"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.
Girl I'm sorry but I'm leaving.
We're both at fault, we're both to blame.
And it wasn't the other men cause there were other women.
This just isn't love, it's just the remorse of a loss, of a feeling.
Even if I stayed it just wouldn't be the same.
Double this drink up into the, tallest glass you got.
You know I ain't used to sleeping all, alone.
Gonna make it to the moon tonight on a 1 way kamikaze flight.
If I could get so high I'll leave behind my problems,
Take em out with the empty bottles.
Oh girl sorry but I'm leaving.
We're both at fault, we're both to blame.
And it wasn't the other men cause there were other women.
This just isn't love it's just the remore of a loss of a feeling
Even if I stayed it just wouldn't be the same.
Me & this guitar are going swinging blind into the unknown.
You know a song & a stage is all I never needed of a home.
Someday I, will call from a payphone in a truckstop on the road
You'll tell me how much better off you've been on your own
We're both at fault, we're both to blame.
And it wasn't the other men cause there were other women.
This just isn't love, it's just the remorse of a loss, of a feeling.
Even if I stayed it just wouldn't be the same.
Double this drink up into the, tallest glass you got.
You know I ain't used to sleeping all, alone.
Gonna make it to the moon tonight on a 1 way kamikaze flight.
If I could get so high I'll leave behind my problems,
Take em out with the empty bottles.
Oh girl sorry but I'm leaving.
We're both at fault, we're both to blame.
And it wasn't the other men cause there were other women.
This just isn't love it's just the remore of a loss of a feeling
Even if I stayed it just wouldn't be the same.
Me & this guitar are going swinging blind into the unknown.
You know a song & a stage is all I never needed of a home.
Someday I, will call from a payphone in a truckstop on the road
You'll tell me how much better off you've been on your own
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
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.
Going through the motions.