"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.
Yeah, yeah
Gotta leave town
Got another appointment
Spent all my rent
Girl, you know I enjoyed it, yeah
Ain't gonna hang around 'til there's nobody dancing
I don't wanna hold hands and talk about our little plans, alright
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
Gonna check her out
She's my latest attraction
Gonna hang around
Wanna get a reaction, yeah
Gonna take her home 'cause she's over romancing
Don't wanna hold hands and talk about her little plans, alright
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
Just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting, oh
Yeah, yeah
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Gotta leave town
Got another appointment
Spent all my rent
Girl, you know I enjoyed it, yeah
Ain't gonna hang around 'til there's nobody dancing
I don't wanna hold hands and talk about our little plans, alright
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
Gonna check her out
She's my latest attraction
Gonna hang around
Wanna get a reaction, yeah
Gonna take her home 'cause she's over romancing
Don't wanna hold hands and talk about her little plans, alright
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
Just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting
Yeah, I'm waiting, oh
Yeah, yeah
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
She was shakin' her hips
Oh, that was all that I need
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard bitch
Yeah, just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
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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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
I have tried to edit the lyrics to this song like 4 times, but it never goes through.