"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.
You don't say much of anything
When questioned of your whereabouts
And I just can't see through the evidence
It's evident
It's right in front of me in black and white and red
And I don't believe in much of anything
I'm glad I have people I call friends
If it was up to me I'd never have to miss you
It's for the better in the bitter end I guess you'd know the best
You have every right to be
This appalled with me
Join the club
I signed up a long time ago and I know how you feel
And when you decked me
You left me knocked out on the floor
I came to bloodied up, but you weren't around
I picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before
You don't say much of anything
When questioned of your whereabouts
And I just can't see through the evidence
It's evident
It's right fucking there in black and white and red
You have every right to be
This appalled with me
Join the club
I signed up a long time ago and I know how you feel
And when you decked me
You left me knocked out on the floor
I came to bloodied up, but you weren't around
I picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before
When questioned of your whereabouts
And I just can't see through the evidence
It's evident
It's right in front of me in black and white and red
And I don't believe in much of anything
I'm glad I have people I call friends
If it was up to me I'd never have to miss you
It's for the better in the bitter end I guess you'd know the best
You have every right to be
This appalled with me
Join the club
I signed up a long time ago and I know how you feel
And when you decked me
You left me knocked out on the floor
I came to bloodied up, but you weren't around
I picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before
You don't say much of anything
When questioned of your whereabouts
And I just can't see through the evidence
It's evident
It's right fucking there in black and white and red
You have every right to be
This appalled with me
Join the club
I signed up a long time ago and I know how you feel
And when you decked me
You left me knocked out on the floor
I came to bloodied up, but you weren't around
I picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before
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.
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Fuck 2018 right now. Dunno what drew me to digging out this out of moth balls tonight but its been a while. Anyway, I had a good laugh at the interpretations, lost love, fighting with a friend etc etc that people claim in every ALK3 track. Fact is their lyrics are pretty simple and straightforward most of the time.
Either Matt(or someone close to him) was smashing into the hammer AKA heroin.
Black = black tar heroin(dirty ass Mexican shit that's common in the USA. It's low grade, low purity, cut cat piss. Asia, Australia, Europe get the bee's knees 'China White' due to the proximity with the Golden Triangle.
White = the syringe. The word 'clear' or 'transparent' doesn't fit as syringes are usually clear but anyways.
Red = Obviously a reference to blood keeping in line with intravenous drug use and the indication of the bloody mouth which ill explain below..
You don't say much of anything When questioned of your whereabouts = obviously the 'chasing' process. Ringing different dealers etc. Inanimate object thus it can't answer.
And I don't believe in much of anything = depression/jaded/disillusioned etc. Common psychological traits of a user
It's for the better and the bitter and I guess you know the best = Again the psychological trait with 'bitter'. 'Better' indicating self medication.
You have every right to be This appalled with me Join the club I signed up a long time ago and I know how you feel = Referring to it as if its a friend, which in an addiction to the user it is of course. Acknowledging he knows its the wrong path and his disappointment at knowingly selecting a short term fix to nowhere.
And when you decked me You left me knocked out on the floor I came too bloodied up, but you weren't around I picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before = self explanatory. Following a fix, its kicked in and his gone on the nod and fallen off the chair, bed, benchtop etc. Woke up to a bloody mouth and broken tooth back at the beginning of the cycle needing to score as it was all gone(you weren't around)
Easy as fuck folks. Just like sundials, a song cunts would analyze with like some deep dark esoteric meaning behind it, yet it is just literally about a fucking rental apartment with no fucking windows ....the meaning is in the lyrics, it's not some cryptic mind twister.
this song purely kicks ass, saw trio live.....awesome!
alk3 rocks my world. this is the first song i ever heard by them, but it was definetly NOT the last...bloodied up opened up a whole new world for me...as far as alkaline trio goes...i hope to see them at warped tour in july!
"i picked up my teeth off the ground, like they'd been there before"... such wonderufl lyrics i love alk3 their brilliant
"if it was up to me, i'd never have to miss you...." "i came to bloodied up, but you weren't around. i picked my teeth off the ground like they'd been there before." such great lines. i absolutely adore this song.
I really like this song too, especially where it breaks down then picks up with "it's right fucking there in black and white and red" . . . . there are no words to describe alk3
This song freaking rocks. "and you have every right to be this apalled with me join the club." Its so easy to relate to. I agree with finchguy.........your left with your jaw dropped listening to these guys.
This song is so good, could mean a lot of different things. I love it so much, I lvoe the "I'd never have to miss you part", so great. ALK3 is friggin awesome
these guys are so good..."if it was upto me, I'd never have to miss you"...i love that line....
this is such a good song to listen to when u hate urself!