"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.
If today was not endless highway
If tonight was not endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
Only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
I can't see my reflection in the water
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I can't remember the sound of my own name
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
There's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else could match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
If tonight was not endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
Only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
I can't see my reflection in the water
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I can't remember the sound of my own name
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
There's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else could match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
Lyrics submitted by smallwonderrobot
Tomorrow Is a Long Time Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.