"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.
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
I loved real, real hard once
But the love wasn't returned
Found out the man I'd die for
He wasn't even concerned
I tried, and I tried, and I tried
To keep him in my life (to keep him in my life)
I cried, and I cried, and I cried
But I couldn't make it right
But I, I loved the young man
And if you ever been in love
Then you'd understand
That what you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't catch it)
(If you don't catch it)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it (if you just let it)
If you just let it (if you just let it)
See, I thought this feeling
It was all that I had
But how could this be love
And make me feel so bad? (Gave up my power)
Gave up my power
I existed for you
But who-ever knew
The voo-doo you'd do
But I, I loved the young man
And if you ever been in love
Then you'd understand
What you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't, you don't)
(If you don't, you don't)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it (if you don't, you don't)
If you just let it (if you don't, you don't)
See what you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't, you don't)
(If you don't, you don't)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it
If you just let it
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
So bad (when it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
I loved real, real hard once
But the love wasn't returned
Found out the man I'd die for
He wasn't even concerned
I tried, and I tried, and I tried
To keep him in my life (to keep him in my life)
I cried, and I cried, and I cried
But I couldn't make it right
But I, I loved the young man
And if you ever been in love
Then you'd understand
That what you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't catch it)
(If you don't catch it)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it (if you just let it)
If you just let it (if you just let it)
See, I thought this feeling
It was all that I had
But how could this be love
And make me feel so bad? (Gave up my power)
Gave up my power
I existed for you
But who-ever knew
The voo-doo you'd do
But I, I loved the young man
And if you ever been in love
Then you'd understand
What you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't, you don't)
(If you don't, you don't)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it (if you don't, you don't)
If you just let it (if you don't, you don't)
See what you want might make you cry
What you need might pass you by
If you don't catch it (if you don't, you don't)
(If you don't, you don't)
And what you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it
If you just let it
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
Why's it feel so good? (When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
When it hurts so bad (when it hurts so bad)
So bad (when it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
(When it hurts so bad)
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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”
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."
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
this song makes me cry...i love the line, "I loved real, real hard once..."