"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.
Do you know how we got right here
Is it something we probably asked for
All the answers are not quite clear
But the question is one that you can't ignore
We walk around like we don't live with consequence
And still believing what we do is right
So how's it feel to run and hide for your defense
You're not the only one to face the fight
It's been a long time
Believe it or not
We've got a strong mind
But we never remember to use it
Something tells me that we've got to be suffering
After seein' everything
I can't believe we still don't know
What it is that we think we're searching for
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
I don't know how long this will last
But I will keep on pushing
I've gotta make all the time that has passed
Turn into reasons to get me through it
We walk around like we don't live with consequence
And still believing what we do is right
So how's it feel to run and hide for your defense
You're not the only one to face the fight
It's been a long time
Believe it or not
We've got a strong mind
But we never remember to use it
Something tells me that we've got to be suffering
After seein' everything
I can't believe we still don't know
What it is that we think we're searching for
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
Is it something we probably asked for
All the answers are not quite clear
But the question is one that you can't ignore
We walk around like we don't live with consequence
And still believing what we do is right
So how's it feel to run and hide for your defense
You're not the only one to face the fight
It's been a long time
Believe it or not
We've got a strong mind
But we never remember to use it
Something tells me that we've got to be suffering
After seein' everything
I can't believe we still don't know
What it is that we think we're searching for
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
I don't know how long this will last
But I will keep on pushing
I've gotta make all the time that has passed
Turn into reasons to get me through it
We walk around like we don't live with consequence
And still believing what we do is right
So how's it feel to run and hide for your defense
You're not the only one to face the fight
It's been a long time
Believe it or not
We've got a strong mind
But we never remember to use it
Something tells me that we've got to be suffering
After seein' everything
I can't believe we still don't know
What it is that we think we're searching for
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
After we go
It seems the same mistakes will carry on
That's what we get for giving up
But until then
We have to realize there's more to it
Than we could ever see there was
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I can't believe no one has commented on this song. Tantric is such an underrated rock band.
To me, this song talks about how everyone wants to change the world but doesn't put forth the effort. Nowadays, our culture teaches us to take the easy way out, so when presented with a difficult problem, we push it aside. Thus, the problem is never solved, and is passed onto future generations who will probably take the same action we did. It is a vicious cycle.
My $0.02...