Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
If they could see you now
They would surely bow
In the honor of your presence dear
You've come
The cameras blind your eye
Here's the big surprise,
Flash never lasts
You've gotta pay your way back in
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
And the sex that you bought
Bright city lights
And big, big city nights
Here the hand that feeds you bites you dear
Fear not
Bless your troubled soul
But there's hope for all
For a bag of cash you can always
Turn your profits in
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress that you bought
Who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
And the sex that you bought
There's always room for something
When nothing's next to you
Hotshot, grab on to something
They're coming after you
Who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
The sex
'Cause you are
Whoa oh oh oh oh [Repeat: x4]
They would surely bow
In the honor of your presence dear
You've come
The cameras blind your eye
Here's the big surprise,
Flash never lasts
You've gotta pay your way back in
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
And the sex that you bought
Bright city lights
And big, big city nights
Here the hand that feeds you bites you dear
Fear not
Bless your troubled soul
But there's hope for all
For a bag of cash you can always
Turn your profits in
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress that you bought
Who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
And the sex that you bought
There's always room for something
When nothing's next to you
Hotshot, grab on to something
They're coming after you
Who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
'Cause who you are, what you say
You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark
What you've got means shit to me
I'm not impressed by the dress
The sex
'Cause you are
Whoa oh oh oh oh [Repeat: x4]
Lyrics submitted by martinusgirl
Pop-Punk Is Sooooo '05 Lyrics as written by David Katz Sam Hollander
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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"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.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
the title is clearly meant to be more funny than deep. its about the emo wannabes probably could be a dig at how huge FOB is but not them specifically. I think its a song for the band and by the band. Its them having a recorded reminder of what could happen. somethign for them to look back on and help keep them focuses away from the "bright lights" and the fads. i.e. "is so 05"
though on a personal note POP PUNK WILL NEVER DIE!!
and everyone should go out get this new album, good band.Great Label they are on. =)