"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.
Fun for an hour when the he's gone-
Can one trick nights feed 40 days?
In my bed at the break of dawn she
Shivered like a vein slashed bright and new-
She's got the radio active, it makes
me feel ok (I don't feel ok)
Grip- force the vials, strip the locks, smash
The set and slash the beds, and when it
Looks like a wife's ex-plot, we'll cover
All the rugs with cheap perfume
Like a docent's lisp
Like a damsel's spit
Like a dry gin's twist (of lime)
Like a poor droll sir
Like a poke's dull spurs
Like a pastor's flock (no church)
Can one trick nights feed 40 days?
In my bed at the break of dawn she
Shivered like a vein slashed bright and new-
She's got the radio active, it makes
me feel ok (I don't feel ok)
Grip- force the vials, strip the locks, smash
The set and slash the beds, and when it
Looks like a wife's ex-plot, we'll cover
All the rugs with cheap perfume
Like a docent's lisp
Like a damsel's spit
Like a dry gin's twist (of lime)
Like a poor droll sir
Like a poke's dull spurs
Like a pastor's flock (no church)
Lyrics submitted by boomerstyle, edited by cutlunch
Perfume-V Lyrics as written by Stephen Malkmus Scott Kannberg
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
I think you have to consider the song in the context of the whole album. Throughout the album, 'our singer' explains to us the death of a relationship; perhaps not a specific relationship but certainly the mental acceptance of a droll traditional relationship. If you've grappled with the mental anguish of ending a perfectly workable long-term relationship for the promise of charting a new course, you can probably relate to the whole of S&E on this level.
Some key indicators in this song include "She's got the radioactive" .. it makes me think that perhaps you don't need a wife at home for the regular unfulfilling sex when one night of dirty, passionate 'radioactive' sex (obviously in this case a prostitute, given the 'hour') could 'feed 40 days', taking care of the urge until next time. In some ways, perhaps there's some merit in prefering one night of passion-fueled sex to the regular (if you're lucky) boring familiar sex? The second verse conjures in my mind the destruction of that relationship and whenever you miss that ex-partner, you cover it up with cheap perfume and move on.