"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.
And through the life force and there goes her friend
On her Nishiki it's out of time
And through the portal they can make amends
Hey would you say whatever we're blanket friends
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
And through the walls they made their mudpies
I've got your mind I said
She said I've your voice
I said you don't need my voice girl
You have your own
But you never thought it was enough of
So they went years and years
Like sisters blanket girls
Always there through that and this
There's nothing we cannot ever fix I said
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Bells and footfalls and soldiers and dolls
Brothers and lovers she and I were
Now she seems to be sand under his shoes
There's nothing I can do
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
And now I speak to you are you in there
You have her face and her eyes
But you are not her
And we go at each other like blank ettes
Who can't find their thread and their bare
Can't stop loving you
Can't stop loving
Can't stop what is on its way
And I see it coming
And it's on its way
On her Nishiki it's out of time
And through the portal they can make amends
Hey would you say whatever we're blanket friends
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
And through the walls they made their mudpies
I've got your mind I said
She said I've your voice
I said you don't need my voice girl
You have your own
But you never thought it was enough of
So they went years and years
Like sisters blanket girls
Always there through that and this
There's nothing we cannot ever fix I said
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Bells and footfalls and soldiers and dolls
Brothers and lovers she and I were
Now she seems to be sand under his shoes
There's nothing I can do
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what's on its way
And now I speak to you are you in there
You have her face and her eyes
But you are not her
And we go at each other like blank ettes
Who can't find their thread and their bare
Can't stop loving you
Can't stop loving
Can't stop what is on its way
And I see it coming
And it's on its way
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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced 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.
I can't help shake the feeling of childhood friendship ruined by romance and/or sexual experimentation.
It's pretty explicit that they've grown apart but "brothers and lovers she and I were," and "like sisters blanket girls," seem to imply that they were more than just close friends at some point, maybe this lead to them drifting apart. "but you never thought it was enough of" seems to be a half finished thought, letting trail off what the other party didn't think there was enough of.