"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 try so many times
But it's not taking me
And it seems so long ago
That I used to believe
And I'm so lost inside of my head
And crazy
But I cant get out of it
I'm just stumbling
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
And I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
But It's frayed at both the ends
And I'm slow unraveling
Life plays such silly games inside of me
And I've had some distant cries, following
And their entwined between the night and sun beams
I wish I were free from this pain in me
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
And I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
But it's frayed at both the ends
And I'm slow unraveling
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
But it's not taking me
And it seems so long ago
That I used to believe
And I'm so lost inside of my head
And crazy
But I cant get out of it
I'm just stumbling
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
And I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
But It's frayed at both the ends
And I'm slow unraveling
Life plays such silly games inside of me
And I've had some distant cries, following
And their entwined between the night and sun beams
I wish I were free from this pain in me
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
And I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
I remember the time my balance was fine
And I was just walking on one fine wire
But it's frayed at both the ends
And I'm slow unraveling
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fears on fire
But I'm listening as it evolved in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
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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.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I'm suprised its about stage fright because the simplicity of the lyrics just make it so deep, it can be applied into any situation.
When I heard the song for the first time I felt so crushed. It's not like I paid any attention to the lyrics, but it was the melody that got to me; despite its 'cheery' sounding tune, I don't know why it just sounds the exact opposite to me. It's when I decided to download the song and read the lyrics that I just started to cry.
I love the words she chose because, to me, they just perfectly describe my life. Once upon a time, everything in my life was just so fine and so great; "I remember a time my balance was fine and I was just walking on one fine wire." Then so many horrible changes happened in my life, its like all my "balance" got chucked out the window. Whenever I hear this song I just want to cry and scream because this is just my theme song.