"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've never lied to you
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
This time I know I'm gonna smash the bet
I foresee it smacked in the back of the net
Men grip slips, wipe their hands that sweat
The camera pans the away fans end
Twenty quid for blues to thrash the reds
Then cash that cash, when the ref has said
My mate's out, his pads a mess
Its getting late, I've not dashed yet
Oh, the question I have to ask myself
Is can I see us not battering them?
If I can't see that happening then
I'm gonna put all my money down on one fat bet
Now I don't know the first thing about football
But my instincts tell me this is my windfall
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
This time I know I woulda cashed the lot
I woulda held in my hand the whole jackpot
The games won, the ends have a swap
Two nil up, they're getting mashed up
But I won't win now, the chance flopped
'Cause I couldn't make it to the damn shop
Might as well put tea in that pot
I've got nowhere else I have to bop
The question I have to ask one
Is how I managed, not to manage the trot
Maybe I could phone in and slap it on
Put all my money on a mid-match one
Yes, I don't know the first thing about football
But my instincts tell me this is my windfall
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
Oh shit, I'm mad glad I didn't back that match
Suppose to be an unproblematic catch
Full time the whistle blasted after
The last passer, passed the last pass
Would you believe how we fell back
Three goals lost in the last half
So glad I was stranded back at the flat
Wincing at every goal we let 'em have
The question I now have to ask
Is how the fuck did we get smashed that bad?
I just very, very nearly, nearly
Lost every penny of all my cash
Yes, I don't know the first thing about football
And my instincts almost led me to a pitfall
It's his lucky day, that was barmy
He didn't tick the box on the slip and what a relief
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But next time he will be more lucky, next time he'll be fined
It's his lucky day, that was barmy
He didn't tick the box on the slip and what a relief
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But next time he will be more lucky, next time he'll be fined
I need to rethink the technique of my betting shit
Maybe change the parameters a little bit
Instead of betting on to win the football
I'll bet to lose the cricket
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
This time I know I'm gonna smash the bet
I foresee it smacked in the back of the net
Men grip slips, wipe their hands that sweat
The camera pans the away fans end
Twenty quid for blues to thrash the reds
Then cash that cash, when the ref has said
My mate's out, his pads a mess
Its getting late, I've not dashed yet
Oh, the question I have to ask myself
Is can I see us not battering them?
If I can't see that happening then
I'm gonna put all my money down on one fat bet
Now I don't know the first thing about football
But my instincts tell me this is my windfall
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
This time I know I woulda cashed the lot
I woulda held in my hand the whole jackpot
The games won, the ends have a swap
Two nil up, they're getting mashed up
But I won't win now, the chance flopped
'Cause I couldn't make it to the damn shop
Might as well put tea in that pot
I've got nowhere else I have to bop
The question I have to ask one
Is how I managed, not to manage the trot
Maybe I could phone in and slap it on
Put all my money on a mid-match one
Yes, I don't know the first thing about football
But my instincts tell me this is my windfall
It's his lucky day, that's a given
He'll tick the box on the slip and then just watch and learn
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But this is gonna pay, he feels it this one'll be fine
Oh shit, I'm mad glad I didn't back that match
Suppose to be an unproblematic catch
Full time the whistle blasted after
The last passer, passed the last pass
Would you believe how we fell back
Three goals lost in the last half
So glad I was stranded back at the flat
Wincing at every goal we let 'em have
The question I now have to ask
Is how the fuck did we get smashed that bad?
I just very, very nearly, nearly
Lost every penny of all my cash
Yes, I don't know the first thing about football
And my instincts almost led me to a pitfall
It's his lucky day, that was barmy
He didn't tick the box on the slip and what a relief
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But next time he will be more lucky, next time he'll be fined
It's his lucky day, that was barmy
He didn't tick the box on the slip and what a relief
He's not addicted, he can stop anytime
But next time he will be more lucky, next time he'll be fined
I need to rethink the technique of my betting shit
Maybe change the parameters a little bit
Instead of betting on to win the football
I'll bet to lose the cricket
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I don't have a problem...I really don't. I can quit whenever I want. ;) Gambling addiction is bad for you kids (especially if you don't know anything about the sport!!) and remember, A Grand don't come for Free
I think the whole album sums up the mid-twenties blues fairly well