"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.
Is it so overwhelming to accept the fact
that everybody feels?
Then classify, objectify each other
Whatever helps you sleep
The upper class, the middle class, the lower
We're all one of the three
It's true there is a color divide
It's not black or white, it's green
One nation of division and conformity
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
So where's this land of equal opportunity?
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
As you walk along on stolen ground
Ignoring poverty
Remember anyone becomes a criminal
When you leave them starving
So ask the pro-life, pro-war, right-wing, Christian
How their rationale makes sense
Should they decide whose children live or die
And whose rights we should defend
One nation of division and conformity
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
that everybody feels?
Then classify, objectify each other
Whatever helps you sleep
The upper class, the middle class, the lower
We're all one of the three
It's true there is a color divide
It's not black or white, it's green
One nation of division and conformity
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
So where's this land of equal opportunity?
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
As you walk along on stolen ground
Ignoring poverty
Remember anyone becomes a criminal
When you leave them starving
So ask the pro-life, pro-war, right-wing, Christian
How their rationale makes sense
Should they decide whose children live or die
And whose rights we should defend
One nation of division and conformity
Divided we stand, united we'll fall
Lyrics submitted by punkpirate
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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/
The very first line of this song is one of the most profound things I've ever heard in a song. If we could all realize that, the world would be a much better place.