"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.
October morning, little plane on the forest floor
Up on the TV between a rerun and another war
Here in a hotel, trying to make some sense of this
Two thousand miles from my family in Minneapolis
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey Senator, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
A story of a love undivided for thirty nine years
Strong when it counted through the hard times and the fears
Together forever, that was always what it was about
No hesitation, there was never any doubt
Hey, hey, Sheila, I want to say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey, hey, Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey, hey, Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
Up on the TV between a rerun and another war
Here in a hotel, trying to make some sense of this
Two thousand miles from my family in Minneapolis
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey Senator, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
A story of a love undivided for thirty nine years
Strong when it counted through the hard times and the fears
Together forever, that was always what it was about
No hesitation, there was never any doubt
Hey, hey, Sheila, I want to say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey, hey, Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey, hey, Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
About Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone and Sheila, his wife.