"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.
Once more, I'll say goodbye to you
Things happen but we don't really know why
If it's supposed to be like this
Why do most of us ignore the chance to miss?
Oh yeah
Torn apart at the seams and my dreams turn to tears
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Once more you tell those lies to me
Why can't you just be straight up with honesty? (Honesty, honesty)
When you say those things in my ear
Why do you always tell me what you wanna hear? (Wanna hear, wanna hear)
Oh yeah
Wear your heart on your sleeve, make things hard to believe
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
And you'll see (see) me (me)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Torn apart at the seams are my dreams to the tears
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like me
It's the best place to be when you're
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
And you'll see (see) me (me)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Things happen but we don't really know why
If it's supposed to be like this
Why do most of us ignore the chance to miss?
Oh yeah
Torn apart at the seams and my dreams turn to tears
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Once more you tell those lies to me
Why can't you just be straight up with honesty? (Honesty, honesty)
When you say those things in my ear
Why do you always tell me what you wanna hear? (Wanna hear, wanna hear)
Oh yeah
Wear your heart on your sleeve, make things hard to believe
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
And you'll see (see) me (me)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Torn apart at the seams are my dreams to the tears
I'm not feeling this situation
Run away, try to find that safe place you can hide
It's the best place to be when you're feeling like me
It's the best place to be when you're
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
And you'll see (see) me (me)
All these things I hate revolve around
Me (me), yeah (yeah)
Just back off before I snap
Lyrics submitted by Hobbelf, edited by vincentsisk
All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me) Lyrics as written by Matthew Tuck Jason James
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Great version of a great song,
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one time I thought i was in love with this guy, and I was in the bak of his friends car sitting behind him. and this song was playing and i was singing it. and he pushed the seat back on my legs and told me i couldn't sing. fucker.
damn good song. I'll sing it all I want. and also, I never saw him again, which was my choice not his. gah. fuckingdick.