: I gotta go, I got people here now.
JJ: No No No. But I appreciate what you done for me!
R: Alright sir, byebye.
JJ: I swear all the motherfucking time, I swear to god.
R: Alright, byebye.
JJ: I thank you one motherfucking time...
(hangs up)
JJ: Ummhmm....
Lyrics submitted by XxSkrumyxX
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
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.
Someone very very special to me just shared this with me recently. It was hysterical. One of the best nights of my life. I don't think they know how much they mean to me. Or if they would even care. But, as odd as it is.... I'll have this "song" forever. And his laughable rendition of it. . . And I'm going to remember it and smile. Every time I hear just the words "clip" or "tab" I laugh, and no one knows why. They're are few moments, in my life that I keep so close to my heart. . . but this will last forever. Him and his Uncle . . . so seriously, reenacting "Motherfucker", outside of a house at 3 am . . . and I'll have a smile and a laugh in my heart forever. . .