"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.
With the lights out it's a little less dangerous
Even with a stranger, never gets painless
Don't be afraid (afraid, afraid)
Every time I think I'm gonna change it
(Think I'm gonna change it, think I'm gonna change it)
It's driving me (driving me) insane (insane)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Maybe tonight we can forget about it all
It could be just like heaven
I am a machine
No longer living, just a shell of what I dreamed
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Say it, say it, say that you believe
Say it, say it, to me
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
(Whoever??)
Nothing you are
(Hold eyes and??)
Where you were then?
Say:
'I love you' - say it
See
Nothing you see
Do you live
Do you die
Do you bleed
For the fantasy?
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
Say it, say it, say that you believe
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say it to me
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say that you believe
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say it to me
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
I believe, I believe, I believe
Even with a stranger, never gets painless
Don't be afraid (afraid, afraid)
Every time I think I'm gonna change it
(Think I'm gonna change it, think I'm gonna change it)
It's driving me (driving me) insane (insane)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Maybe tonight we can forget about it all
It could be just like heaven
I am a machine
No longer living, just a shell of what I dreamed
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Say it, say it, say that you believe
Say it, say it, to me
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
(Whoever??)
Nothing you are
(Hold eyes and??)
Where you were then?
Say:
'I love you' - say it
See
Nothing you see
Do you live
Do you die
Do you bleed
For the fantasy?
Do you live, do you die, do you bleed
For the fantasy?
In your mind, through your eyes, do you see
It's the fantasy?
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
Say it, say it, say that you believe
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say it to me
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say that you believe
(Automatic, I imagine, I believe)
Say it, say it, say it to me
Automatic, I imagine, I believe
I believe, I believe, I believe
Lyrics submitted by pressreset, edited by WhiteOak
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Shove the fantasy