"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 can close you're eyes and tell me
that you are a visionary
and maybe you're a little scary
but you take my breath away
When you say you'll always be there
it paints such a lovely picture
but no matter how you frame it
it's still pornography
Nobody seems to hear
till I scream and shout
Even if you tie me down
and you blow my candle out
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone that you'll never know
I'll still glow
I see this girl with so much anger
pacified by holding strangers
making peace with all her danger
by looking in the mirror
The pureness in my name is gone now
You've taken it too far but somehow
I'll lick my wounds and take the last bow
and hold my cold left hand
There's so many things
That you rant about
The only thing I know for sure
If you blow my candle out
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone
that you'll never know
I'll still glow
(guitar solo)
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the pertfect someone
that you'll- that you'll never know
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone that you'll never know
I'll still glow
that you are a visionary
and maybe you're a little scary
but you take my breath away
When you say you'll always be there
it paints such a lovely picture
but no matter how you frame it
it's still pornography
Nobody seems to hear
till I scream and shout
Even if you tie me down
and you blow my candle out
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone that you'll never know
I'll still glow
I see this girl with so much anger
pacified by holding strangers
making peace with all her danger
by looking in the mirror
The pureness in my name is gone now
You've taken it too far but somehow
I'll lick my wounds and take the last bow
and hold my cold left hand
There's so many things
That you rant about
The only thing I know for sure
If you blow my candle out
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone
that you'll never know
I'll still glow
(guitar solo)
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the pertfect someone
that you'll- that you'll never know
I'll still glow
I'll still glow
I'll be the perfect someone that you'll never know
I'll still glow
Lyrics submitted by indignity
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.
I always think of the movie "thirteen" when i hear katy rose, because she relates to it a lot she said, and has two songs featured in it. So i think it's about doing all these things on the outside, but it's not really her, so no matter what, she'll try to keep her head up and glow. something like that.