"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.
God will forgive me.
There is no turning back.
Oh sweet release...
Beauty is the god of our times
and celebrity is our most noble virtue,
the opiate that keeps the zombies blind and in line
and hypnotized in worship of the pantheon of sex and shine.
but now I've seen the light...
It's time to light the fuse.
Violence is better than the CULT OF SILENCE
in which the open-eyed hide.
into the abyss...
I refuse to suck at the tit of distraction,
and I refuse to worship the human face.
Oh, if I can do this noble thing
then I'll die laughing.
Kill a celebrity.
In the name of love.
Kill a celebrity.
And you will find that you can strike down a god.
Oh, if we can do this thing
then we can jump on the grave pile laughing.
Let's put a brand new price on fame,
and let's put a new price on your worshiped name,
and some acid in your beautiful face.
I'd love to detonate a car bomb at the doors of your precious MTV
and put some sarin gas in the central A.C. at the V.M.A.'s
and watch those beautiful faces turn ashen gray.
There is no turning back.
Oh sweet release...
Beauty is the god of our times
and celebrity is our most noble virtue,
the opiate that keeps the zombies blind and in line
and hypnotized in worship of the pantheon of sex and shine.
but now I've seen the light...
It's time to light the fuse.
Violence is better than the CULT OF SILENCE
in which the open-eyed hide.
into the abyss...
I refuse to suck at the tit of distraction,
and I refuse to worship the human face.
Oh, if I can do this noble thing
then I'll die laughing.
Kill a celebrity.
In the name of love.
Kill a celebrity.
And you will find that you can strike down a god.
Oh, if we can do this thing
then we can jump on the grave pile laughing.
Let's put a brand new price on fame,
and let's put a new price on your worshiped name,
and some acid in your beautiful face.
I'd love to detonate a car bomb at the doors of your precious MTV
and put some sarin gas in the central A.C. at the V.M.A.'s
and watch those beautiful faces turn ashen gray.
Lyrics submitted by maggot#8
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
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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Yeah, you're right, those lyrics are missing for some reason, I'm looking into that...