"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 hope this old train breaks down
Then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see
Time is just a melody
With all the people in the street
Walking as fast as their feet can take 'em
I just roll through town
And though my window's got a view
Well, the frame I'm looking through
Seems to have no concern for me now
So for now I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
Well, this engine screams out loud
Centipede gonna crawl westbound
So I don't even make a sound
'Cause it's gonna sting me when I leave this town
And all the people in the street
That I'll never get to meet
These tracks don't bend somehow
And I got no time that I got to get to
Where I don't need to be, so I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Let me break on down
But you can't stop nothing if you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind that you kept and you know
You don't know nothing, but you don't need to know
The wisdom's in the trees, not the glass windows
You can't stop wishing if you don't let go
The things that you find and you lose and you know
You keep on rolling, put the moment on hold
The frame's too bright, so put the blinds down low and
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see
Time is just a melody
With all the people in the street
Walking as fast as their feet can take 'em
I just roll through town
And though my window's got a view
Well, the frame I'm looking through
Seems to have no concern for me now
So for now I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
Well, this engine screams out loud
Centipede gonna crawl westbound
So I don't even make a sound
'Cause it's gonna sting me when I leave this town
And all the people in the street
That I'll never get to meet
These tracks don't bend somehow
And I got no time that I got to get to
Where I don't need to be, so I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Let me break on down
But you can't stop nothing if you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind that you kept and you know
You don't know nothing, but you don't need to know
The wisdom's in the trees, not the glass windows
You can't stop wishing if you don't let go
The things that you find and you lose and you know
You keep on rolling, put the moment on hold
The frame's too bright, so put the blinds down low and
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
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 too enjoy Jack Johnson as well as his music.