"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.
Look me in the eyes and tell the truth: what was going through your head?
I'd hang up the phone at times, and I'd wish that you were dead.
'Cause you were never there.
It made me think you never cared.
Growing up and it's not fair.
I'd turn around and hope to see you there, but you were nowhere to be found.
So spare me. You're still just a stranger to me.
(Broken!)
Will you ever be...
(Shadow!)
...more than a stranger to me?
The closer I get to you, the harder it hits.
Now you walk away. Don't look back on family you never had and never will.
The closer I get to you the harder it hits, and it hits so hard.
I force myself to remember memories that were never there.
Your face is a broken shadow.
Now all I want is to go home. I never did figure out what those words were all about.
Tell me! Tell me just how many times you let me down. (let down!)
The countless times that I waited for you in vain.
Tell me what was going through your head?
Did you second guess those things that were never said?
'Cause you were never there. It made me think you never cared.
Did you ever care? I guess I'll never know...
I'd hang up the phone at times, and I'd wish that you were dead.
'Cause you were never there.
It made me think you never cared.
Growing up and it's not fair.
I'd turn around and hope to see you there, but you were nowhere to be found.
So spare me. You're still just a stranger to me.
(Broken!)
Will you ever be...
(Shadow!)
...more than a stranger to me?
The closer I get to you, the harder it hits.
Now you walk away. Don't look back on family you never had and never will.
The closer I get to you the harder it hits, and it hits so hard.
I force myself to remember memories that were never there.
Your face is a broken shadow.
Now all I want is to go home. I never did figure out what those words were all about.
Tell me! Tell me just how many times you let me down. (let down!)
The countless times that I waited for you in vain.
Tell me what was going through your head?
Did you second guess those things that were never said?
'Cause you were never there. It made me think you never cared.
Did you ever care? I guess I'll never know...
Lyrics submitted by you fail me
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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
I believe this is about a father/son father/daughter relationship maybe an Alcoholic? Basically he's saying you were never there when I was growing up, I'd hope you'd be there, it was false hope that you'd finally come around. He's saying what was going through your head? What is it you want from me? Will you ever be more than a stranger? will you actually be my father? Yeah well he sounds like he's pretty pissed off asking what his father's problem was..why he was never there for him..he made false promises..and always let him down. He's not sure if he ever did really care at all.
it think its missing a bit. it could easily be interpreted as being about a girl but i think its just about friendship problems, a falling out with an old friend or sometihng like that.
Matterman, its funny that you say that you can see it being about a girl because so many people falsly interperated this song to being about a girl that they actually wrote a song about it entitled "This Song Is Deffinently Not About A Girl." Marcusismyname actually got it mostly right, this song is about a dead-beat dad.
Yeah, this song is deffinately NOT about a girl. :-D
By the way, this like isn't the words.
jessitheriveter nailed it. i read in an interview with jordan and he mentioned how people always think this song is about a girl/boy relationship. i think he said it's about matt's relationship with his parents. great song though. i love it.
JessiTheRiveter on 03-12-2007 @ 08:07:40 PM
"Matterman, its funny that you say that you can see it being about a girl because so many people falsly interperated this song to being about a girl that they actually wrote a song about it entitled "This Song Is Deffinently Not About A Girl." "
I know. Looking back I realise it's about a dead beat parent, but if you actually read my comment I said it could be easily interpreted as being about a girl, not that I thought that.
"it could easily be interpreted as being about a girl BUT i think its just about friendship problems, a falling out with an old friend or sometihng like that. "
And now I've changed my opinion anyway, but I didn't think it was about a girl, just that people could see it that way, as their song goes.
Matt wrote this song about growing up in a house without parents around and weren't really ever there for him. But everyone thought it was about a girl, which inspired them to write "This Song Is Definitely Not About A Girl".
source: hatesomethingbeautiful.com/
Look me in the eyes and tell the truth: what was going through your head? I'd hang up the phone at times, and I'd wish that you were dead. 'Cause you were never there. It made me think you never cared. (never cared) Growing up and it's not fair. I'd turn around and hope to see you there, but you were nowhere to be found. So just remember my words, thats all you've got now. You'll only see my face from time to time. And you'll soon forget, i was ever there.
So spare me. You're still just a stranger to me.
(Broken!) Will you ever be... (Shadow!) ...more than a stranger to me?
The closer I get to you, the harder it hits. Now you walk away. Don't look back on family you never had and never will. The closer I get to you the harder it hits, and it hits so hard.
I force myself to remember memories that were never there. (I never did figure out) Your face is a broken shadow. (What those words were all about.) Now all I want is to go home.
Tell me! Tell me just how many times you felt like you let me down. (let down!) The countless times that I waited for you, waited for you in vain. Tell me what was going through your head? Did you second guess those things that were never said? 'Cause you were never there. It made me think you never cared.
Did you ever care? (Did you ever...?) I guess I'll never know.
Those are the correct lyrics. By the way, he mentions growing up and losing family. How do people get a girlfriend out of this?
the first few times i thought this song was about a girl, i think i assume that of most songs. but when i actually READ the lyrics, i realized that it was pretty obvious this song is about a father, especially after the line "Don't look back on family you never had and never will"