"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.
You never were going to change your mind, were you, Emily?
You just sat back, took it all for you, there was nothing for me;
I didn't mean to prove that all I can do is lose
Next time that you need me, don't call me up, Emily;
I'm tired of your lies and your cheating ways with me;
And every time you go, please don't let me know
Emily, you still live inside of me;
And, Emily, you are the fire in my tree;
So if you should fall, please don't call;
And next time you write, I won't stay up all night;
'cause Emily you, just look at you - you're a tragedy
You never were going to change you mind, were you, Emily?
You just sat back, took it all for you, and nothing was there for me;
I didn't mean to prove that all I'm good for is to lose
Emily, you still live inside of me;
And, Emily, you are the fire in my tree;
So next time you fall, please don't call;
And next time you write, I won't stay up all night;
'cause Emily you, just look at you - you're a tragedy
You never were going to change you're mind were you, anyway
You just sat back, took it all for you, there was nothing for me;
I didn't mean to prove that all I can do is lose
Next time that you need me, don't call me up, Emily;
I'm tired of your lies and your cheating ways with me;
And every time you go, please don't let me know
Emily, you still live inside of me;
And, Emily, you are the fire in my tree;
So if you should fall, please don't call;
And next time you write, I won't stay up all night;
'cause Emily you, just look at you - you're a tragedy
You never were going to change you mind, were you, Emily?
You just sat back, took it all for you, and nothing was there for me;
I didn't mean to prove that all I'm good for is to lose
Emily, you still live inside of me;
And, Emily, you are the fire in my tree;
So next time you fall, please don't call;
And next time you write, I won't stay up all night;
'cause Emily you, just look at you - you're a tragedy
You never were going to change you're mind were you, anyway
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
To me, Emily is a girl that the song writer used to love. This girl then messed him about, eg the lyrics "I'm tired of your lies and your cheating ways with me". I think that Emily cheated with someone better looking, but someone who was not as nice. Then later, when Emily realises she let w truely nice guy get away she regrets it. But the guy is no longer interested.
I know the song is about an ex girlfriend, but the song is different for me, because I know a girl called Emily who is 17 and dying of cancer, and the last line of the chorus really struck me when I heard it on the radio - "'Cause Emily you, well just look at you - you're a tragedy"
Beautiful song, I love his voice
I'm an air hostess for thomsonfly and this is on the boarding music for september. Been wondering what it was since then because it's beautiful.
It's not a girl he used to love, he still does and he knows she's bad news, doesn't mean you can just switch off those emotions.
i dont know what it is about this song. heard it on the radio, its awesome. cant give you a reason why, but i love it.
I have no idea if im right or not, but i always think he is basically telling emily that hes fed up with her. Shes messed him about and gone off with different people and then would come crawling back crying and he would always be there for her and listen to her...he was always her shoulder to cry on...but now shes done it too many times, and no matter how much he still loves her he just cant do it any more...
When I first heard this song, which was maybe 4 years ago i loved it. Since then i have split up with a long term girlfriend and this song is exactly how i feel. I take the song to mean that he was in love with a girl and in a relationship with her although he always felt that she was too good for him. For this reason every time she cheated he took her back because he seen her as being so beautiful. However he has now seen sense and decided that he won't tolorate it any longer.
i heard stephen fretwell on the radio talking about this song and apparently it's abou a girl who he was in love with and he used to go round to her house all the time and stuff but she was just using him. she knew he was in love with her but she wasn't in love with him, she just used to mess him around and she was pretty messed up! hence the tragedy line. also she wasn't really called emily!
I think we've all felt this way about someone (or will eventually).
He still loves her, but she obviously was using him or taking the relationship for granted (or both).
He put up with a lot ("took it all for you") and she never reciprocated. She exhibits self-destructive behavior ("you're a tragedy") and also has brought this guy down with her ("Emily, you are the fire in my tree.")
He no longer wants to know what's going on with her life and who she's seeing ("every time you go, please don't let me know"). It's apparent that they still keep in contact. She might still call him when she needs someone to lay next to her to make her feel better ("next time you fall, please don't call."). This guy keeps running back to her, and I think by saying that he no longer will, he's lying to himself. He wants her not to call because he knows he's too weak to not pick up that phone.
This guy is a schizophrenic and he named his alternate personality Emily. Whenever he gets pissed off, he blames it on Emily. What a friggin psychopath. He is freakin' out. And so are you if you couldn't figure this out for yourself. Jesus. Jesus f***ing christ people. Now go back to your bongs and joints that make you feel better about yourselves. don't worry. You'll see it eventually.
Ha ha I like it! Good to see some humour on here lol