"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 felt it.
The wire touched my neck and
Then someone pulled it tighter
I never saw it coming
I'm certain to back out and
Then someone said good morning
I took it as a warning
I should have seen it coming
So now I'll take a chance on
This thing we may have started
Intentional or not I
Don't think we saw it coming
It's all adding up to something
That as of some involvement
That as for our commitment
I think I see it coming
If we step out of that limb
My heart beat, beats me senselessly
Why's everything got to be so intense with me
I'm trying to handle all these unpredictability
In all probability
It's a long shot so I say why not
The chance is we won't make it
If I say forget it I no that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it
But I know if we don't take they're be no chance
But you're the best I got
So take the long shot
I realize that there is all this starting
That we're both scared about but
We'll never see them coming
Throw caution to the wind and
We'll see which way it's blowing
And to this pulling on
We'll never see it coming
Until it's much to close to stop
My heart beat, beats me senselessly
Why's everything got to be so intense with me
I'm trying to handle all these unpredictability
And all probability
It's a long shot but I say why not
If I say forget it
I know that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it but i know if i don't take it there's no chance
Cuz I'm the best you got
So take the long shot
What a pleasant surprise what a breath of fresh air
You knock the wind out of me
But inside it's so unaware
Ahaa, ahaa, ahaa,
Oh I waited for fact to come of fiction
And you fit my description
I never saw you coming
But we'll make it even though
It's a long shot but I say why not
If I say forget it
I know that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it
But I know if I don't take it there's no chance
Cuz you're the best I got
So take the long shot
You didn't expect this
Oh you never saw me coming
You didn't expect this
Oh you never saw this coming
I take the long shot
I take the long shot, shot, shot, shot, shot
Cuz you're the best I got
Oh I'm take this chance on you baby
I'm take this chance on you baby
I'm taking this chance
The wire touched my neck and
Then someone pulled it tighter
I never saw it coming
I'm certain to back out and
Then someone said good morning
I took it as a warning
I should have seen it coming
So now I'll take a chance on
This thing we may have started
Intentional or not I
Don't think we saw it coming
It's all adding up to something
That as of some involvement
That as for our commitment
I think I see it coming
If we step out of that limb
My heart beat, beats me senselessly
Why's everything got to be so intense with me
I'm trying to handle all these unpredictability
In all probability
It's a long shot so I say why not
The chance is we won't make it
If I say forget it I no that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it
But I know if we don't take they're be no chance
But you're the best I got
So take the long shot
I realize that there is all this starting
That we're both scared about but
We'll never see them coming
Throw caution to the wind and
We'll see which way it's blowing
And to this pulling on
We'll never see it coming
Until it's much to close to stop
My heart beat, beats me senselessly
Why's everything got to be so intense with me
I'm trying to handle all these unpredictability
And all probability
It's a long shot but I say why not
If I say forget it
I know that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it but i know if i don't take it there's no chance
Cuz I'm the best you got
So take the long shot
What a pleasant surprise what a breath of fresh air
You knock the wind out of me
But inside it's so unaware
Ahaa, ahaa, ahaa,
Oh I waited for fact to come of fiction
And you fit my description
I never saw you coming
But we'll make it even though
It's a long shot but I say why not
If I say forget it
I know that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat the odds
The chance is we won't make it
But I know if I don't take it there's no chance
Cuz you're the best I got
So take the long shot
You didn't expect this
Oh you never saw me coming
You didn't expect this
Oh you never saw this coming
I take the long shot
I take the long shot, shot, shot, shot, shot
Cuz you're the best I got
Oh I'm take this chance on you baby
I'm take this chance on you baby
I'm taking this chance
Lyrics submitted by SophieSomething
Long Shot Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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
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”
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
haha. this is probably one of her best. the way she sings in this one, and the lyrics ar ejust awesome.
i totally agree! i heard it all the way through w/o knowing it was her (i'm not a fan, sorry!) and then the second rime i heard it i realized it was a good chance it was by "that Katy Perry Girl" as i call her...<br /> <br /> ne way, cool song, and i think the meaning has pretty much been posted above. so peace out!