"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 stepped outside to breathe the air
And stare up at the stars
Big dipper hanging there
Over the rented car
Over the rented car
I'm a runaway from the record biz
From the hoods in the hood and the whiny white kids
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Sophia says, "it's hard to catch
And harder still to ride
The time to watch the beast the best
Is when it's purring at your side"
Purring at your side
Accolades and honors
One false move and you're a goner
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forest of the night
The moon shed light
On my hopeless plight
As the radio blared so bland
Every disc, a poker chip
Every song just a one night stand
Formula music, girly guile
Genuine junk food for juveniles
Up and down the dial
Mercenary style
I watched the stars chuck down their spears
And a plane went blinking by
And I thought of Anna
Wild and dear
Like fireworks in the sky
Fireworks in the sky
I'm so sick of this game
It's hip, it's hot
Life's too short, the whole thing's gotten
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(Boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(You can't tame the tiger)
Oh, be nice, kitty kitty
(Boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(Boring, boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(Fight to the light, fight to the light)
In the forest of the night
And stare up at the stars
Big dipper hanging there
Over the rented car
Over the rented car
I'm a runaway from the record biz
From the hoods in the hood and the whiny white kids
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Sophia says, "it's hard to catch
And harder still to ride
The time to watch the beast the best
Is when it's purring at your side"
Purring at your side
Accolades and honors
One false move and you're a goner
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forest of the night
The moon shed light
On my hopeless plight
As the radio blared so bland
Every disc, a poker chip
Every song just a one night stand
Formula music, girly guile
Genuine junk food for juveniles
Up and down the dial
Mercenary style
I watched the stars chuck down their spears
And a plane went blinking by
And I thought of Anna
Wild and dear
Like fireworks in the sky
Fireworks in the sky
I'm so sick of this game
It's hip, it's hot
Life's too short, the whole thing's gotten
Boring
The old man is snoring
And I'm taming the tiger
(You can't tame the tiger)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(Boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(You can't tame the tiger)
Oh, be nice, kitty kitty
(Boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
Nice, kitty kitty
(Boring, boring)
Tiger, tiger burning bright
(Fight to the light, fight to the light)
In the forest of the night
Lyrics submitted by sillybunny
Taming the Tiger Lyrics as written by Joni Mitchell
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Sophia, we are hard to catch and enormously difficult to ride. How do you manage? I’m not sure I do but to back up a touch, I’ll say you aren’t hard to catch at all. You are saying that because you don’t want anyone to try. Am I so transparent? One false move and you’re a goner?
Is that so bad? Actually, no, but …. You don’t want anyone or anything freaking you out. I feel I’ve been freaked out enough for one or two people to be honest … so, you’re not hard to catch at all and oh, so very boring … I think of sweet Anna, wild and dear, like fireworks in the sky so I’ll agree with the boring story. Babe, this tiger can’t be tamed. The time to watch the beast the best is when it’s purring by your side. That little detail never escaped me. And when purring, you make everything so … otherworldly …I’m not sure that’s the right word … people get mesmerized and don’t move at all … The old man snores … Who’s the old man? Who, indeed … suppose it depends … you bored? Even if I was, I'd lie. In a heartbeat ...