"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.
Said woman, look lovely to me but your body no ready
And if that you're thinking you're ready to give it a try
And maybe, you might want to wait before you give yourself away
Or maybe, the reasons you're willing are burning inside
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wanna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
So when the weekend come, yes, you'll have some fun
Then you'll drink some wine and you'll drink some rum
But before too long when your pressure's gone
You know that you're waiting for someone to come, yeah
Let me know, say when you get-go, you let go
Let me know, said, if you're willing to let go
[Incomprehensible] but she want it
Said, if you got the body you should flaunt it, flaunt it
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wannna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wanna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
And if that you're thinking you're ready to give it a try
And maybe, you might want to wait before you give yourself away
Or maybe, the reasons you're willing are burning inside
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wanna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
So when the weekend come, yes, you'll have some fun
Then you'll drink some wine and you'll drink some rum
But before too long when your pressure's gone
You know that you're waiting for someone to come, yeah
Let me know, say when you get-go, you let go
Let me know, said, if you're willing to let go
[Incomprehensible] but she want it
Said, if you got the body you should flaunt it, flaunt it
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wannna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
And if you say that you want it and girl you know you need it
And say that you don't wanna be caught
Between someone else and your love
But till you're older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
A little older now, you've got to get a little bit older now
Lyrics submitted by Songs4Jane
Older Lyrics as written by Miles Doughty Kyle Alexander Mcdonald
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
this song has a deep meaning to it ... very coming-of-age-like ... can't put my finger on what point they're trying to convey, but it's something - and the chill track is just awesome :-)