"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.
There's a black dog on my shoulder again
Licking my neck and saying she's my friend
Solitude the one thing that I really miss
Guess my life is a compromise
There's a black dog on my shoulder again
I'm playing with it but it's gone to my head
Like Carlito's Way there are no exit signs
Freeze me there until I'm numb
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
My dilemma but not my choice
Winston Churchill can you hear my voice?
Melodrama there in my kitchen sink
Double vision the way it is
Am I coming home to you again
Or am I stupid just by design?
Does it matter if you really ever know?
This black dog is out of control
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
Am I coming home to you again
Or am I stupid just by design?
Does it matter if you really ever know?
This black dog is out of control
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
Licking my neck and saying she's my friend
Solitude the one thing that I really miss
Guess my life is a compromise
There's a black dog on my shoulder again
I'm playing with it but it's gone to my head
Like Carlito's Way there are no exit signs
Freeze me there until I'm numb
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
My dilemma but not my choice
Winston Churchill can you hear my voice?
Melodrama there in my kitchen sink
Double vision the way it is
Am I coming home to you again
Or am I stupid just by design?
Does it matter if you really ever know?
This black dog is out of control
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
Am I coming home to you again
Or am I stupid just by design?
Does it matter if you really ever know?
This black dog is out of control
My mouth is so dry
My eyes are shut tight
There's a black dog a-coming tonight
Black dog's a-coming tonight
Lyrics submitted by Thom Webbe
Black Dog on My Shoulder Lyrics as written by Nicholas Jones James Bradfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
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.
Until I learned the Winston Churchill depression thing, I thought it was about anorexia.
"Licking my neck and saying she's my friend" "I'm playing with it but it's gone to my head" "My dilemma but not my choice" And such.