"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 ordered a frappuccino
Where's my fucking frappuccino
All right let's do this
When I pretend, everything is what I want it to be
I looked exactly like what you always wanted to see
When I pretend, I can't forget about the criminal I am
Stealing second after second just 'cause I know I can, but
I can't pretend that this is they way it'll stay, I'm just (trying to bend the truth)
I can't pretend of who you want me to be so I'm (lying my way from)
If you feelin' like a pimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off
Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off
Niggas is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you
Get, that, dirt off your shoulder
I probably owe it to y'all, probably be locked by the force
Tryin' to hustle some things, that go with the Porsche
Feelin' no remorse, feelin' like my hand was forced
Middle finger to the law, nigga grippin' my balls
Said the ladies they love me, from the bleachers they screamin'
All the ballers is bouncin they like the way I be leanin
All the rappers be hatin, off the track that I'm makin'
But all the hustlers they love it just to see one of us make it
Came from the bottom the bottom, to the top of the pops
Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the block
Like a running back, get it man, I'm straight off the block
I can run it back, nigga 'cause I'm straight with the Roc
If you feelin' like a pimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off
Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off
Niggas is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you
Get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
Your homey Hov' in position, in the kitchen with soda
I just whipped up a watch, tryin' to get me a Rover
Tryin' to stretch out the coca, like a wrestler, yes sir
Keep the Heckler close, you know them smokers'll test ya
But like, fifty-two cards when I'm, I'm through dealin
Now fifty-two bars come out, now you feel 'em
Now, fifty-two cars roll out, remove ceiling
In case fifty-two broads come out, now you chillin
With a boss bitch of course S.C. On the sleeve
At the 40/40 club, ESPN on the screen
I paid a grip for the jeans, plus the slippers is clean
No chrome on the wheels, I'm a grown-up for real, chill
Yeah, I remember what they taught to me
Remember condescending took for who I ought to be
Remember listenin' to all of that and this again
So I pretended up a person who was fitting in
And now you think this person really is me and I'm (trying to bend the truth)
But the more I push the more I'm pulling away 'cause I'm (lying my way from)
You (Nah, no turning back now)
I wanna be pushed aside so let me go
(Nah, no turning back now)
Let me take me back my life
I'd rather be all alone (No turning back now)
And anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see (Nah, no turning back now)
The very worst part of you
The very worst part of you, it's me!
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
You (Nah, no turning back now)
I wanna be pushed aside so let me go
(Nah, no turning back now)
Let me take me back my life
I'd rather be all alone (No turning back now)
And anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see (Nah, no turning back now)
The very worst part of you
The very worst part of you, it's me!
Biatch!
Where's my fucking frappuccino
All right let's do this
When I pretend, everything is what I want it to be
I looked exactly like what you always wanted to see
When I pretend, I can't forget about the criminal I am
Stealing second after second just 'cause I know I can, but
I can't pretend that this is they way it'll stay, I'm just (trying to bend the truth)
I can't pretend of who you want me to be so I'm (lying my way from)
If you feelin' like a pimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off
Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off
Niggas is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you
Get, that, dirt off your shoulder
I probably owe it to y'all, probably be locked by the force
Tryin' to hustle some things, that go with the Porsche
Feelin' no remorse, feelin' like my hand was forced
Middle finger to the law, nigga grippin' my balls
Said the ladies they love me, from the bleachers they screamin'
All the ballers is bouncin they like the way I be leanin
All the rappers be hatin, off the track that I'm makin'
But all the hustlers they love it just to see one of us make it
Came from the bottom the bottom, to the top of the pops
Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the block
Like a running back, get it man, I'm straight off the block
I can run it back, nigga 'cause I'm straight with the Roc
If you feelin' like a pimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off
Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off
Niggas is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you
Get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
Your homey Hov' in position, in the kitchen with soda
I just whipped up a watch, tryin' to get me a Rover
Tryin' to stretch out the coca, like a wrestler, yes sir
Keep the Heckler close, you know them smokers'll test ya
But like, fifty-two cards when I'm, I'm through dealin
Now fifty-two bars come out, now you feel 'em
Now, fifty-two cars roll out, remove ceiling
In case fifty-two broads come out, now you chillin
With a boss bitch of course S.C. On the sleeve
At the 40/40 club, ESPN on the screen
I paid a grip for the jeans, plus the slippers is clean
No chrome on the wheels, I'm a grown-up for real, chill
Yeah, I remember what they taught to me
Remember condescending took for who I ought to be
Remember listenin' to all of that and this again
So I pretended up a person who was fitting in
And now you think this person really is me and I'm (trying to bend the truth)
But the more I push the more I'm pulling away 'cause I'm (lying my way from)
You (Nah, no turning back now)
I wanna be pushed aside so let me go
(Nah, no turning back now)
Let me take me back my life
I'd rather be all alone (No turning back now)
And anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see (Nah, no turning back now)
The very worst part of you
The very worst part of you, it's me!
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
This isn't what I wanted to be
I never thought that what I said would have you running from me, like this
You (Nah, no turning back now)
I wanna be pushed aside so let me go
(Nah, no turning back now)
Let me take me back my life
I'd rather be all alone (No turning back now)
And anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see (Nah, no turning back now)
The very worst part of you
The very worst part of you, it's me!
Biatch!
Lyrics submitted by Froggie Kid, edited by smexybak
Dirt off Your Shoulder/Lying from You Lyrics as written by Chester Bennington Brad Delson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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,
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
????? Where'd all the comments here go... Did I miss something?