"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.
Tell me where you've seen my life
I look in your eyes and can only see my own complexion
Tell me where you've been my life
I've been watching you spring by summer fall when some one called
Tell me where you've seen my life
You've been biting my hands and knocking me down down to the ground
Tell me where you've been my life
I see only what you see, face who you face, be who you want to be
Clashing lies and clashing thighs
Clashing chasing changing minds
Tell me what you've seen tell me where you've gone
Tell me where you've been tell me what you saw
Clashing lies and clashing thighs
Clashing chasing changing minds
Tell me what you've seen tell me where you've gone
Tell me where you've been tell me what you saw
I look in your eyes and can only see my own complexion
Tell me where you've been my life
I've been watching you spring by summer fall when some one called
Tell me where you've seen my life
You've been biting my hands and knocking me down down to the ground
Tell me where you've been my life
I see only what you see, face who you face, be who you want to be
Clashing lies and clashing thighs
Clashing chasing changing minds
Tell me what you've seen tell me where you've gone
Tell me where you've been tell me what you saw
Clashing lies and clashing thighs
Clashing chasing changing minds
Tell me what you've seen tell me where you've gone
Tell me where you've been tell me what you saw
Lyrics submitted by RomanCandle
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.
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.
The beginning of this song reminds me of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men."
Fortunately, it turns into something much more different and glorious
I think he is signing to his alter-ego in this song ('I look in your eyes and can only see my own complexion'), the voice in his head that comes and goes - perhaps self-doubt or his self-destructive side. On a musical side - this song is amazing! For sure the most catchy-pop moment of my favorite 2007 album 23 (23 is even moreso my favorite then Neon Bible or In Rainbows which is saying ALOT)
I think he is signing to his alter-ego in this song ('I look in your eyes and can only see my own complexion'), the voice in his head that comes and goes - perhaps self-doubt or his self-destructive side. On a musical side - this song is amazing! For sure the most catchy-pop moment of my favorite 2007 album 23 (23 is even moreso my favorite then Neon Bible or In Rainbows which is saying ALOT)
Looks like someone who completely lost himself for another person, a lover (for the "clashing lies and clashing thighs" stanza).. He completely lives through her, and is absorving in every possible way.
"I've been watching you spring by summer fall when some one called" --> he's been absolutely obsessed about for quite a while.