"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.
Blinded by the fire and the sorrow of the day,
I come knocking at your door
To dry the tears away
The eventide is calling me to take a look into your eyes
Pull me on and make me mesmerized
Riding on the wings of light,
Dreaming dreams and holding tight;
Leaving all my sorrow far behind
Your eyes are the gate
To the land of the miracle where our love can make us fly, make us fly
In the land of the miracle
We can find a reason why and how we can fly
Open up the book of madness,
Read the page of life!
Who's the one to tell you what to do
And how to rise?
And if the stars would fall one day
I'd climb up to the sky
To put them back for you to save your smile
Take a look into the book of fantasy and poetry and you will see:
What you can feel is everything you need to heal your crying mind,
The soul behind and everything that you may find inside your head
A million years have passed away to make us head for the decay and to unlearn just
What we yearn for all day long: right to be strong and stick to our ideals,
Are they for real and do we just have lost the thread?
I believe in miracles they happen every day
In your arms a dream comes true for me
(Isn't poetry one of the biggest gifts to forget our daily life of sorrow?)
I come knocking at your door
To dry the tears away
The eventide is calling me to take a look into your eyes
Pull me on and make me mesmerized
Riding on the wings of light,
Dreaming dreams and holding tight;
Leaving all my sorrow far behind
Your eyes are the gate
To the land of the miracle where our love can make us fly, make us fly
In the land of the miracle
We can find a reason why and how we can fly
Open up the book of madness,
Read the page of life!
Who's the one to tell you what to do
And how to rise?
And if the stars would fall one day
I'd climb up to the sky
To put them back for you to save your smile
Take a look into the book of fantasy and poetry and you will see:
What you can feel is everything you need to heal your crying mind,
The soul behind and everything that you may find inside your head
A million years have passed away to make us head for the decay and to unlearn just
What we yearn for all day long: right to be strong and stick to our ideals,
Are they for real and do we just have lost the thread?
I believe in miracles they happen every day
In your arms a dream comes true for me
(Isn't poetry one of the biggest gifts to forget our daily life of sorrow?)
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Best song they ever made!!