"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.
Pretty bird, pretty bird
Why you so still?
Pretty bird, pretty bird
We've been waiting on you
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
There's a mirror in heaven
Pretty bird, pretty bird
There's a window on earth
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
Some pity me, yeah
Oh, pity me, yeah
Stars pity me
For the blood of the pretty
The blood of the pretty
The blood of the pretty bird
Pretty bird, pretty bird
Who's starving you still?
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
Why you so still?
Pretty bird, pretty bird
We've been waiting on you
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
There's a mirror in heaven
Pretty bird, pretty bird
There's a window on earth
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
Some pity me, yeah
Oh, pity me, yeah
Stars pity me
For the blood of the pretty
The blood of the pretty
The blood of the pretty bird
Pretty bird, pretty bird
Who's starving you still?
You go west for the black setting sun
You go south to the white spirit world
You go east for those real green eyes
You go north, walk the good red road
Pretty bird
Lyrics submitted by A_MovieScriptEnding
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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.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
jenny's voice is so effing delicate in this song. drop a grain of salt on it and it would just fall apart.
Jenny Lewis said, on the show Spectacle, this song is about a story she heard on public radio about a woman getting raped on an Indian reservation.
@brighteyes304 <br /> Yes. Pretty Bird Women's Shelter is in McLaughlin, SD on the Standing Rock Reservation. It was named after Pretty Bird Woman, the sister of the shelter's founder who was raped and murdered.<br /> <br /> Notice the four directions/colors that make up the song's chorus, the mimic the four directions and colors of the Lakota Medicine Wheel. The only one that is accurate to the real thing, however, is "West/black setting sun." The direction west on the Medicine wheel is black, and represents the setting sun. Interestingly, she says "north/walk the good red road." North on the Medicine Wheel is white, not red (red is east.) Funny enough, to "Walk the Red Road" is a turn of phrase on the reservation that means, in essence: to stay sober, stay clean, and worship in a traditional way. <br /> <br /> I spent the better part of a year on the Pine Ridge Reservation with the Oglala Lakota, so I got familiar with these themes way after having heard the song. I hadn't listened to it in a long time, and one day I heard it so perfectly. Without knowing the story of Pretty Bird, I knew it was a Lakota woman's name. So I did the research. It's interesting stuff.<br /> <br /> I kind of wish Jenny would make a significant donation to the shelter itself. I'm not saying she hasn't --but there's no record if she did, and I just really hope she did. They have struggled to stay open for a while.
i really like this song. at first i didn't like it until i saw jenny perform it live. you can see the emotion in her face when she's singing it on stage. absolutely beautiful.
I love this song. Jenny Lewis is just amazing.
Without having heard the story behind the song, my take is that it's a about a tender sensitive soul that is not being cared for properly or being treated well. "for the blood of the pretty" and "Who's starving you still?" are key phrases for me. Beautiful song.