"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.
Don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Should I let you fall, lose it all
So maybe you can remember yourself?
Can't keep believing
We're only deceiving ourselves
And I'm sick of the lie
And you're too late
Don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Couldn't take the blame, sick with shame
Must be exhausting to lose your own game, selfishly hated
No wonder you're jaded
You can't play the victim this time
And you're too late
So don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
You never call me when you're sober
You only want it 'cause it's over, it's over
How could I have burned paradise?
How could I?
You were never mine
So don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
Don't lie to me, just get your things
I've made up your mind
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Should I let you fall, lose it all
So maybe you can remember yourself?
Can't keep believing
We're only deceiving ourselves
And I'm sick of the lie
And you're too late
Don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Couldn't take the blame, sick with shame
Must be exhausting to lose your own game, selfishly hated
No wonder you're jaded
You can't play the victim this time
And you're too late
So don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
You never call me when you're sober
You only want it 'cause it's over, it's over
How could I have burned paradise?
How could I?
You were never mine
So don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
Don't lie to me, just get your things
I've made up your mind
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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
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.
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.
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.
"PS- The video makes me laugh because it's like a hodgepodge of 3 older videos: My Chemical Romance's "Helena" (dancy girls in black?); Within Temptation's "Running Up that Hill" (floaty Amy in flowy dress?); and (get this) Backstreet Boy's "Everybody" (er...don't know why)." I have to agree w/tikal24 on the whole modgepodge of past video reminders... I also wanted to comment that the guy in the video is very uh... attractive looking...
I have to say I'm not a huge Evanescence fan or anything, and I don't know much about their music or themselves. However, my ears really perked up when I first heard this song. It even reminded me of someone I know.