"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.
this isn't love this is shelter
and I wanna tell you that tonight
I feel warm
here in my head
I feel warm
here in my chest
I feel warm
locked in your arms
I feel warm
this isn't real this is lovely
this isn't tension this is reason
this is all I can say aloud
I feel aloud
this isn't love this is shelter
I wanna tell you that something here isn't working
I wanna find me a sign in the shape of things
this isn't love this is me
here in my heart
I feel warm
and I wanna tell you that tonight
I feel warm
here in my head
I feel warm
here in my chest
I feel warm
locked in your arms
I feel warm
this isn't real this is lovely
this isn't tension this is reason
this is all I can say aloud
I feel aloud
this isn't love this is shelter
I wanna tell you that something here isn't working
I wanna find me a sign in the shape of things
this isn't love this is me
here in my heart
I feel warm
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
This song rings a bell from my personal experience. I once was with a woman even though I knew she loved me and I could never love her back like she deserved. But I was hurting from a bad break up and I needed comfort. I took advantage of her and used her for pure comfort and I felt incredibly guilty afterward. To me, it seems as if the speaker in this song is going through the same situation. But then again, that interpretation is highly colored with personal bias.