"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.
Know your enemies well
They enter your life
Disguised as your friends
Know your enemies well
They're in the next room
Waiting for you to fall asleep
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
So little I can say
And less that I can do
To make you understand
These things you put me through
There's got to be a better way!
There's got to be a better way!
They're trying to silence my voice
They're feeling uncomfortable hearing my words
They wish I would shut the fuck up
Exposing the enemy
Truth always comes at a price
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
Know your enemies well
Trust nothing and no one
'Cause, everything sucks
Know your enemies well
Don't sleep for a minute
'Cause, that's when you're fucked
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
There's got to be a better way!
They enter your life
Disguised as your friends
Know your enemies well
They're in the next room
Waiting for you to fall asleep
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
So little I can say
And less that I can do
To make you understand
These things you put me through
There's got to be a better way!
There's got to be a better way!
They're trying to silence my voice
They're feeling uncomfortable hearing my words
They wish I would shut the fuck up
Exposing the enemy
Truth always comes at a price
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
Know your enemies well
Trust nothing and no one
'Cause, everything sucks
Know your enemies well
Don't sleep for a minute
'Cause, that's when you're fucked
Why?
I don't know how you can live such
Lie
To yourself, now I know who you are
Why?
I can forgive, but I'll never forget
How you put a price on my head!
There's got to be a better way!
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
How has noone commented on this song, it's one of the best on the album!!
This is basically just about betrayal, perhaps a friend had betrayed Jarhed and so now he trusts noone.
I totally agree with silver crow.
1) It's one of the best songs on the album. 2) More than likely, built up hostility is released from a friend who betrayed him.
I'd like this song if it wasn't so fucking repetitive, probably the worst Hed pe song because of that.
Most of the time ideas such as this one are repeated to get an idea in your head to make you think about it