"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.
My debut is coming soon
You already know what I'm gonna do
You got my time on the dotted line
But you show up invited and before I sign
And someone say I'm not making mistakes
But please don't be fake
My debut comes today
And my feelings have all run away
With the man that I am but understand
Hey, if I don't keep going it'll just go to show
That I've been beat by an industry I've never seen
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
Oh, and take it all, oh, just take it all, this is me
So the crowd gets quiet, I start to play
And I think they're buying what I got to say
But to my defiance the music fades
And we all sit silent and I crawl back inside
Because it wasn't supposed to go this bad
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
Oh, and take it all, oh, just take it all, this is me
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
When you grow silent I
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent, when you grow silent
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
And take it all, oh, just take it all
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
And speak to my needs, my needs
And take it all, yeah
You already know what I'm gonna do
You got my time on the dotted line
But you show up invited and before I sign
And someone say I'm not making mistakes
But please don't be fake
My debut comes today
And my feelings have all run away
With the man that I am but understand
Hey, if I don't keep going it'll just go to show
That I've been beat by an industry I've never seen
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
Oh, and take it all, oh, just take it all, this is me
So the crowd gets quiet, I start to play
And I think they're buying what I got to say
But to my defiance the music fades
And we all sit silent and I crawl back inside
Because it wasn't supposed to go this bad
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
Oh, and take it all, oh, just take it all, this is me
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
When you grow silent I
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent I start to fall
And when you grow silent, when you grow silent
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
Speak to my needs, my needs
And take it all, oh, just take it all
This is me on my knees
Singing take it all from me, take it all
And speak to my needs, my needs
And take it all, yeah
Lyrics submitted by LuvtheWeez
Industry [Bonus Track] Lyrics as written by Jonathan Michael Mclaughlin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
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.
what the crap at people not commenting this song. Mmph. I looove Jon McLaughlin.
Such an incredible artist.
WHAT THE CRAP no doubt JM is amaaaaaaaazing.
Exactly. Jon McLaughlin is EVERYTHING I listen for in a great, feel-good, I-can-totally-relate artist, and this song is just another example of how crazy it is that he's not HUGE!!
I'm going to enjoy it now, though, because I know someday he's going to be all over the radio, and I'll be the one telling everyone that it's about time!
This is me on my knees Singing take it all from me Take it all Speak to my needs My needs yeah And take it all Oh just take it all This is me
yes. this is Jon McLaughlin.
this song is amazing. I love the piano....my favorite of his by far
This is currently my favorite song. I love just about everything about it. The lyrics are brilliant, the piano...is amazing. This guy's a genius.
i ran into jon in a mall in seattle. he's sooo sweet.
a perfect song about an artists struggle with the music industry. LOVE IT!!! this is one of the few artists that both my sister and i agree on. I have never heard anything like Jon Mclaughlin. How would you discribe him???
so we all agree its a good song... whats it mean?
He actually reminds me of a combination of Ben Folds and Matt Nathanson, with maybe more of a beat.