"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.
Somewhere in your eyes
That very special glow
Something drawing me
To where I do not know
I never really thought
That I would lose myself
Now I'm going faster
Than anybody else
You move without a sound
And touch me with your hand
Just like the rain that fondles
Every grain of sand
This thing we're gonna do
It's just for you and me
I'm gonna make it good
Good as it can be
Your kiss is sweeter now
Your breath is getting warm
We must take our time
And last it through til dawn
I wonder will it be
Oh, I expect it to
There have been other girls
No-one else like you
I feel a power here
I never felt before
And I begin to see
What drives us to want more
Oh, girl of all my dreams
Please tell me if I'm wrong
Because I've been blue
But we belong
As time passed and all too fast
I just knew we couldn't last
And I guessed that the end
Was near at hand
Though we tried our love inside
It just crumpled up and died
What went wrong
I will never understand
You tell me why
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
I don't want to be
Alone again
There's a line in a rhyme
I was going to send to you
It says, "All that is to be
Will surely be"
So oh, though you had to go
'Cause you needed someone new
Is there still a chance
That you'll come back to me
I want you back you see
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
I don't want to be alone again
Somewhere in your eyes
That very special glow
Something drawing me
To where I do not know
I never really thought
That I would lose myself
But now I'm going faster
Than anybody else
You move without a sound
And touch me with your hand
Just like the waves that fondle
Every little grain of sand
This thing we're gonna do
It's just for you and me
And I'm gonna make it good
Just you wait and see
That very special glow
Something drawing me
To where I do not know
I never really thought
That I would lose myself
Now I'm going faster
Than anybody else
You move without a sound
And touch me with your hand
Just like the rain that fondles
Every grain of sand
This thing we're gonna do
It's just for you and me
I'm gonna make it good
Good as it can be
Your kiss is sweeter now
Your breath is getting warm
We must take our time
And last it through til dawn
I wonder will it be
Oh, I expect it to
There have been other girls
No-one else like you
I feel a power here
I never felt before
And I begin to see
What drives us to want more
Oh, girl of all my dreams
Please tell me if I'm wrong
Because I've been blue
But we belong
As time passed and all too fast
I just knew we couldn't last
And I guessed that the end
Was near at hand
Though we tried our love inside
It just crumpled up and died
What went wrong
I will never understand
You tell me why
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
I don't want to be
Alone again
There's a line in a rhyme
I was going to send to you
It says, "All that is to be
Will surely be"
So oh, though you had to go
'Cause you needed someone new
Is there still a chance
That you'll come back to me
I want you back you see
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
How could you leave me
Alone again
I don't want to be alone again
Somewhere in your eyes
That very special glow
Something drawing me
To where I do not know
I never really thought
That I would lose myself
But now I'm going faster
Than anybody else
You move without a sound
And touch me with your hand
Just like the waves that fondle
Every little grain of sand
This thing we're gonna do
It's just for you and me
And I'm gonna make it good
Just you wait and see
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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.
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.
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.
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.
So I have the right to be first person who can comment this song. Good :-) I don't like to be first, so I'll just tell that this song
is very good. Cause it is.
This song is better than good. It is fabulous! The lyrical love story, eventual failure, and hope for return is so wonderfully penned. Congratulations Ken Hensley on a masterpiece. This was the first with full orchestra. This lp was a slight departure from the first raw energy lp, but I recall getting blown away by what we felt was tremendous progress both lyrically and musically. Ken Hensley penned most of this lp. In Salisbury cut credit should be given to Mick Box for the awesome guitar work. The chord progression is simple 4 chords, but the lead riffs, especially the three near the end are mind blowing. His contribution to this, which really should be considered their signature song, is magnificent. If you listen closely you can even hear when he hits the foot button just before ripping it up. Both thumbs up for this cut even more than 40 years after I first heard it, I am still impressed.
It's too bad David Byron was a flaming alcoholic. It eventually caused Ken Hensley to leave the group and of course, David drank himself to death. Uriah Heep still exists thanks to Mick Box but it's not nearly the same. Ken went on to a mostly mediocre solo career, not that his music wasn't spectacular because it was. Sounded a lot like Heep. Duh? He was the principal songwriter after all. This song epitomizes the incredible potential of this group which unfortunately was never totally realized.