"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.
In the forest all the trees are turning black
And sorry's the only way I know how to react
I can feel it coming on
I can tell it's coming on
Another minor disagreement
Another something else gone wrong
Give me one good reason
Yeah just give me one more chance
And I might take it back
The words, all the words we never say
Well I don't wanna be the one to tell you life shouldn't be this way
But I'm a fool, I've been known to play the fool
But I'm not kidding anymore, I know I'm happy being here with you
What's the use in trying if you'll never understand
You could make me understand if you just
Give me one good reason and I'll never ask again
Give me one good reason just make sure I understand
All I need is one good reason, nothing more or less
Give me one good reason, one good reason, nothing less
Nothing less
Nothing less
Nothing less than less than
What's the use in trying if you'll never understand
You could make me understand if you just
Give me one good reason just make sure I understand
All I need is one good reason, nothing more or less
Give me one good reason, one good reason, nothing less
All I need is one good reason
And sorry's the only way I know how to react
I can feel it coming on
I can tell it's coming on
Another minor disagreement
Another something else gone wrong
Give me one good reason
Yeah just give me one more chance
And I might take it back
The words, all the words we never say
Well I don't wanna be the one to tell you life shouldn't be this way
But I'm a fool, I've been known to play the fool
But I'm not kidding anymore, I know I'm happy being here with you
What's the use in trying if you'll never understand
You could make me understand if you just
Give me one good reason and I'll never ask again
Give me one good reason just make sure I understand
All I need is one good reason, nothing more or less
Give me one good reason, one good reason, nothing less
Nothing less
Nothing less
Nothing less than less than
What's the use in trying if you'll never understand
You could make me understand if you just
Give me one good reason just make sure I understand
All I need is one good reason, nothing more or less
Give me one good reason, one good reason, nothing less
All I need is one good reason
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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.
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,
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.
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 is a powerful knocker! It's dark, angry with a great solo part. It reminds me, in terms of power of Neil Young. To me, it's an excellent one!