"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.
She's got a temper like a hurricane
Like Gasoline to a flame
She set fire to my heart
And then she blew it apart
And now I'm stranded on a love chicane
A cold chill when I hear her name
Cause even though I knew I'd lose
I still went and lit the fuse
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
She's got a head full of novocaine
But underneath still feels the same
She doesn't like it in the dark
Her little demons pull her apart
So now I'm stranded in a love chicaine
A cold chill when I hear her name
Cause even though I knew I'd lose
I still went and lit the fuse
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
And so,so
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
And so. so
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
Like Gasoline to a flame
She set fire to my heart
And then she blew it apart
And now I'm stranded on a love chicane
A cold chill when I hear her name
Cause even though I knew I'd lose
I still went and lit the fuse
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
She's got a head full of novocaine
But underneath still feels the same
She doesn't like it in the dark
Her little demons pull her apart
So now I'm stranded in a love chicaine
A cold chill when I hear her name
Cause even though I knew I'd lose
I still went and lit the fuse
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
And so,so
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
And so. so
And so I burn again
I'll wait my turn again
Too young to hold it in
And so I burn again
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.