"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.
I sit here clutching useless lists
And keys for doors that don't exist
I crack my teeth on pearls
I tear into the history
Just show me what it means to me in this world
Cause I am due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
Til I understand or go blind
I see the parts but not the whole
I study saints and scholars both
No perfect plan unfurls
Do I trust my heart of just my mind
Why is truth so hard to find
In this world
Yeah in this world
Cause I am due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
Til I understand or go blind
I know that there's a point I've missed
A shrine or stone I haven't kissed
A scar that never graced my wrist
A mirror that hasn't met my fist
But I can't help feeling that I'm
Due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
And keys for doors that don't exist
I crack my teeth on pearls
I tear into the history
Just show me what it means to me in this world
Cause I am due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
Til I understand or go blind
I see the parts but not the whole
I study saints and scholars both
No perfect plan unfurls
Do I trust my heart of just my mind
Why is truth so hard to find
In this world
Yeah in this world
Cause I am due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
Til I understand or go blind
I know that there's a point I've missed
A shrine or stone I haven't kissed
A scar that never graced my wrist
A mirror that hasn't met my fist
But I can't help feeling that I'm
Due for a miracle
I'm waiting for a sign
I'll stare straight into the sun
And I won't close my eyes
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
Hello All.
Staring at the sun, is a wonderful true story about the search for truth by the founder of experimental psychology, Gustav Fechner (1850). Fechner was interested in understanding how physical stimulus was related to perception. More specifically he was interested in afterimages, which is a perceptual anomaly where the sensory information coming in doesn't match our perception. To understand how the strength of sensory information effected the strength of a perception, Fechner began looking at afterimages caused by different intensities in light. Eventually coming to the sun, which he did stare at and was blinded by for a few years. He performed poorly shortly after as professor of physics at Leipzig and fell off the map. In this time he wrote some of his best poetry under the name Dr. Mises, and one day after his eyesight had been fully restored had an eureka moment, and successfully connected the physical and mental realms together in one beautiful equation which gave birth to experimental psychology.
This song is Fechner's Law, to me at least. Thrice rules, seen 'em 5 times here in the D.
this song is pretty straightforward...hes trying to find a religious or spiritual path that makes sense to him...this is like the theme song to my life...im always searching for something to believe in...and im a person who examines every path and way of thinking...anyways the song is pretty catchy too...
I think the entire album is based on change. To me this song is the point when you realize life isn't working for you and you need help. Your kind of asking for it but won't tell anyone you need it.
It doesn't have to be about faith and religion. Spirituality is more important than some organized dogmas from archaic religions. He's trying to find a spiritual path not necessarily a religious one. I also believe the line "I crack my teeth on pearls" is referring to pearls of wisdom in his search "I tear into the history" that are oh so quaint but never satisfying that search for the truth "Just show me what it means to me in this world".
Just my opinion.
I agree with OwnPersonalDemon, this song is pretty starightforward. I love the lyics he uses! "I sit here clutching useless lists and keys for doors that don't exist i crack my teeth on pearls i tear into the history just show me what it means to me in this world." These are some of the best lyrics i've heard! Everything about this song is PERFECT! Especially since they wrote it off of the bass line, which isn't easy to do.
yeah this song kicks ass, have you guys heard the Acoustic version? i like it alot more, actually... i'm listening to it right now, haha
This is a great song. Very spiritual and definetly about searching for a path - studying both scholars and saints (religion) to find the answer(s) to life.
I was confused about him cracking his teeth on pearls, but I believe the "pearls" are rosary. Think so?
I was once told that teeth often symbolize wisdom, and pearls symbolize something brought through pain.<br /> So to combine the two I thought he was saying that his wisdom is being broken by the painful experiences of his life.
Dustin commented on these lyrics and he said that cracking his teeth on pearls was referring to throwing pearls to swine.
The song does have a lot of religious aspects of it, but you could also just apply to a person with a tought life or going through bad times. Hes "due for a miracle" something that will take him out or something that will change his life. he studies this and that but nothing happens to come to him to change his life or find his way.
I agree its about trying to find ones way through life and looking for the answers in faith. The cracking of teeth on pearls comes from mathew.
I also agree with OwnPersonalDemon. It does make sense that its about him trying to find a religious or spiritual path that makes sense to him