"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.
Whether they gag me bound me
Hollow point round me
Dump me off the side of a bridge and drown me
Spare my family the details on
How they found me
Vigil by candle light and gather round me
And talk about how I would
Lounge with fly women
How I was flossing in clubs in fine linen
Hopping in them ill whips
With chrome spinning
Malice was true to the game for 9 innings
We love sinning but now I answer for that
Apologize to my fam I got
You all dressing in black
A long line family and
Friends they signing in
My niece singing solo organs and violins
Wife in her black veil
Hands flooded with diamonds
Remaining calm under each arms my children
Daddys in a better place
Entering golden doors
With ivory all white pillars
And marble floors
Brand new physical frame with no flaws
On my throne thats guarded
By angels with 4-4's
Terrar retaliate show em how real it be
A split second 'fore you blazed they
Probably thought you was me
Returning on some Crow shit let em know shit
They mess with the wrong click
Quick to blow shit
Yall know who owned this so
They end my career but still I put my tag on
This earth Malice was here
Take a walk on my side
No more tears no more fears
No more telling me lies
I only want cheers and heartfelt goodbyes
My death march is here tell
Me whos gonna ride
Hold me high Gucci suit and tie
Let my casket reach the sky
Tell my girl don't cry
Just sing me a lullaby and
Let the white doves fly
Cuz I heard from a bird it's
Only sleep when you die
Break me in unison outside
Right thru the lens
My mother cried cuz she knew that
I was only true to sin
Celebrate my passing with gun
Shots and systems blasting
Blown up posters of Terrar
Held by children laughing
No matter how foul my burial open casket
Now simply so they can see my
Clusters and my diamonds smiling
Im sorry I failed only cuz the
Ones I left were so real
For me my doggs will lie, die, shoot, cry
Or kill first to Malice sorry that I left
You half in a hole
But now you'll write for both of us
Ill channel thoughts thru your soul
Emmanuel remember this when you
See my nemesis drop my picture on his chest
And make his family reminisce
Revenge so sweet and I crush
You with the heat
Your the first one I call when it's
Time to put em to sleep
Now Pharrell grand dragon horns
Stabbing the skys turn Magnum
Laser tag em couldn't sever all ties
My final request on the day im laid to rest
Take my body to the ocean and
Have a water front ves'
This will be my burial this
Eulogy will be in stereo
Blue Angels will draw my face
In smoke during an aerial
Hollow point round me
Dump me off the side of a bridge and drown me
Spare my family the details on
How they found me
Vigil by candle light and gather round me
And talk about how I would
Lounge with fly women
How I was flossing in clubs in fine linen
Hopping in them ill whips
With chrome spinning
Malice was true to the game for 9 innings
We love sinning but now I answer for that
Apologize to my fam I got
You all dressing in black
A long line family and
Friends they signing in
My niece singing solo organs and violins
Wife in her black veil
Hands flooded with diamonds
Remaining calm under each arms my children
Daddys in a better place
Entering golden doors
With ivory all white pillars
And marble floors
Brand new physical frame with no flaws
On my throne thats guarded
By angels with 4-4's
Terrar retaliate show em how real it be
A split second 'fore you blazed they
Probably thought you was me
Returning on some Crow shit let em know shit
They mess with the wrong click
Quick to blow shit
Yall know who owned this so
They end my career but still I put my tag on
This earth Malice was here
Take a walk on my side
No more tears no more fears
No more telling me lies
I only want cheers and heartfelt goodbyes
My death march is here tell
Me whos gonna ride
Hold me high Gucci suit and tie
Let my casket reach the sky
Tell my girl don't cry
Just sing me a lullaby and
Let the white doves fly
Cuz I heard from a bird it's
Only sleep when you die
Break me in unison outside
Right thru the lens
My mother cried cuz she knew that
I was only true to sin
Celebrate my passing with gun
Shots and systems blasting
Blown up posters of Terrar
Held by children laughing
No matter how foul my burial open casket
Now simply so they can see my
Clusters and my diamonds smiling
Im sorry I failed only cuz the
Ones I left were so real
For me my doggs will lie, die, shoot, cry
Or kill first to Malice sorry that I left
You half in a hole
But now you'll write for both of us
Ill channel thoughts thru your soul
Emmanuel remember this when you
See my nemesis drop my picture on his chest
And make his family reminisce
Revenge so sweet and I crush
You with the heat
Your the first one I call when it's
Time to put em to sleep
Now Pharrell grand dragon horns
Stabbing the skys turn Magnum
Laser tag em couldn't sever all ties
My final request on the day im laid to rest
Take my body to the ocean and
Have a water front ves'
This will be my burial this
Eulogy will be in stereo
Blue Angels will draw my face
In smoke during an aerial
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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.
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.
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.