"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.
I may not be your best
You know good ones
Don't come by the score
If you've got something missing
I'll help you look
You can be sure
And if you want to be alone
Or someone to share a laugh
Whatever you want me to
All you got to do is ask
Thunder
Don't go under the sheets
Lightening
Under a tree
In the rain and snow
I'll be your fire inside
Come running to me
When things get out of hand
Running to me
When it's more than you can stand
I said I'm strong
Straight
Willing
To be a
Shelter
In a storm
Your willow oh willow
When the sun is out
A fight with your best girl
Prettiest thing you ever saw
You know I'll listen
Try to get a message to her
And if it's money you want
Or trouble halved
What ever you want me to
All you got to do is ask
I said I'm strong
Straight
Willing
To be a
Shelter in a storm
Your willow oh willow
When the sun is out
You know good ones
Don't come by the score
If you've got something missing
I'll help you look
You can be sure
And if you want to be alone
Or someone to share a laugh
Whatever you want me to
All you got to do is ask
Thunder
Don't go under the sheets
Lightening
Under a tree
In the rain and snow
I'll be your fire inside
Come running to me
When things get out of hand
Running to me
When it's more than you can stand
I said I'm strong
Straight
Willing
To be a
Shelter
In a storm
Your willow oh willow
When the sun is out
A fight with your best girl
Prettiest thing you ever saw
You know I'll listen
Try to get a message to her
And if it's money you want
Or trouble halved
What ever you want me to
All you got to do is ask
I said I'm strong
Straight
Willing
To be a
Shelter in a storm
Your willow oh willow
When the sun is out
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
i think this is a song about, like, friends, as opposed to partners/lovers or whatever.
i saw her live and the crowd sang this song and it was the nicest thing ever :) joan armatrading should be queen of the world.