"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.
I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes
And
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot
And by foot it's a slow climb
But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time
I noticed that my opponent is always on the go
And won't go slow so as not to focus, and I notice
He'll hitch a ride with any guide
As long as they go fast from whence he came
But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so
He can't stop staying exactly the same
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
I seem to you to seek a new disaster every day
You deem me doomed to clean my view
And be at peace and lay
I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way
And say I've been getting along
For long before you came into the play
I am the baby of the family, it happens
So
Everybody cares
And wear the sheep's clothes while they chaperone
Curious, you're looking down your nose at me
While you appease
Courteous to try and help
But let me set your mind at ease
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
Do I so worry you?
No need to hurry to my side
That's very kind
But it's to no avail
I don't want the veil of flowers, no
Everything will be just fine
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
And
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot
And by foot it's a slow climb
But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time
I noticed that my opponent is always on the go
And won't go slow so as not to focus, and I notice
He'll hitch a ride with any guide
As long as they go fast from whence he came
But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so
He can't stop staying exactly the same
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
I seem to you to seek a new disaster every day
You deem me doomed to clean my view
And be at peace and lay
I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way
And say I've been getting along
For long before you came into the play
I am the baby of the family, it happens
So
Everybody cares
And wear the sheep's clothes while they chaperone
Curious, you're looking down your nose at me
While you appease
Courteous to try and help
But let me set your mind at ease
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
Do I so worry you?
No need to hurry to my side
That's very kind
But it's to no avail
I don't want the veil of flowers, no
Everything will be just fine
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me
Or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it
I'm an extraordinary machine
Lyrics submitted by Eggos=yum
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Free Fiona. Sony has held up this release once again we will not see a fiona album this year. Extraordinary Machine is a done record it's just shelved because puplicists devil people couldn't find a "single." The find singles for the rest of that trash why not let Fiona have a album full of awesome music instead of that crap on the radio. We need to teach the young girls what a real young woman writes about, not fuzzy love bunnies and my boyfriend broke up with me crap, and not that ..hold on let me get my writer to convey my feelings crap. If there is room for Nellie McKay, there is room for this new fiona apple album, I have heard and d/led the new songs and they are a marvel. I damn you sony close minded money grubbing rat bastages. Hell maybe if the powers that be get a wild hair up their asses we may see it next year or even next summer.
haha what a quirky song. I love it! I really can't wait til her new album comes out. This song reminds me a bit of Regina Spektor. A good bit of you guys should like her too if you like Fiona.
a great exclamatory song. so confident.
This song makes me smile. The music is just so bizarre and cool.
The lyrics are very wry, and quite sarcastic towards a certain type of women: "I certainly havent been buying any new shoes".
Yeah, I can see Sony Execs going "Oh... hold on, this doesn't sound like Britney". She's an album artist, not a singles artist and time again we see these artists (which are the real talented ones) getting the raw deal for the Money Making Machine.
She proves her talent and her vocal prowess (which pisses all over her pop contempories) on this track when she hits those high notes during the "Do I so worry you?..." section of the song.
A good roll model song for everyone instead of the "Hit me one more time" stupidity.
Ha! Was thinking the exact same thing, except maybe 15yrs ago!
For some reason this song makes me thing of an independent female, a girl who is single and completely happy with her choice. Her family, however, doesn't understand how this could be, and they want her to date and be married - like she is not complete unless she has a man. If there she wanted to be in a relationship, the right relationship will find her. Otherwise she's going to keep moving forward with her life. Are you worried about me, overbearing family in sheep's clothes? Let me put your mind at ease, I am completely content with my life exactly the way it is. Your efforts to marry me off are to no avail; I don't want the veil of flowers yet, and when I do, I'll let you know.
I love how this song reflects Fiona's growth as an artist. Her use of 'classical' instruments in her contemporary music is refreshing.
Free Fiona! We need her!
It wasn't sony that shelved this album. Someone started a rumor which ignited the "freefiona" thing. She wanted to take a break from the whole business, so she shelved it herself. I can't remember which magazine it was, but she had a whole 2 or 3 page article written about her and how much she's grown as a musician.
this song is a very independent song to me. when i first heard it, i was getting myself prepared to leave for college. i feel like she wrote it at a time where she was very confident in herself, but saw that people around her were walking on eggshells trying not to break her spirit. the attitude in this song is, you can't break her spirit, she's her own woman and can do things herself.
For 'Ghost In The Shell' fans only: Picture a somewhat drunk Major singing this song in a karaoke bar (with the Section 9 gang in the audience.)
Am I the only person who gets a demented Disney vibe from this song? Ah well, it doesn't matter, I love this song.
haha! i agree with you BusRoof. the music in the backround does sound like something out of a Disney movie. i think that's one of the things that's so great about it and gives it an odd sort of edge, in a good way of course.
The meaning of this song is far from my understanding, but I get a very calm, other-wordly feel from listening to it. Fiona's deep voice is perfect with the minimal background music.
P.S) I think someone screwed up the bridge lyrics, they should be-
Do I so worry you? You need to hurry to say it's very kind But it's to no avail I don't want the veil I promise you everything will be just fine