"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.
Johnny was bad, even as a child everybody could tell,
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight
You'll surely go to hell."
But Johnny didn't care,
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old,
He didn't want to do what he was told
Just a prankster, juvenile gangster.
His teachers didn't understand,
They kicked him out of school at a tender early age,
Just because he didn't want to learn things
He had other interests
He liked to burn things!
The lady down the block,
She had a radio that Johnny wanted oh so bad,
So he took it the first chance he had.
Then he shot her in the leg,
And this is what she said
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Oh, oh, oohh oh oh oh
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
His parents gave up, they couldn't influence his attitude,
Nobody could help.
The little man had no gratitude.
And when he stole the car,
Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far.
He didn't mean to hit the poor man,
Who had to go and die.
It made the judge cry.
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh
It's not his fault that he can't believe,
It's not his fault that he can't behave,
Society made him go astray.
Perhaps if we're nice he'll go away,
Perhaps he'll go away,
He'll go away
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Hey there Johnny you really don't fool me,
You get away with murder,
And you think it's funny!
You don't give a damn if we live or if we die
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Hey there Johnny boy,
I hope you fry!
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh.
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight
You'll surely go to hell."
But Johnny didn't care,
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old,
He didn't want to do what he was told
Just a prankster, juvenile gangster.
His teachers didn't understand,
They kicked him out of school at a tender early age,
Just because he didn't want to learn things
He had other interests
He liked to burn things!
The lady down the block,
She had a radio that Johnny wanted oh so bad,
So he took it the first chance he had.
Then he shot her in the leg,
And this is what she said
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Oh, oh, oohh oh oh oh
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
His parents gave up, they couldn't influence his attitude,
Nobody could help.
The little man had no gratitude.
And when he stole the car,
Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far.
He didn't mean to hit the poor man,
Who had to go and die.
It made the judge cry.
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh
It's not his fault that he can't believe,
It's not his fault that he can't behave,
Society made him go astray.
Perhaps if we're nice he'll go away,
Perhaps he'll go away,
He'll go away
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Hey there Johnny you really don't fool me,
You get away with murder,
And you think it's funny!
You don't give a damn if we live or if we die
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Hey there Johnny boy,
I hope you fry!
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh.
Lyrics submitted by cactusdave
Only a Lad Lyrics as written by Danny Elfman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
I disagree. There is plenty of sarcasm and satire in this song but I think he is trying to make a point.