"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.
Makin' a livin' the old, hard way
Takin' and givin' by day by day
I dig snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
My dog, Sam, eats purple flowers
Ain't got much, but what we got's ours
We dig snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine, I'm talkin' 'bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time, I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Lovin' the free and feelin' spirit
Of hugging a tree, when you get near it
Diggin' the snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' 'bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Takin' and givin' by day by day
I dig snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
My dog, Sam, eats purple flowers
Ain't got much, but what we got's ours
We dig snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine, I'm talkin' 'bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time, I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Lovin' the free and feelin' spirit
Of hugging a tree, when you get near it
Diggin' the snow and rain and the bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' 'bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line) la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Lyrics submitted by tippy_typewriter
Draggin' the Line Lyrics as written by Tommy James Robert King
Lyrics © Sony/ATV 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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
How old are you? Were you there? Nobody snorted coke! A few isolated junkies mixed it with heroin, some smoked opium. It just wasn’t around! LSD was mistly in blotter form , mushrooms and weed was the norm. And there sure as shit was no crystal.
This song is great, one of the best pop songs of all time...but it was credited to Tommy James solo, not TJ & the Shondells. Should be moved to that entry...
Well, it does sound pretty hippie-ish, but I don't think it's about using drugs. Back in the day--let's just say WAY back in the day--"dragging the line" was an idiom for slogging through your daily life.
I think the song is about the virtues of living a simple life. Making a living the old, hard way (i.e., working with his hands rather than sitting at a desk), taking life as it comes, not being too busy or caught up with getting rich to stop and enjoy the simple things (we ain't got much but what we got's ours; hugging trees; peace of mine), with a minimum of encumbrances (only his dog for companionship).
As far as Sam eating purple flowers, I always got this picture of the songwriter going, "What can we rhyme with 'We ain't got much but what we got's ours'?" and the answers getting sillier and sillier till someone just said, "What the hell, let's put in the dog eating flowers," while everyone just totally cracked up. I think that line is a throwaway and not pivotal to the song at all. It is pretty funny though.
what law4 said, with the little addition that 'draggin' the line' is old time slang for driving a plow and later, for doing hard work to make ends meet.
As almost all Tommy James songs this one was about drugs. About draggin a line of coke to get through the workday after partying all night the night before. Of course "Snow" meant coke, "rain" meant Ludes AKA Quaalude's, and "Sunshine" was an Acid AKA LDS. And the line "My dog Sam eats purple flowers" was referring the to his "friend that doesn't do the same drug as him"! (That was what "Dog" meant then and "Cat" was someone who did the same drug as you!) "Sam" ate liquid LSD "Purple flowers" that was comon to put in grape Koolaid! So "Ain't got much, but what we've got's ours"meant that "we don't need to share our coke! Scotty