"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.
Christmas lights hung up outside
Middle of the day
Middle of July
Don't ask me why
'Cause holidays are best that way
In time you please
Hang up lights on ceiling fans
And hang them up on trees
And watch them flicker
Watch them flash
Get used to the fact
That she's not coming back
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
And since she's gone the world goes on
And you, you still exist
You're surprised you realize
That no one gives a shit
About your bad T.V. reception
Or your broken heart
Sit down in your favorite chair
And suffer in the dark
And watch them flicker
Watch them flash
Get used to the fact
That she's not coming back
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out
You've gone out
You've gone out
You've gone out of style
She's gone away
You think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
She's gone away
And you think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
She's gone away
And you think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
Middle of the day
Middle of July
Don't ask me why
'Cause holidays are best that way
In time you please
Hang up lights on ceiling fans
And hang them up on trees
And watch them flicker
Watch them flash
Get used to the fact
That she's not coming back
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
And since she's gone the world goes on
And you, you still exist
You're surprised you realize
That no one gives a shit
About your bad T.V. reception
Or your broken heart
Sit down in your favorite chair
And suffer in the dark
And watch them flicker
Watch them flash
Get used to the fact
That she's not coming back
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out of style
And there's no Christmas in July
You've gone out
You've gone out
You've gone out
You've gone out of style
She's gone away
You think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
She's gone away
And you think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
She's gone away
And you think that you might die
But you're a strong boy, you'll survive
You sit around and contemplate
The things that you might say
If she calls,
She's never gonna call
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
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.
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.
I love how this song sounds. And the lyrics grab and hold you if you've been through a relationship where you fall out with someone you care for. My favorite from Calamine and I only heard of them recently. They were a promising project
In my opinion, it sounds like his girlfriend broke up with him around Christmas time. All the while he has been in such a despair that taking down the lights may make it too real for him. So it's now July and he is just coming to terms with the fact that she is gone and never coming back.
I heavily relate to this song as it, or my interpretation of it, is pretty much what happened to me. Nobody truly cared about my "bad TV reception" or broken heart and I was left alone.
Definitely my favorite song from Calamine. Though I wish they were still making music. It's just interesting and different from most things nowadays.