"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.
One, two, three, four
Here
The future is only so near
Why should we all be alone
Every night on the way home
This time
We should be starting again
Get up, I'm counting to ten
Seeing you comb all your hair
Pretending that no one is there
You know
It can be better than that
But wait until tomorrow morning
Learning to be you is what hurts most
Close your eyes and hold your terror close
Out here
I hear you come in loud and clear
I carried you till it got dark
And then walked you home through the park
You're right
Strangers are easy to like
Thunder and lightning will strike
Make the move, you'll get the knack
Echoes that don't answer back
Just please
Give me a chance to say no
But wait until tomorrow morning
Learning to be you is what hurts most
Close your eyes and hold your terror close
Here
The future is only so near
Why should we all be alone
Every night on the way home
This time
We should be starting again
Get up, I'm counting to ten
Seeing you comb all your hair
Pretending that no one is there
You know
It can be better than that
But wait until tomorrow morning
Learning to be you is what hurts most
Close your eyes and hold your terror close
Out here
I hear you come in loud and clear
I carried you till it got dark
And then walked you home through the park
You're right
Strangers are easy to like
Thunder and lightning will strike
Make the move, you'll get the knack
Echoes that don't answer back
Just please
Give me a chance to say no
But wait until tomorrow morning
Learning to be you is what hurts most
Close your eyes and hold your terror close
Lyrics submitted by langdon, edited by goldengrass
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
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Langdon is absolutely right.