"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.
There was an earthquake
In her dreams so she thinks her
Foundation is crumbling away
Fault lines in her words
Hoping to show a soul disturbed that
Has shaped her to what she is today
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Sometimes when I call
She tells me things that were not her fault
And her surface will start to break
Breakdown a hurting sound
I want to tell her that it's ok now
But I'm not too sure just what to say
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
Excuse me did she say
She wished she went away
And not return to the shame
Brought to her those days
We'll take man's dirty deeds
And suck them out by cosmic means
Into the sun hurl them
Where they'll be happy burning
But life is not tv
Life is not tv
Life is not tv
She's on wounded knee
And well crazy horse that's me
Her hard parts I'm cradling
I feel refreshed when I watch her sleep
Sometimes that's all I need
It's all about the company we keep
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
In her dreams so she thinks her
Foundation is crumbling away
Fault lines in her words
Hoping to show a soul disturbed that
Has shaped her to what she is today
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Sometimes when I call
She tells me things that were not her fault
And her surface will start to break
Breakdown a hurting sound
I want to tell her that it's ok now
But I'm not too sure just what to say
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
Excuse me did she say
She wished she went away
And not return to the shame
Brought to her those days
We'll take man's dirty deeds
And suck them out by cosmic means
Into the sun hurl them
Where they'll be happy burning
But life is not tv
Life is not tv
Life is not tv
She's on wounded knee
And well crazy horse that's me
Her hard parts I'm cradling
I feel refreshed when I watch her sleep
Sometimes that's all I need
It's all about the company we keep
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
Getting through to her
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
All she wants is some breathing room
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
If not tomorrow surely one day soon
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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."
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."
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.
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.
This is by far my favorite 311 song. I'm a little confused as to weather he's talking about someone he's involved with's problems. Or Just complaining about how she's completly out of touch with the world? (life is not tv...) Or maybe I'm just completly off all togther?