"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.
Riki works in a record store on the weekend
Between Vincent and Second street
Writing songs on a VS840 eight track
Using midi to push the beats
Tony drives for the Inland Empire Weekly
Reads the trades and he's signing up
Playing drums in the Teenage Bon Scott Revival
Giggin' out once or twice a month
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Caroline poses native Californian
Santa Monica born and raised
None were wise to the Four H clover key chain
Or just how much she loves the rain
Driving down from the bunny bars in Takeena
Tony he's feeling lost
All the while Dita looks to the stars for the answers
Hoping someday their paths will cross
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Dita waits in the parking lot for her best friend
Sarah she's always late
Sarah moved from the smallest town in Virginia
A place she would learn to hate
Caroline runs the lanes but she skips the bases
Plays the room like she'd like to be
Riki says that my band's just a Sebadoh rip off
And I can't say I disagree
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Between Vincent and Second street
Writing songs on a VS840 eight track
Using midi to push the beats
Tony drives for the Inland Empire Weekly
Reads the trades and he's signing up
Playing drums in the Teenage Bon Scott Revival
Giggin' out once or twice a month
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Caroline poses native Californian
Santa Monica born and raised
None were wise to the Four H clover key chain
Or just how much she loves the rain
Driving down from the bunny bars in Takeena
Tony he's feeling lost
All the while Dita looks to the stars for the answers
Hoping someday their paths will cross
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Dita waits in the parking lot for her best friend
Sarah she's always late
Sarah moved from the smallest town in Virginia
A place she would learn to hate
Caroline runs the lanes but she skips the bases
Plays the room like she'd like to be
Riki says that my band's just a Sebadoh rip off
And I can't say I disagree
Hear the news indie blues taking over the suburbs
On the street with the beats and all the girls hanging out
And Riki says we should sing
Caroline, Caroline Secretly Minnesotan
Lyrics submitted by BananaLoaf
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
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.
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.