"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.
Do you pay for your crimes?
Does the punishment fit or drag your style to zero
You're nothing till the weekend
If you think that you're the thrill
Take a look at your life, you kneel before your heroes
You're nothing till the weekend
Could you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Do you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Are you listening?
No, in the narrowest sense
Are you listening?
I can hold you down by candlelight
With indifference
Let the comfort start
I love you on your right side
It happens
Promises broken
Reasons let go
It happens
Are you listening?
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
Echo, echo, echo, echo
Echo, echo, echo
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Does the punishment fit or drag your style to zero
You're nothing till the weekend
If you think that you're the thrill
Take a look at your life, you kneel before your heroes
You're nothing till the weekend
Could you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Do you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Are you listening?
No, in the narrowest sense
Are you listening?
I can hold you down by candlelight
With indifference
Let the comfort start
I love you on your right side
It happens
Promises broken
Reasons let go
It happens
Are you listening?
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
Echo, echo, echo, echo
Echo, echo, echo
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Lyrics submitted by plasticwonder
Kiss and Swallow Lyrics as written by Chris Corner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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To me this song seems about religious dogma and judging everyone by extreme personal beliefs. It make be about having the kind of mentality that dictates 'if you're not with me, you're definitely against me'.
"Do you pay for your crimes? Does the punishment fit or drag your style to zero You're nothing till the weekend" It seems like this is talking about one of those religious extremists that judges everyone, but fail to see that they too, may be sinners. So it's like 'stop judging and take a good look at yourself. Are you any better than the next guy?' And the line 'you're nothing till the weekend' is about actually going to church (various religions have different holy days of the week; Islam has Friday, Judaism Saturday, Christianity Sunday - all which could be considered part of the weekend) and the person having an opportunity to show their 'righteousness' in public amongst like minded people, since during the week they may be around people that don't have the same beliefs as them, and may not see the person's actions as dignified as they would be seen amongst people with a similar mentality as the religious person.
"If you think that you're the thrill Take a look at your life, you kneel before your heroes You're nothing till the weekend" Again, this is saying that sure, the person may consider themself so great and righteous, but all they're really doing is kneeling before their idols and falling into this dogma, and does this really make them that great of a person?
"Do you care for the blind? Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros Something for the weekend If you think that you can spell Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them Send them on the weekend" I think the reference to the blind may refer to Jesus' teachings, about helping the less unfortunate. But the part that says 'they're just your kind of zeros' again may refer to someone who uses religion as a means to feel superior for others and this may be asking whether the person helps the less unfortunate out of true sympathy or because they know this is another deed that will help them seem better than everyone. And the entire thing about 'the cunts you'd send to hell' may be about prostitutes in the times of Jesus, such as Mary Magdalene, and whether the person can find the power to forgive such people, or whether they will damn them. Or it may be about 'sinners' that the person can easily point their finger at and condemn them.
"Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow" This may be a reference to Judas, who after kissing Jesus on the cheek and betraying him, 'swallowed' the guilt, and tried to move on with his life. Of course it became too hard to bear, and then he hung himself. The echo may be a representation of Judas when he went crazy in the garden, maybe he heard voices or something. (Excuse my ignorance to such details from the Bible. It's been ages since I've read anything out of it.)
"Are you listening?" This may be a sort of a voice of reason, asking the person whether the way they're going about asserting their beliefs may be that good of an idea. Or maybe it's even asking whether they have any ability left to think for themselves.
"No - In the narrowest sense" This is the reply to the question above. Maybe the person is happy in their ignorance.
"Are you listening? I can hold you down by candlelight With indifference" "By candlelight" may mean to keep the person in the dark, in this comforting lie.
"Let the comfort start I love you on your right side" I think by this point it becomes kind of like a conversation with themselves, and trying to decide what side to take and what to do. Is it easier to continue with this religious dogma, or is it okay to start questioning? The 'right side' may refer to the 'right hand of god', where I think Jesus sits. So maybe the person is finds it easier to be lead by religion, and prefers being this way.
"It happens Promises broken Reasons let go It happens Are you listening?" Again, maybe the voice of reason, reminding the person that things can change, even strong ideals may falter, and asking them whether they're willing to accept this shift or not.