"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.
Ah ha, ah ha, ah ha, ah, ah ha, ah, ah ha, ah ha, ah
I said yes to your number and yes to you datin' me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
I said, "yes, we can be together, yes, you can stay with me"
But when I say, "no, not tonight," you actin' so ungratefully
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
You was on the wall
I was with my crew
You was watchin' me baby
I was watchin' you
Slowly you walked over
I maintained my cool
You said hello to me, I
Said hello to you
You asked me where I'm from
I ask you what you do
You somehow intrigued me
I thought you were so cool
Somewhere between hi and goodbye
I felt so comfortable
I felt like we could talk all night
So I gave my number to you
I said yes to your number and yes to you dating me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
I said yes we can be together, yes you can stay with me
But when I say no not tonight, you actin' so ungratefully
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never)
Certainly you can call me baby
I love to hear from you
Yes of course you can come and see me boy
I wanna get to know you more, sure I'm feelin' you
No baby, not yet, we can't take that next step
Why you gettin' so upset? Boy you
Act as though I never told you yes before
You are so ungrateful, mmm, mmm, mmm
You was at my house
I was sittin on my couch
You was really buggin' so I
Told you to get out
I had been misjudging you
You had a lotta nerve, you
Too damn old to be so immature, I hope you learn
You said I move too slow
I showed you to the door
You said you'd call me later
I said, "don't call no more"
It is cool if you can't wait for me
I'm glad you let me know
'Cause you show me your true face baby
The first time I said no
I said yes to your number and yes to you dating me (hey)
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me (oh, mmm mmm)
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes, it's like I never said yes
(Ooh, I said yes) yes we can be together, (yes) yes you can stay with me
But when I say no not tonight, you actin' so ungratefully (oh)
The first time I say no (the very first time I say no)
It's like I never said yes (I never said yes) (I never, never said yes before)
I said yes to your number and yes to you datin' me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never)
I said yes to your number and yes to you datin' me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
I said, "yes, we can be together, yes, you can stay with me"
But when I say, "no, not tonight," you actin' so ungratefully
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
You was on the wall
I was with my crew
You was watchin' me baby
I was watchin' you
Slowly you walked over
I maintained my cool
You said hello to me, I
Said hello to you
You asked me where I'm from
I ask you what you do
You somehow intrigued me
I thought you were so cool
Somewhere between hi and goodbye
I felt so comfortable
I felt like we could talk all night
So I gave my number to you
I said yes to your number and yes to you dating me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never said yes)
I said yes we can be together, yes you can stay with me
But when I say no not tonight, you actin' so ungratefully
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never)
Certainly you can call me baby
I love to hear from you
Yes of course you can come and see me boy
I wanna get to know you more, sure I'm feelin' you
No baby, not yet, we can't take that next step
Why you gettin' so upset? Boy you
Act as though I never told you yes before
You are so ungrateful, mmm, mmm, mmm
You was at my house
I was sittin on my couch
You was really buggin' so I
Told you to get out
I had been misjudging you
You had a lotta nerve, you
Too damn old to be so immature, I hope you learn
You said I move too slow
I showed you to the door
You said you'd call me later
I said, "don't call no more"
It is cool if you can't wait for me
I'm glad you let me know
'Cause you show me your true face baby
The first time I said no
I said yes to your number and yes to you dating me (hey)
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me (oh, mmm mmm)
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes, it's like I never said yes
(Ooh, I said yes) yes we can be together, (yes) yes you can stay with me
But when I say no not tonight, you actin' so ungratefully (oh)
The first time I say no (the very first time I say no)
It's like I never said yes (I never said yes) (I never, never said yes before)
I said yes to your number and yes to you datin' me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I say no, it's like I never said yes (it's like I never)
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
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.
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.
about a guy who wants sex!! not giving a toss that the girl actually respects herself enough to wait and not jump in the sack on the first date. typical.