"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.
The time I would spend
With pictures I would not send
I watched you go from left to right
I follow you all night
Across my blinds
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
You take your steps away from me
I'm making my peace
And making it with distance
But maybe that's a big mistake
You know I'm thinking of you
I miss you
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
Take your steps away from me
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
Take your steps away from me
From me
From me
From me
With pictures I would not send
I watched you go from left to right
I follow you all night
Across my blinds
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
You take your steps away from me
I'm making my peace
And making it with distance
But maybe that's a big mistake
You know I'm thinking of you
I miss you
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
Take your steps away from me
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
You'll change your mind
Come Monday
And turn your back on me
Take your steps away
With hesitance
Take your steps away from me
From me
From me
From me
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this song is so hauntingly beautiful, and i don't use that word often. fantastic song though.