"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.
This portrays a striking
resemblance to incidents that I’ve
I’ve endured before
When you walk away
You take everything you own for granted
You take everything you own for granted
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
This looks exactly like something
That’s happened to me before
And the letters you’ve written
Will never get here
When you walk away
You take everything you own for granted
And you take everything you own for granted
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
I’m burning up
My face is blushed
My fever is rising
Muscles weaking
And I am leaping
At opportunities to touch you
And it’s becoming blaringly obvious
That I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
resemblance to incidents that I’ve
I’ve endured before
When you walk away
You take everything you own for granted
You take everything you own for granted
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
This looks exactly like something
That’s happened to me before
And the letters you’ve written
Will never get here
When you walk away
You take everything you own for granted
And you take everything you own for granted
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
Although everything I said
Was just a picture in my head
I think we can make it
I’m burning up
My face is blushed
My fever is rising
Muscles weaking
And I am leaping
At opportunities to touch you
And it’s becoming blaringly obvious
That I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
I’m still walking after you
Lyrics submitted by rippedjeansandstars
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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."
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.
This song is about a boy who keeps getting run over in this relationship with his girl.. but everytime she 'walks away' he is always there there, willing to try to make things right again. He has been in similar relationships before (or maybe its just referring to past occurances with the same girl), but hes letting it occur once again. He only wishes that things would really work out this time...
i think i kinda of agree with the post above me. but i see it as more of a breakup. he wanted to work things out and thought they would. she on the other hand walks away and seems a little spoiled in a way. she expects a lot and almost seems like she doesnt deserve it. hes saying even after it all hes "still walking after her". meaning hes still going on with his life.
when you walk away you take everything you own for granted
im guessing he's talking about his heart.
this song is amazing, and sooo damn catchy. like ALL of the spill canvas' songs.
this song is amazing, and sooo damn catchy. like ALL of the spill canvas' songs.
I think it's about missing a girl. He loved her and she took advantage of him. He's 'still walking after her' Still wishing things would go back to how they were before. He wants her back and he's trying, but it's not working. She's not coming back.
"Although everything I said Was just a picture in my head I think we can make it"
wait...i've never heard this song before...where can i find it??
hmm does anyone know who the girl doing the backing vocals is?
I agree with the explanations that Pretty_Blackangell said...
Towards the end, where Nick says... "And it’s becoming \blaringly obvious\" It sounds and feels so powerful, like he is trying his absolute hardest to convince whoever how obvious it is. It's beautiful...As with all of TSC's songs
At opportunities to touch you And it’s becoming blaringly obvious That I’m still walking after you
so amazing. i love the ending and how it gets all loud and everything. and i can completely relate..