"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.
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Fire it up, fire it up
When we finally turn it over
Make a beeline towards the boat or
Have a drink, you've had enough
Fire it up, fire it up
If you need some conversation
Bring a magazine to read around
Our broke down transportation
Fire it up
Etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough
Fire it up, fire it up
When we fine the perfect water
We'll hang out on the shore
Just long enough to leave our clothes there
Fine enough, fine enough
Oh, we ate all of the oranges
Off the navels of our lovers
Grabbed a book and read the cover
It honestly was beautifully done
Like trying to hide the daylight from the sun
But even if we had been sure enough, it's true, we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head, but, still, we probably wouldn't go
Fire it up, fire it up
We pushed off, we're rolling boulders
Crashing down the mirrored stairways
To a blast basement canaries
Fire it up, fire it up
When we fix the carburetor
Then we'll push off once again
In an hour or so later
It honestly was beautifully bold
Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold
Even if we had been sure enough, it's true, we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head, but, still, we probably wouldn't go
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all, had it all
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all, had it all
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough, etcetera-nough
Fire it up, fire it up
When we finally turn it over
Make a beeline towards the boat or
Have a drink, you've had enough
Fire it up, fire it up
If you need some conversation
Bring a magazine to read around
Our broke down transportation
Fire it up
Etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough
Etcetera-nough
Fire it up, fire it up
When we fine the perfect water
We'll hang out on the shore
Just long enough to leave our clothes there
Fine enough, fine enough
Oh, we ate all of the oranges
Off the navels of our lovers
Grabbed a book and read the cover
It honestly was beautifully done
Like trying to hide the daylight from the sun
But even if we had been sure enough, it's true, we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head, but, still, we probably wouldn't go
Fire it up, fire it up
We pushed off, we're rolling boulders
Crashing down the mirrored stairways
To a blast basement canaries
Fire it up, fire it up
When we fix the carburetor
Then we'll push off once again
In an hour or so later
It honestly was beautifully bold
Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold
Even if we had been sure enough, it's true, we really didn't know
Even if we knew which way to head, but, still, we probably wouldn't go
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all, had it all
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all, had it all
Well, we always, well, we always
Had it all
Lyrics submitted by ICameAsaRat, edited by sheionizes
Fire It Up Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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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Futility.