"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.
Can I stop my life, so I could just be with you?
Let's hightail to Hawaii on a plane.
I'll embezzle whats left of my band fund
To take necessary action to destroy what I have/need.
You and I, we'll move to New York City.
I'll get a temp job, you'll start your career.
I'm not being fickle, just realistic.
The air is moist but it never gets too cold this time of year.
So tell me was it worth it?
Answer before I get in my van...
...to drive into the Pacific, where I'll probably never see your face again.
Say the word, and I'll put my guitar down.
I'll be sad, but at least we'll both get laid.
We'll start to fight when I start to resent you.
And we'll both agree the thought was nice but I should not have stayed.
Take the I-WHATEVER to desolation.
And now fast food's reminding me of you.
So I'll write postcards, and I'll forget to send them.
Thanks a lot, I lost my mind, and now I'm losing you.
So tell me something awesome... (AWESOME!)
...that can last my whole life sentence in the van. (in the van)
Cause I'm on the S.S. Ambition to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
So tell me something awesome...
...that can last my whole life sentence in the van.
Cause I'm on the S.S. Stupid Goals to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
Cause I'm on the S.S. Bullshit Dreams to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
Let's hightail to Hawaii on a plane.
I'll embezzle whats left of my band fund
To take necessary action to destroy what I have/need.
You and I, we'll move to New York City.
I'll get a temp job, you'll start your career.
I'm not being fickle, just realistic.
The air is moist but it never gets too cold this time of year.
So tell me was it worth it?
Answer before I get in my van...
...to drive into the Pacific, where I'll probably never see your face again.
Say the word, and I'll put my guitar down.
I'll be sad, but at least we'll both get laid.
We'll start to fight when I start to resent you.
And we'll both agree the thought was nice but I should not have stayed.
Take the I-WHATEVER to desolation.
And now fast food's reminding me of you.
So I'll write postcards, and I'll forget to send them.
Thanks a lot, I lost my mind, and now I'm losing you.
So tell me something awesome... (AWESOME!)
...that can last my whole life sentence in the van. (in the van)
Cause I'm on the S.S. Ambition to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
So tell me something awesome...
...that can last my whole life sentence in the van.
Cause I'm on the S.S. Stupid Goals to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
Cause I'm on the S.S. Bullshit Dreams to nowhere...
...and I'll probably never see your face again.
Lyrics submitted by KeasbyKnights
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song reminds me of my first girlfriend. Its simultaneously uplifting and depressing, like all bitter ex-love songs should be. I love it.