"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 there a way out of this?
If there is I don't see it
Can heaven and hell coexist?
Not when both battle for dominance
Brush back my tears and he said "girl
We have to soldier on
Yes girl even when we don't feel strong"
So how many young men have to lay down
Their life and their love of their woman
For some sick promise of a heaven
Lies go back now to the garden
Even the four horses say all bets are off
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
Soon there'll be fast food on the moon
Painted in neon with For Sale signs up
You say "I'm more afraid of what
Tomorrow could bring to us"
Brushed back my tears and he said "girl
You have to soldier on
Yes girl even when you don't feel strong"
So how many young men have to lay down
Their life and their love of their woman
For some sick promise of a heaven
Bushes burn there on the mountain
Abraham and Ishmael turn back the clock
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
If there is I don't see it
Can heaven and hell coexist?
Not when both battle for dominance
Brush back my tears and he said "girl
We have to soldier on
Yes girl even when we don't feel strong"
So how many young men have to lay down
Their life and their love of their woman
For some sick promise of a heaven
Lies go back now to the garden
Even the four horses say all bets are off
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
Soon there'll be fast food on the moon
Painted in neon with For Sale signs up
You say "I'm more afraid of what
Tomorrow could bring to us"
Brushed back my tears and he said "girl
You have to soldier on
Yes girl even when you don't feel strong"
So how many young men have to lay down
Their life and their love of their woman
For some sick promise of a heaven
Bushes burn there on the mountain
Abraham and Ishmael turn back the clock
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
We're on the dark side of the sun
Lyrics submitted by stentorian
Dark Side of the Sun Lyrics as written by Tori Ellen Amos
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Bee Gees
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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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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,
Head > Heels
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
I believe that plath81 is right, but i also can see it as a double meaning, where as it is pointing out how extremists are willing to die for their religion, and there are people giving up their lives and the love of their woman, it is also i believe a statement against how america sends out its boys to fight on the forefront of an extremist ideal, for example
"Is there a way out of this If there is I don’t see it Can Heaven & Hell coexist Not when both battle for dominance" is like a statement of having gotten entangled in the war front in iraq, and with no way out in sight, where both sides preach that they are fighting for a haven, in the case of extremist muslims they are fighting for the rewards of jihaad, and the americans are fighting to bring an idea of peace and security to iraq, IE: to turn it into a haven, i dont know this song really can be viewed in anyway, and seriously it is not just localised to muslims, the burning bush and abraham and ishmael are from the bible... and there is such a thing as a christian extremist as well cough george bush cough lol
@BrokenNailz yes, its definitely both, i do wish the album was sectioned into war / relationships of love, with a symbol where the two subjects / topics of lyrics meanings meet. as with Joni Mitchell, Tori might consider writing a book with annotations for all of their \r\n deeply couched mastermind lyric and buried shadow meanings. ill always enjoy hearing what we, as her listeners might perceive and envision in this genre of magnificent songwriting