"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.
Would you like a way home?
I'll bleed my own
'Round the hangin' tree
Swayin' in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
Can you see under my thumb?
There you are
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
I'll bleed my own
'Round the hangin' tree
Swayin' in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
Can you see under my thumb?
There you are
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
'Round the hangin' tree
Swaying in the breeze
In the summer sun
As we two are one
Swaying
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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/
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.
I think this song is about a Hanging Tree. i Initially thought it was just about a large tree that seemed to hang down, but i later realized its about a tree used to hang people. "would you like a a way home" sounds like a coax someone could be using to get them into a car. "as we two are one, swaying" could be two people united in death. "can you see under my thumb, there you are" could possibly refer to the fact that whoever is DOING the hanging has complete control over that person. It sounds like the chorus of the song is almost a poetic rationalization of a horrible thing that is happening to two people, and the lyrics in the versus are references to whoever is hanging them.
i've been on a few queen's songs now and the only constant is gueveralives hanging shit on uncletommy. Gueveralives, the desert sessions aren't a band but more of a philosophy of getting a bunch of people together and seeing what happens. Mark Lanigan was on a lot of them but the recording's fairly primative. Josh and Mark obviously like this song and re-did it for SFTD. That simple, stop being such a dick
well i think that noise at the start of the song is a lighter, so my guess is that it's about someone lighting up or cooking up something. Then you have the "I bleed my own" which could be a reference to a needle. The chorus is when him and the drug become one and all of his worries are gone. He's porbably on the "nod" so hes amazed that his lighters in his hand. haha thats what i got from it.
originally on the desert sessions, but updated for SFTD
mark's voice is so incredible
Josh Homme played in dessert sessions mr "I know everything".
dont ask me why they rerecorded it for SFTD gueveralives. i didnt tell them to, the desert sessions version is great
its about a hanging tree
Tension Head also starts with a lighter.
this song really could mean anything i guess, but the feeling and depth in it (like most lanegan vocals) just scream at me to pull what's probably more meaning than originally intended from the words. it's the idea that someone dependent on you is going to try to take a shot at things themself... but you know (or feel, or hope) they won't be able to make it without your help, and you're angry at them for it, but you decide to let go anyway. "hung" is an expression that can be used to describe stagnation or standstills. the situation we all hate the most is waiting.
i love how this song mixes the romance of summer, the breeze with hanging, dearth and dependence. perhaps thats the meaning?
it also sounds like its a piss take of romance, which i wouldnt put past them.
I think this song has a lot to do with sex.