"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.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay
Searching for blood in the salty sea
The sun beating down on the chest and back of me
Looking for drugs in a southern town, hey, hey, hey, hey
I've got this red right hand that points me south
The puke green cloud just spat me out
Into the hot heartland, I've landed with no shoe
I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Alright, we're gonna do it again for you now, okay
Yeah, oh yeah, yeah
They've got the army of ears, they can hear you now
I've got the piss in my veins and these furrowed brows
You've got this one last chance to burn me, turn me down
If not, I've got these last twelve bucks to spend on you
You can take me anywhere your sick mind wants to
I'll use your south to fuel me using you
Oh, I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Oh, oh
I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey come pollinate me
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Searching for blood in the salty sea
The sun beating down on the chest and back of me
Looking for drugs in a southern town, hey, hey, hey, hey
I've got this red right hand that points me south
The puke green cloud just spat me out
Into the hot heartland, I've landed with no shoe
I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Alright, we're gonna do it again for you now, okay
Yeah, oh yeah, yeah
They've got the army of ears, they can hear you now
I've got the piss in my veins and these furrowed brows
You've got this one last chance to burn me, turn me down
If not, I've got these last twelve bucks to spend on you
You can take me anywhere your sick mind wants to
I'll use your south to fuel me using you
Oh, I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Oh, oh
I hear, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come pollinate me, hey
Hey, hey come pollinate me
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
Across the room, across the room
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
I hope to watch you writhe again soon
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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.
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.
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.
no. it doesn't describe your situation perfectly
you're not in the holocaust
i actually signed up on this site just to tell you that
being grounded by your parents does not equal the holocaust...
hahahahhahhaha
HAHA! isnt that shitty?
im with this guy. millions of ppl died in the holocaust. and ur grounded. no relation... at all. its still an amazing song but really. think about it
hahahahahahahaha