"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 hands are broken
And time is going on and on it goes
Forever
(How long?)
So I got high and
Lived all that life had I have taken all
For granted
Promise me you'll try
To leave it all behind
'Cause I've elected hell
Lying to myself
Why have I gone blind?
Live another life
You
You
The only way out
Is letting your guard down and never die
Forgotten
(I know)
Forgive me, my love
I stand here all alone and I can see
The bottom
Promise me you'll try
To leave it all behind
'Cause I've elected hell
Lying to myself
Why have I gone blind?
Live another life
You
You
You
You
You
You
And time is going on and on it goes
Forever
(How long?)
So I got high and
Lived all that life had I have taken all
For granted
Promise me you'll try
To leave it all behind
'Cause I've elected hell
Lying to myself
Why have I gone blind?
Live another life
You
You
The only way out
Is letting your guard down and never die
Forgotten
(I know)
Forgive me, my love
I stand here all alone and I can see
The bottom
Promise me you'll try
To leave it all behind
'Cause I've elected hell
Lying to myself
Why have I gone blind?
Live another life
You
You
You
You
You
You
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
I think I lean towards this song being about a girl that he really wanted to have a relationship with but things didn't work out. I think that fits in with the general theme of the album better then the idea of a drug problem. This song follows Diary of Jane and Breath which are both about relationships gone sour somehow.
Either way, I really love this whole album. Breaking Benjamin has really come a long way with their music, easily one of my favorite bands.