"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 want to be wherever she may go
And I will dress her favourite way
I want to be her best, best boy
So I would kill myself to stay
And I would always be her world
And I would always be her world
And she's a spider I'm a butterfly
And she might kill me but at least I tried
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
Best that I would take myself home
Best that I would but I can't say so
Cause there's this vision that I have where I try to do that
And I collect myself but I can't quite go
And if she leaves me here for dead
Well then I guess that's what she did
And she's a spider I'm a butterfly
And she might kill me but at least I tried
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
If she don't want to then she don't want to
And some girls just don't make you feel like they want you
But my girl, she won't ever be that way
And I will dress her favourite way
I want to be her best, best boy
So I would kill myself to stay
And I would always be her world
And I would always be her world
And she's a spider I'm a butterfly
And she might kill me but at least I tried
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
Best that I would take myself home
Best that I would but I can't say so
Cause there's this vision that I have where I try to do that
And I collect myself but I can't quite go
And if she leaves me here for dead
Well then I guess that's what she did
And she's a spider I'm a butterfly
And she might kill me but at least I tried
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
She said you can't have me, but I want you badly
And I will wait right here but she don't care
If she don't want to then she don't want to
And some girls just don't make you feel like they want you
But my girl, she won't ever be that way
Lyrics submitted by geekusa
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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@[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.
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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,
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