"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.
You lose control when you hold too tight
but turn your head long enough to let it bite
'Cause faith left me staring
at the ceiling through the night
It's freaking me out
And when I fell asleep it plagued my dreams
and thirty bits of glass had become my teeth
They were breaking and each and every time
I tried to speak
It's freaking me out
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
You lose your mind
if you lose control
It makes you feel ashamed
for the hearts you stole
And now your own heart's scared of an attack
'cause you can't give them back
You're stressing me out
when you proved me wrong
You're wearing me out
'cause I've slept so long
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
Thrown it all away
I threw it all and I
threw it all away
But the best part is not knowing
just what i threw away
I threw it all away
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
But I keep running right back around for more
'cause I'm in love with my doubt
It's freaking me out
but turn your head long enough to let it bite
'Cause faith left me staring
at the ceiling through the night
It's freaking me out
And when I fell asleep it plagued my dreams
and thirty bits of glass had become my teeth
They were breaking and each and every time
I tried to speak
It's freaking me out
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
You lose your mind
if you lose control
It makes you feel ashamed
for the hearts you stole
And now your own heart's scared of an attack
'cause you can't give them back
You're stressing me out
when you proved me wrong
You're wearing me out
'cause I've slept so long
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
Thrown it all away
I threw it all and I
threw it all away
But the best part is not knowing
just what i threw away
I threw it all away
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
And I could run like a coward for the door
but I'll never get out
You're freaking me out
You're freaking me out
But I keep running right back around for more
'cause I'm in love with my doubt
It's freaking me out
Lyrics submitted by ill fade with time
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
WOOOOO! First Comment. Can't wait until this album comes out. Love love love Copeland. Love this song, as I am a basket case of paranoia. But at the center, I think theres something more along the lines of a falling relationship. There's using on one side, and theres a realisation of that. The realisation that using hurts, and it could come back and bit you in the arse. But, also, there seems to be no change in this behaviour, 'and the best part is you can throw it all away.' This person is going to continue to use and abuse because its their behavioural pattern to do so, and their always going to drag others down with them, because their control freaks. HAH! If that makes any sense.
I never though I'd say this about a Copeland song...but, I really don't like this song. When I first heard it, I was like, "This is the beautiful, poetic Copeland I know? Ha. Yeah, right." I don't know. It was just a big change for me, I suppose. The chorus is sort of shallow. The whole "you're freaking me out" thing was like...random. Hmm.
i can see where youre coming from thinking the chorus is shallow but i see it as more of a way to describe a complex feeling in a universal way. especially the way "freak" is used both as a feeling and a description. i mean...i'm sure a lot of people have experienced that feeling. the one where you feel entirely vulnerable because of another person and it "freaks you out" because youre usually the one in control. so to sum up my feelings...i love this song. and can totally relate to it.
hmm I'm not sure how I felt about this song on first listening to it, but after a couple more times I've come to love it. I adore Copeland.
I just heard the song and it sounds pretty good. I think these lyrics are wrong though...
I absolutely love this record and particulary this song. Definetly the best Copeland album. I think it's a cd that you must hear many times to really appreciate it.
They will break and each and everytime I fall asleep it's freaking me out..."
it's wrong.
They will break and each and everytime i try to speak it's freaking me out..."
Anyway, i love this part^^
I reckon that this is a beautiful song. I think it's about this person who is paranoid and concious over the fact that s/he is so closely connected to the other person that s/he is obsessed by this situation. this person loves to be lead and used. it's like sitting on the fence, the person could run.. but no.. the person could stay forever but s/he has doubts.. so it's a middle ground. and we all know that middle grounds are shaky and 'freaky'. "I'm in love with my doubt and it's freaking me out" --pure genius
how they used the word freak is pure art. love this song. love copeland.
,,hmm.. copeland..
i agree that this song is more shallow than the others. but i mean, sometimes its nice to have a few simple words and phrases that you dont have to think about for too long. and it can still mean a lot to those who can relate.
i like this song.
this song is genius.. and i thought this site was called song meanings, not do you like this song. this song is pure anxiety, a man losing his mind. no coincidence that aaron marsh was suffering from sleep deprivation right before this album was recorded.
and Alkichi you're wrong.
it's "when i feel asleep it plagued my dreams, and thirty bits of glass had become my teeth, they WERE breaking each and everytime i tried to speak...."
now that i read over someone should re-do the whole lyric.