"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 guess you don't need it
I guess you don't want me to repeat it
But everything I have to give I'll give to you
It's not like we planned it
You tried to stay, but you could not stand it
To see me shut down slow
As though it was an easy thing to do
Listen when
All of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I left you heartbroken
But not until those very words were spoken
Has anybody ever made such a fool out of you
It's hard to believe it
Even as my eyes do see it
The very things that make you live are killing you
Listen when all of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
Listen when
All of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
If you shelter me too
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I guess you don't want me to repeat it
But everything I have to give I'll give to you
It's not like we planned it
You tried to stay, but you could not stand it
To see me shut down slow
As though it was an easy thing to do
Listen when
All of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I left you heartbroken
But not until those very words were spoken
Has anybody ever made such a fool out of you
It's hard to believe it
Even as my eyes do see it
The very things that make you live are killing you
Listen when all of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
Listen when
All of this around us will fall over
I tell you what we're gonna do
Hey, you will shelter me, my love
And I, I will shelter you
If you shelter me too
I will shelter you
I will shelter you
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
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.
Regardless of the meaning Ray intended it for, this will be my wedding song. Promising to shelter one another for the rest of each other's lives during our first close embrace together as man and wife through this song...I can't think of a more perfect memory.
I feel like an ass coming so late to the Ray party . . . he has inspired me to take up the guitar. I think that is song can mean so many different things. I am all about the chorus: "All of this around us'll fall over I tell you what we're gonna do You will shelter me my love And I will shelter you I will shelter you" May be too simplistic but, I feel like he means that all the shit in life will come and go, but what will always be there is this imperfect love between two people sheltering each other from the storm.
this is the best song on the album.
agreed. i have practically lived this song
i think this song is about a couple who used to date and somehow things dried up between them but they still have this strong attraction to one another. During their separation they build different lives but they understand that its only temporary, and once these separate lives fall apart they will still have eachother.
The live version of this song is much better than the album version - Ray evokes so much more conviction emotion. Beyond that, however, the constant and repetitive refrain "I will shelter you" so aptly describes love - the thing one lover wants to do to the other and what the one wants the other to do.
I think it's about two people that have broken up, and have no intentions of getting back together, but they still love each other and would do anything for one another. It very lovely.
i think this song is about him apologising for something that hes done, that he keeps hurting her and he wants forgiveness and another try "Iguess you dont need it i guess you dont want me to repeat it" means that he always says this when he lets her down. "its not like we planned it" meaning he somethingmite have happened between them to cause this" "to see me shut down so low as if it was an easy thing to do" meaning the thing that happened effected him badly and it wasnt easy. the shelter part of the song is about being there fore each other through everything no matter how hard life gets sheltering each other is all they need but he needs her to shelter her only if she does the same. i love the bit were he softly says "if you shelter me too" meaning he needs to be sheltered more i suppose because hes going through a rough time" quality song. love it.
It's just a beautiful song about what and how you should love. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes its hard but the ones we love cannot always be the strong
AMAZING