"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.
Woke up this morning and felt not too cool, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
'Cause every time I tried to make my mouth move, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
The pain I'm having is so discomforting
Please make this suffering go away
Wow wow wow whoa
I told my mom what I was feeling
And how long I've been dealing with it
I knew it was coming but didn't know how soon
She said I've reached another adolescent monsoon
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
He was a well-educated man
Had his degree in medicine
I noticed his hairy hands
He was a very, very hairy man
He looked right down in
Shook his head and then said
"These teeth must be pulled right away!" Hey
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
He turned around, rolled up his sleeve
I rolled my eyes then suddenly
A horrible pain grew, the next thing that I knew
The doc had pulled my wisdom teeth out!
Well, along with my teeth my money also left me
As he made out the bill, I was moaning
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Where the hell is my prescription
Of codeine?
Ooh, but when will I speak, how long until
My mouth feels natural?
How long will they bleed, when will heal?
Where's a real meal?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
I feel good, I feel great
There's no pain, there's no ache
I feel good, I feel great
Just let me recuperate
I feel good, I feel great
There's no pain, there's no ache
I feel good, I feel great
Just let me recuperate
Because the codeine has left me drowsy
Leave me be, just let me sleep!
'Cause every time I tried to make my mouth move, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
The pain I'm having is so discomforting
Please make this suffering go away
Wow wow wow whoa
I told my mom what I was feeling
And how long I've been dealing with it
I knew it was coming but didn't know how soon
She said I've reached another adolescent monsoon
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
He was a well-educated man
Had his degree in medicine
I noticed his hairy hands
He was a very, very hairy man
He looked right down in
Shook his head and then said
"These teeth must be pulled right away!" Hey
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Why can't I take it like a man
Ooh ah, the pain is horrendous
Why can't you lend a helpin' hand
He turned around, rolled up his sleeve
I rolled my eyes then suddenly
A horrible pain grew, the next thing that I knew
The doc had pulled my wisdom teeth out!
Well, along with my teeth my money also left me
As he made out the bill, I was moaning
Ooh ah, the pain is tremendous
Where the hell is my prescription
Of codeine?
Ooh, but when will I speak, how long until
My mouth feels natural?
How long will they bleed, when will heal?
Where's a real meal?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel? How do you feel?
I feel good, I feel great
There's no pain, there's no ache
I feel good, I feel great
Just let me recuperate
I feel good, I feel great
There's no pain, there's no ache
I feel good, I feel great
Just let me recuperate
Because the codeine has left me drowsy
Leave me be, just let me sleep!
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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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
This song is so great. It like has no deep meaning it simply means my teeth hurt. It's so freaking wonderful.
I know I love this song too!! They've come a long way.....
no doubt kicks!! all their songs kick.....their old stuff is great but hey who ever said you'll stay the same? SMILE!! MWA
i love singing along to this song, it rocks
Ouch! I havn't gotten my wisdom teeth out yet, but I might have to. :(
I just got my wisdom teeth out and remembered this song, hehe. It's not so bad for me, now, but No Doubt ska is always fun to listen to.
when i first got the CD (like last year) i couldn't get enough of this song. my mom would always tell me to turn it down, but i never listened. i don't think that i really need to explain the meaning. you can basically tell by looking at the first line. she has a flipping toothache! anyways...love the song....love the CD....love the band.....period
it has a double meaning She said I've reached another adolescent monsoon - oon (love!!)
OOoo Ahh... the pain is tremendous Why can't I take it like a man (when a couple breaks up, the man is always stronger)
and more
I agree with the previous comment.
This song puts me in the mind of a whimsical cartoon skit put to music. Like something you might see on Animaniacs or a similar program. I like the vivid descriptions in the lyrics and the directness and simplicity of the story. I don't necessarily think the song has a double meaning but all theories are interesting to me.
I really like the part where she sings: "Well along with my teeth my money also left me As he made out the bill, I was moaning" I suspect the size of the bill hurt almost as much as the tooth had!
This song was written by Eric, and you can see his sense of humor come through. I love it.