"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 when I'm Rollin'
all the trick is to keep it goin', flowin'
owin' nobody nothin'
knowin' my shit ain't gotten stolen
hopin' you're chokin' if you're
tryin' to say it's finally broken
lookin' for me and I swear it's in a unconscious motion
all the way down by the pound
the shit you read about
a nice round figure
anyone can figure out
and everything's for nothin'
if you're willing to try
gotta make an even bid
you gotta try to stay high
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta find out who
You gotta find out who and what it is
I know you feel me right now
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
and I just need a little time to
try to organize, negotiate and compromise
I'm tryin' not to advertise
to anyone they'll stick you
try to get you
don't you for get it
I hustle by myself
I don't trust having associates
I keep appearances below the 'lloted minimum
lay into 'em, get in to 'em
but only for an interim
intensive purposes of motivation, only fair
hope nobody notices
hope nobody cares
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta find out who
You gotta find out who and what it is
I know you feel me right now
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
What it is
You gotta find out
Who and what it is
You know well, me
I gotta find out
What it is
I got this honey of mine
she been workin' for the airlines
round trip tickets to Paris on the red eye
two brothers of mine
in the land of heat and sin
make the money when you land
you know they're droppin' me in
well the lord of the land
I caught him shootin' up sea rack
dropped me some funds
and he slipped' em in the nasdaq
everything's for nothin'
if you're willing to try
gotta make an even bid
you gotta try to stay high
'Cause everybody else
Is in on sumpin' else
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
all the trick is to keep it goin', flowin'
owin' nobody nothin'
knowin' my shit ain't gotten stolen
hopin' you're chokin' if you're
tryin' to say it's finally broken
lookin' for me and I swear it's in a unconscious motion
all the way down by the pound
the shit you read about
a nice round figure
anyone can figure out
and everything's for nothin'
if you're willing to try
gotta make an even bid
you gotta try to stay high
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta find out who
You gotta find out who and what it is
I know you feel me right now
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
and I just need a little time to
try to organize, negotiate and compromise
I'm tryin' not to advertise
to anyone they'll stick you
try to get you
don't you for get it
I hustle by myself
I don't trust having associates
I keep appearances below the 'lloted minimum
lay into 'em, get in to 'em
but only for an interim
intensive purposes of motivation, only fair
hope nobody notices
hope nobody cares
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta find out who
You gotta find out who and what it is
I know you feel me right now
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
What it is
You gotta find out
Who and what it is
You know well, me
I gotta find out
What it is
I got this honey of mine
she been workin' for the airlines
round trip tickets to Paris on the red eye
two brothers of mine
in the land of heat and sin
make the money when you land
you know they're droppin' me in
well the lord of the land
I caught him shootin' up sea rack
dropped me some funds
and he slipped' em in the nasdaq
everything's for nothin'
if you're willing to try
gotta make an even bid
you gotta try to stay high
'Cause everybody else
Is in on sumpin' else
'Cause everybody is in on sumpin' else
You gotta, you gotta
You gotta find out who and what it is
Lyrics submitted by Eggos=yum
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.