"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.
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day
Take your time
Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Be a simple kind of man
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow you heart and nothing else
And you can do this if you try
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Be a simple kind of man
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day
Take your time
Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Be a simple kind of man
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow you heart and nothing else
And you can do this if you try
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Be a simple kind of man
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Lyrics submitted by Foreverlife, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Simple Man Lyrics as written by Gary Robert Rossington Ronnie Van Zant
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Maybe ppl cover songs because it speaks what they want to write. Maybe they admire the band, or maybe it was a bet. Who really cares! It's an awesome cover, probably the best cover i've ever heard.
What i will say about the meaning is something i stand firmly on! Skynyrd had a meaning to this song in which only they will understand, and chino will have a meaning to this song in which the deftones will only understand. Musical lyrics aren't always meant for the listener to understand, lets be courteous to both versions and allow both bands to have their own meanings. It's one thing to write a song, it's another to sing it! No one will ever say that J-Cash did a better version of "Hurt" than NIN, only because Trent had a different meaning than J-Cash did. Trent was meant to write it as J-Cash was meant to sing it. Two totally different eras.