"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.
(And I brought)
(And I brought)
(And I brought, dreams)
(Dreams)
(Dreams)
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
I woke up out that coma 2001
'Bout the same time Dre dropped 2001
Three years later the album is done
Aftermath presents, Nigga Witta Attitude, Volume One
Rap critics politickin', wanna know the outcome
Ready to Die, Reasonable Doubt and Doggystyle in one
I feel like 'Pac after the Snoop Dogg trial was done
Dre behind that G series and All Eyez on Me
I watched the death of a dynasty, so I told Vibe Magazine
Workin' with Dr. Dre was a (dream)
I had visions of makin a classic, then my world turned black
Like I was starin' out of Stevie Wonder's glasses
It's kinda hard to imagine, like Kanye West
Coming back from his fatal accident to beat making and rapping
But, we the future, Whitney Houston told me that
And it's gon' take more than a bullet in the heart to hold me back
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
I had dreams of fuckin' a R&B bitch like Mya
When I saw that ass on the front of that King
Read the article in the magazine, she loved gangsters, loved nasty things
So I'm in the glass house having nasty dreams
Good girls never give it up
But anything is possible, if 50 fucked Vivica
Hurdled life's obstacles, found my way through the maze
Then joy turned to pain like Frankie Beverly and Maze
Used to dream of being Unsigned Hype
'Til I was crushed by Dave Mays, almost let my pen fall asleep on the page
Daydreamin' yesterday, dozin' off backstage
I thought I saw Eazy talking to Jam Master Jay
So I walked over, heard Jam Master say
"It's a hard knock life, then you pass away"
They say sleep is the cousin of death, so my eyes wide open
'Cause a dream is kin to your last breath
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
The dream of Huey Newton that's what I'm livin' through
The dream of Eric Wright, that's what I'm givin' you
Who walked through the White House without a business suit
Compton hat, jheri curl drippin' on Ronald Reagan's shoes
Gave Mike Lem my demo, came here to pay my dues
Started off with Whoo Kid, then I start blazin' Clue
It was all a dream like Big said it'd be
Don't sleep on me homey, I bring nightmares to reality
Rap phenomenon, defyin' the rules of gravity
Studied all the classics, start revisin' my strategy
'Cause Marshall Mathers made it, Curtis Jackson made it
Head in the clouds, wonderin' where the hell Marvin Gaye went
How do I say this? I'm livin' for my son
But I can't figure out, why I'm at my temple with this gun
Wake up to a Jesus piece like a catholic nun
The war to be a rap legend, has just begun
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
This song is dedicated to Yetunde Price
The sister of Venus and Serena Williams
Who was slain during a gang shootout in Compton
Sunday, September 14th, 2003, rest in peace
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(And I brought)
(And I brought)
(And I brought, dreams)
(Dreams)
(Dreams)
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
(And I brought)
(And I brought, dreams)
(Dreams)
(Dreams)
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
I woke up out that coma 2001
'Bout the same time Dre dropped 2001
Three years later the album is done
Aftermath presents, Nigga Witta Attitude, Volume One
Rap critics politickin', wanna know the outcome
Ready to Die, Reasonable Doubt and Doggystyle in one
I feel like 'Pac after the Snoop Dogg trial was done
Dre behind that G series and All Eyez on Me
I watched the death of a dynasty, so I told Vibe Magazine
Workin' with Dr. Dre was a (dream)
I had visions of makin a classic, then my world turned black
Like I was starin' out of Stevie Wonder's glasses
It's kinda hard to imagine, like Kanye West
Coming back from his fatal accident to beat making and rapping
But, we the future, Whitney Houston told me that
And it's gon' take more than a bullet in the heart to hold me back
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
I had dreams of fuckin' a R&B bitch like Mya
When I saw that ass on the front of that King
Read the article in the magazine, she loved gangsters, loved nasty things
So I'm in the glass house having nasty dreams
Good girls never give it up
But anything is possible, if 50 fucked Vivica
Hurdled life's obstacles, found my way through the maze
Then joy turned to pain like Frankie Beverly and Maze
Used to dream of being Unsigned Hype
'Til I was crushed by Dave Mays, almost let my pen fall asleep on the page
Daydreamin' yesterday, dozin' off backstage
I thought I saw Eazy talking to Jam Master Jay
So I walked over, heard Jam Master say
"It's a hard knock life, then you pass away"
They say sleep is the cousin of death, so my eyes wide open
'Cause a dream is kin to your last breath
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
The dream of Huey Newton that's what I'm livin' through
The dream of Eric Wright, that's what I'm givin' you
Who walked through the White House without a business suit
Compton hat, jheri curl drippin' on Ronald Reagan's shoes
Gave Mike Lem my demo, came here to pay my dues
Started off with Whoo Kid, then I start blazin' Clue
It was all a dream like Big said it'd be
Don't sleep on me homey, I bring nightmares to reality
Rap phenomenon, defyin' the rules of gravity
Studied all the classics, start revisin' my strategy
'Cause Marshall Mathers made it, Curtis Jackson made it
Head in the clouds, wonderin' where the hell Marvin Gaye went
How do I say this? I'm livin' for my son
But I can't figure out, why I'm at my temple with this gun
Wake up to a Jesus piece like a catholic nun
The war to be a rap legend, has just begun
Blushin' in this 40 ounce, lettin' the ink from my pen bleed
'Cause Martin Luther King had a (dream)
Aaliyah had a (dream), Left Eye had a (dream)
So I reached out to Kanye and (I brought you all my dreams)
('Cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
This song is dedicated to Yetunde Price
The sister of Venus and Serena Williams
Who was slain during a gang shootout in Compton
Sunday, September 14th, 2003, rest in peace
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(I love you)
(And I brought)
(And I brought)
(And I brought, dreams)
(Dreams)
(Dreams)
(And I brought you all my dreams 'cause I love you)
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
2nd verse line is "dosing off backstage" not "those on offback stage"