"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.
Endless mornings cut by the dawn razor
Whipping the nightmares to a froth
Endless questions with no answers
No replacement for what's been lost
Lost
Everything suffocates in the dust of the past fortunes squandered
The empire of lies to whom you pandered
Suffer a self-imposed exile, taste the bitter fruits of denial
In the presence of greatness the humble can only bow
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
Full of nothing but deprivation
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
For an eternal winter
Tell me a lie with the best of intentions
Mute in the age of mass communication
Dark days lead to darker nights
Frozen, out of time
It dies for blessed ego, the once mighty laid low
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
Full of nothing but deprivation
Full of nothing but deprivation
Eternal winter
Full of nothing but deprivation
Eternal winter
You taught me hate, I'll teach you fear
Open the eyes, kill despair
You tried to squeeze the life from me
Son of a bitch, I'm going to break you
Son of a bitch, I'm going to break you
Break you, I'm going to break you
Break you
Whipping the nightmares to a froth
Endless questions with no answers
No replacement for what's been lost
Lost
Everything suffocates in the dust of the past fortunes squandered
The empire of lies to whom you pandered
Suffer a self-imposed exile, taste the bitter fruits of denial
In the presence of greatness the humble can only bow
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
Full of nothing but deprivation
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
For an eternal winter
Tell me a lie with the best of intentions
Mute in the age of mass communication
Dark days lead to darker nights
Frozen, out of time
It dies for blessed ego, the once mighty laid low
Frost on the breath of life
Empty of warmth or light
Full of nothing but deprivation
Full of nothing but deprivation
Eternal winter
Full of nothing but deprivation
Eternal winter
You taught me hate, I'll teach you fear
Open the eyes, kill despair
You tried to squeeze the life from me
Son of a bitch, I'm going to break you
Son of a bitch, I'm going to break you
Break you, I'm going to break you
Break you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
"You taught me hate, I'll teach you fear" That is quite possibly the most powerful lyric I've ever heard.
You can take the Bush intrepretation for face value or you could search deeper...