"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.
People say everyday that she's taking you away,
And that we should leave her,
Everytime I see her,
I ask you why, and did she lie about those times with all those other guys?
I could see it a mile away, yeah, you're with her everyday,
The nights that you just missed,
The things that you promised,
They never stay (stay)
She's never seen the sun,
She wears shorts and I run away,
[Chorus]
He's dating Casper and he's afraid to ask her for his manhood back,
Please give me my friend back,
He's dating Casper, his heart races faster, just for her,
Why can't we be like we were?
First you skip but now you slip,
Sure is sad seeing a guy thats whipped,
Just a puppet to sink below, she's using you all for show.
Back in the day, we'd come and play,
But now you're asking if you may,
Can't you see that she's not the one?
She can't even see the sun,
The nights that you just missed,
The things that you promised,
They never stay (stay)
She's never seen the sun,
She wears shorts and I run away,
[Chorus]
I'll ask her, will she rip my heart right out,
If she hurt me once again? (Will you ask her?)
I'll tell her, that's not what I'm all about,
I'll stop hurting all my friends, we're okay,
[Chorus]
He's going away,
Away,
Why can't we be like we were?
And that we should leave her,
Everytime I see her,
I ask you why, and did she lie about those times with all those other guys?
I could see it a mile away, yeah, you're with her everyday,
The nights that you just missed,
The things that you promised,
They never stay (stay)
She's never seen the sun,
She wears shorts and I run away,
[Chorus]
He's dating Casper and he's afraid to ask her for his manhood back,
Please give me my friend back,
He's dating Casper, his heart races faster, just for her,
Why can't we be like we were?
First you skip but now you slip,
Sure is sad seeing a guy thats whipped,
Just a puppet to sink below, she's using you all for show.
Back in the day, we'd come and play,
But now you're asking if you may,
Can't you see that she's not the one?
She can't even see the sun,
The nights that you just missed,
The things that you promised,
They never stay (stay)
She's never seen the sun,
She wears shorts and I run away,
[Chorus]
I'll ask her, will she rip my heart right out,
If she hurt me once again? (Will you ask her?)
I'll tell her, that's not what I'm all about,
I'll stop hurting all my friends, we're okay,
[Chorus]
He's going away,
Away,
Why can't we be like we were?
Lyrics submitted by ruben
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
ive never heard the song before