"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 got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me.
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me.
No, oh whoa
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me.
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me.
No, oh whoa
I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Wish that you could, but you ain't gonna own me.
Do anything you can to control me.
Oh, oh no
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
There's a place that I go,
That nobody knows.
Where the rivers flow,
And I call it home.
And there's no more lies.
In the darkness, there's light.
And nobody cries.
There's only butterflies.
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
The sun is on my side.
Take me for a ride.
I smile up to the sky.
I know I'll be all right.
The sun is on my side.
Take me for a ride.
I smile up to the sky.
I know I'll be all right.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me.
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me.
No, oh whoa
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me.
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me.
No, oh whoa
I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine.
Oh, oh whoa
Wish that you could, but you ain't gonna own me.
Do anything you can to control me.
Oh, oh no
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
There's a place that I go,
That nobody knows.
Where the rivers flow,
And I call it home.
And there's no more lies.
In the darkness, there's light.
And nobody cries.
There's only butterflies.
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)
The sun is on my side.
Take me for a ride.
I smile up to the sky.
I know I'll be all right.
The sun is on my side.
Take me for a ride.
I smile up to the sky.
I know I'll be all right.
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
VERY catchy and self-explanatory. I'm so glad she resung it for the Sims game -- I'll actually listen to some of the simlish music instead of my own.
Well to everyone who didn't know, sushine is a nickname for LSD.
I dont agree with it being about drugs i think its about wanting to escape somewhere from everyday life. But i can see why it would be seen as its about drugs. =]
LOL I find it funny how some of you seem to think this song is about drugs. If it were about drugs, why would they play it on Radio Disney ALL the time?
...But then again, they couldn't play it on radio disney if it was about religion either, so I think it's about a girl who had a rough life and wasn't happy- but then something happens that suddenly makes her realize that she should be more happy, and then she decides to be happy and starts to believe finally that no one can bring her down. She wants to finally get away and escape from her sad life. Just look at these lines:
A sweet escape: Take me away.
Take me away to better days.
Its about a girl whose sick of being sad and is finally doing something about it to make her happy.
So just because 'sunshine' is street for drugs, that's what this song MUST be about, right? No one can EVER make a song about sunshine, guys. It will forever be about drugs. Please. And about it being a 'higher place'- so what? That can also mean more than just being high. Stop having such a narrow mind. Go look at the lyrics for Heaven's Not Enough. Same 'higher place' lyrics, but if you argue that one's about drugs, I'd have to say you're on them.
And no, I'm not anti-drug or anti-songs-about-drugs. One of my absolute favorite bands is A Perfect Circle (namely their 13th Step Album, which WAS all about drugs), so don't start that argument.
That said, I don't think it's about being in love with someone ELSE either- that would mean someone ELSE could hurt her- aka the person she is with.
I think her love is from within, a love for and of herself. That's why NO ONE can touch her and NO ONE can break her. She is strong, and this song is a celebration of that fearless strength and control she has over her mind, body, and soul.
Great song and I love it.
its soo not about drugs, its about a girl that want the person that she loves to take her away so they can be together. these lyrics are WRONG. it a hiding place not a higher place. not drugs. were studying lyrics in my class and my teacher said its appropriate- that means no drugs reference, no drinking, not swearing..etc its a happy love song "pocket full of sunshine" means that shes in love. it even saids it "i got live and i know its all mine" isnt clear?
I think this song leaves alot of room for different interpretations. It just depends on what's going on or has gone on in your life or what your beliefs are etc as to how you relate to the lyrics. Personally, I lost my spouse to an illness and mourned for quite a while. Now I have found myself a new friend who is my pocket full of sunshine who takes me away from all the everyday crap and I'm going to be happy no matter what other people think of my new relationship. See, it just depends on what's going on in your life as to how you interpret it. Pretty talented writer who can compose a song with such varying interpretations!
actually listening to it again it sounds simply like the pocketful of sunshine is the escape inside your mind that you forge when your stressed a sanctuary.
Besides 'Soulmate', this is my fav. song from her! ahh i love it/ her
THIS SONG IS AMAZING.
very catchy! cant get it out of my head!!!!