"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.
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
I try to, I try to hide my feelings
Don't want to bring you down
But today I been feeling so low, low
But you see my demons
You can read my mind
And you know that I think you don't know, know
Now that everybody wanna see me
Like a star on their living room TV
You know how I'm living ain't easy
Oh mama, yeah
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow (aye)
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Queen, I know you got enough to deal with
I want you to cry no more, cry no more
I don't wanna see it
Queen, but when you look into my eyes I loose it
I'm in pain and I can't refuse it
No no no no
Now that everybody wanna see me
Like a star on their living room TV
You know how I'm living ain't easy
Mama, no no
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow (yeah yeah)
Don't be afraid oh mama (don't be afraid, no)
Don't be afraid for me (don't be scared, oh)
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
One time for the mothers
Who give their lives for their daughters
Who give their lives for their sons
Here's to the beautiful ones, the beautiful ones
The mothers who give their lives for their daughters
Who give their lives for their sons
Here's to the beautiful ones
Beautiful ones, yeah
Don't be afraid, oh mama (hey hey)
Don't be afraid for me (oh no)
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
I try to, I try to hide my feelings
Don't want to bring you down
But today I been feeling so low, low
But you see my demons
You can read my mind
And you know that I think you don't know, know
Now that everybody wanna see me
Like a star on their living room TV
You know how I'm living ain't easy
Oh mama, yeah
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow (aye)
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Queen, I know you got enough to deal with
I want you to cry no more, cry no more
I don't wanna see it
Queen, but when you look into my eyes I loose it
I'm in pain and I can't refuse it
No no no no
Now that everybody wanna see me
Like a star on their living room TV
You know how I'm living ain't easy
Mama, no no
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow (yeah yeah)
Don't be afraid oh mama (don't be afraid, no)
Don't be afraid for me (don't be scared, oh)
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
One time for the mothers
Who give their lives for their daughters
Who give their lives for their sons
Here's to the beautiful ones, the beautiful ones
The mothers who give their lives for their daughters
Who give their lives for their sons
Here's to the beautiful ones
Beautiful ones, yeah
Don't be afraid, oh mama (hey hey)
Don't be afraid for me (oh no)
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
Don't be afraid, oh mama
Don't be afraid for me
I'll be okay tomorrow, tomorrow
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
I always had the impression that this song is auto-biographical. The first verse kind of describes what Nico was doing in her early carreer. She wasn't her own person as she was being told how to act and what to do by others, ie, ceasing to be her own.
The second verse continues this theme and also says, "you are beautiful and you are alone," which again strikes me as in line with Nico, for she was always quite aloof from what was going on around her.
The third verse is possibly about Nico's acting career.
Don't understand the line confuse your hunger but capture the fake could be about Nico's coming out as an individual and not posing as somebody else.
Banishing the faceless and rewarding your own grace is quite clearly severing ties with those who want to manipulate you, as Nico did, distancing herself from the factory. And rewarding her own grace rather than having someone else do it for her.
Overall, this is a beautiful song and proves that Nico is capable of real emotion and doesn't simply drone along with her harmonium.