"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.
Won't you take me where my
feet feel wholly in their own time
And the Cathedral of Reason lets the bells chime,
and the lighting is fine?
I'm old enough to know that
people waiting on some big sign
Should quit their waiting on the Devine.
Devine is what's in your mind
I've seen the cruel and hard and I've seen them hard on you
I'll buy you brand new shoes, if you cross to my side
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And if we're near or far from our city by the seaside
As long as we keep our stride,
I believe we'll be fine
You've seen the years roll on,
and you've seen me roll with you
I see the road is long, so get on my side
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And if we stay on our feet we'll make it in our own time
And though the road has got some steep climbs,
I believe we'll be fine
From your house, to my house, to the Mews
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Bethnal Green, to the Tube
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Aoyama to Shobuya
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Rock Creek Park, to the Ave., and out past the zoo
There's a whole lot of walking, whole lot of walking to do
And I'm here (and I'm here) and you're here and it's true
There's a whole lot walking to do
And you're cool (you're cool), and I'm cool, and it's true
There's a whole lot of walking to do
There's no fuss (no fuss!) and I trust, I trust you
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And you're strong (and I'm strong) and I can be too
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And you do, and I do
There's a whole lot of walking to do
feet feel wholly in their own time
And the Cathedral of Reason lets the bells chime,
and the lighting is fine?
I'm old enough to know that
people waiting on some big sign
Should quit their waiting on the Devine.
Devine is what's in your mind
I've seen the cruel and hard and I've seen them hard on you
I'll buy you brand new shoes, if you cross to my side
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And if we're near or far from our city by the seaside
As long as we keep our stride,
I believe we'll be fine
You've seen the years roll on,
and you've seen me roll with you
I see the road is long, so get on my side
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And if we stay on our feet we'll make it in our own time
And though the road has got some steep climbs,
I believe we'll be fine
From your house, to my house, to the Mews
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Bethnal Green, to the Tube
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Aoyama to Shobuya
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Rock Creek Park, to the Ave., and out past the zoo
There's a whole lot of walking, whole lot of walking to do
And I'm here (and I'm here) and you're here and it's true
There's a whole lot walking to do
And you're cool (you're cool), and I'm cool, and it's true
There's a whole lot of walking to do
There's no fuss (no fuss!) and I trust, I trust you
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And you're strong (and I'm strong) and I can be too
There's a whole lot of walking to do
And you do, and I do
There's a whole lot of walking to do
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Walking To Do Lyrics as written by Theodore F Leo
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think its a song about tolerance, religious tolerance. The references to divinity, cathedrals & walking in each other's shoes etc make that clear.
The places mentioned are in London, Tokyo & somewhere in the US...not sure of their significance though.
I'm not one to tell someone else there interpretation of a song is wrong, but I don't think the religious thing is accurate. This is the last song on the album, a very political and personal album, and in that context, the "whole lot of walking to do" of course means that there's more to come. Figuratively, more of life to come, and literally, more music to come in the future. A good chunk of the album is about fighting the status quo, and this song is a call to keep up the fight.
"I'm old enough to know that people waiting for some big sign Should quit their waiting on the Divine. Divine is what's in your mind."
This is one of my favorite lines on the album, because I think it brings attention to a rift between the way people think. Religion is used as an example here, but I think the divide is greater than that. I think it's political, spiritual, and is very apparent in America today. I think Ted is celebrating his way of thinking, and calling on whoever is listening to this song to maybe take the time to see things his way. I.E. A few lines later, and the theme to song, and quite possibly the entire album, is "I'll buy you brand new shoes, if you cross to my side, there's a whole lot of walking to do." I'll help you if take the time to try to look at the world from my point of view, basically.
And yes, breaklikeagirl, "walking in eachother's shoes" is a large part of what the song is about. But that is not strictly a religious reference.
Oh, and about the Ave. The exit for Connecticut Ave. off of Rock Creek Park is right next to the national Zoo. So clearly he is referring to Connecticut Ave and not Wisconsin.
right. he's trying to tell us to quit wasting our time looking for answers in religion... and bribing us, with the enticing concept of new shoes! which serves as a base for the metaphor he sets up next, the lots of walking... well, i think it refers to the fact we need to travel to find our real meaning of life... instead of believing what a book and some radicals tells us.... ?
I can't believe there are no comments on this song--it's amazing! The ending, with the echoing chorus, just makes you want to sing along and dance!
The last places mentioned are in Northwest Washington DC. Rock Creek Park is basically DC's answer to Central Park in NYC, "The Ave" is referring to Connecticut Ave. in NW which has a lot of bars/restaurants and appropriately for this song, the National Zoo.
I recently found out Ted Leo lived in DC for a while I believe, so it wouldn't shock me if he lived in London and Tokyo at some point too.
Also, if you believe has more of a religious theme, "The Ave" could be referring to Wisconsin Ave. which is near Connecticut Ave. Wisconsin Ave. is home to the National Cathedral.
The "cathedral of reason" is what Notre Dame was renamed during the French Revolution, in an attempt to get rid of catholicism and install a new way of thinking based on reason over religion. That is what i think this song is about. The line "I'm old enough to know that people waiting for some big sign Should quit their waiting on the Divine. Divine is what's in your mind" means that people have to quit waiting for god or some divine force to take action in their lives because the only divine driving force of the world is in the minds of men. Ted is saying that it is high time that people get to work, because there is a "whole lot of walking to do."
The basic meaning of the song is that even though your life may be hard, you have to get to work because the only thing that can help you is yourself and your own effort.
"and you do, and i do there's a whole lot of walking to do"
i think this song, apart from being about religion to some extent, is about his marriage to jodi buonanno from the secret stars.
This song is amazing..It was really cool though because I had it on while I was running to the zoo and I almost tripped when I thought I heard him say rock creek park..Gosh..DC is beautiful...and I love these lyrics...
while i agree with the religion aspect. and i know he is much deeper than this. but i tend to think it just may be about two people who need to compromise in a relationship.