"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.
In this life I've seen everything I can see woman
I've seen lovers flying through the air
Hand in hand
I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun
And I've seen dreams that came from the heavenly skies above
I've seen old men crying at their own grave sides
And I've seen pigs all sitting watching
Picture slides
But I never seen nothin' like you
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I heard the crowd singin' out of tune
As they sat and sang auld lang syne by the light
Of the moon
I heard the preachers bangin' on the drums
And I heard the police playin' with their guns
But I never heard nothing like you
In the country where the sky touches down
On the field she lay her down to rest
In the morning sun
They come a runnin' just to get a look just to
Feel to touch her long black hair they don't
Give a damn
But I never seen nothin' like you
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I think you know what I'm trying to say woman
That is I'd like to save you for a rainy day
I've seen enough of the world to know
That I've got to get it all to get it all to grow
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face
Do you, do you want my mind
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
I've seen lovers flying through the air
Hand in hand
I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun
And I've seen dreams that came from the heavenly skies above
I've seen old men crying at their own grave sides
And I've seen pigs all sitting watching
Picture slides
But I never seen nothin' like you
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I heard the crowd singin' out of tune
As they sat and sang auld lang syne by the light
Of the moon
I heard the preachers bangin' on the drums
And I heard the police playin' with their guns
But I never heard nothing like you
In the country where the sky touches down
On the field she lay her down to rest
In the morning sun
They come a runnin' just to get a look just to
Feel to touch her long black hair they don't
Give a damn
But I never seen nothin' like you
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I think you know what I'm trying to say woman
That is I'd like to save you for a rainy day
I've seen enough of the world to know
That I've got to get it all to get it all to grow
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face
Do you, do you want my mind
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Ace Frehley (original member of KISS) has also done a not-bad cover version of "Do Ya". I've also read that Sheryl Crow has covered it, but I've yet to be able to find that version.