"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.
You say hello
Inside I'm screaming "I love you"
You say goodnight
In my mind I'm sleeping next to you
You drive away from my car crash of a heart
And I don't know
But you gave me the best mixtape I have
Even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
You talk to him
And it burns me like the sun
You talk to her
You say that you feel like he's the one
I talk to me
But you can't hear the pain I feel
And you don't know
'Cause you gave me the best mixtape I have
And even all the sad songs ain't so sad
I only wish that there was more than that
About me and you
About me and you
Oh, don't turn around and say bye again
Yeah, it crushes my head when you call me your friend
And I'm not the same person from back in the day
In the back of the class
That you thought was gay
No, I can't find the words 'cause I lost them the minute
They fell out of my mouth
And it's love, and I'm in it
So give me your lips
And just let me kiss them
And let's get messed up and listen to possibly
The best mixtape I have
Even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
About me and you
Inside I'm screaming "I love you"
You say goodnight
In my mind I'm sleeping next to you
You drive away from my car crash of a heart
And I don't know
But you gave me the best mixtape I have
Even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
You talk to him
And it burns me like the sun
You talk to her
You say that you feel like he's the one
I talk to me
But you can't hear the pain I feel
And you don't know
'Cause you gave me the best mixtape I have
And even all the sad songs ain't so sad
I only wish that there was more than that
About me and you
About me and you
Oh, don't turn around and say bye again
Yeah, it crushes my head when you call me your friend
And I'm not the same person from back in the day
In the back of the class
That you thought was gay
No, I can't find the words 'cause I lost them the minute
They fell out of my mouth
And it's love, and I'm in it
So give me your lips
And just let me kiss them
And let's get messed up and listen to possibly
The best mixtape I have
Even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
About me and you
Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry
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
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,
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.
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.
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.
this is the most beautiful song in the entire world and it makes me cry everytime i hear it </3